Since 2019, the BCDSS has developed and applied its innovative concept of Strong Asymmetrical Dependencies (SADs) to a wide range of case studies across time periods and world regions—from Han China and Imperial Russia to early modern Germany, Colonial Cameroon, and the Maya Empire. The cluster’s research explores both well-known forms of dependency—such as Roman, transatlantic, or Mamluk slavery, convict labor, and debt bondage—as well as more concealed forms like human trafficking and domestic servitude.
The concept of SADs allows for a comprehensive analytical framework to understand how power imbalances have historically shaped, and continue to influence, societies around the world. In the context of present-day global challenges—such as forced migration, socioeconomic inequality, and environmental exploitation—this research offers critical insights into the enduring legacies of dependency.
During its first funding phase (2019–2025), the BCDSS produced 37 monographs, 43 special issues and edited volumes, over 250 journal articles and book chapters, and launched its own academic publication series with De Gruyter.
Looking ahead to the second funding phase (2026–2032), the cluster will investigate the underlying causes and mechanisms that contribute to the persistence of Strong Asymmetrical Dependencies (SADs) across historical and contemporary contexts. The BCDSS aims to further anchor Historically Informed Dependency Studies as a key interdisciplinary field in the humanities, encouraging scholars across the humanities and social sciences to systematically integrate the analysis of SADs into the study of social, economic, and cultural phenomena.
At a time when academic inquiry into slavery and other forms of dependency faces renewed resistance—and when the voices of diversity, equity, and inclusion are under threat—this renewed funding sends a strong signal: Historically Informed Dependency Studies matter.