History, language and culture

First of all, research projects in the traditional humanities such as philosophy, theology and religious studies, historical studies, study of classical antiquity and archaeology, aesthetics, linguistics and literary studies are promoted in this field. Secondly, projects involving cultural studies and/or which in particular seek interdisciplinary contact with the social sciences are also supported.

State, economy and society

In the field of support entitled “State, Economy, and Society”, the Fritz Thyssen Foundation is especially interested in supporting projects which investigate the preconditions leading to and the results arising from this process of change in modern societies. Emphasis is placed on projects which can be assigned to the fields of economics, law, politics and sociology, but research in other areas of the social sciences can also be considered.

Medicine and natural sciences

Support for basic medical research was an important aim of both benefactors from the very beginning. The promotional focus on »Molecular causes in the development of illnesses« therefore supports molecular biological studies of illnesses whose development is largely based on genetic defects or in which gene variants contribute to the development of complex illnesses.