World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Award Badge
Social Sciences and Humanities
Germany
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Social Sciences and Humanities

D-Index
88
Citations
44080
World Ranking
216
National Ranking
10

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Social Sciences and Humanities in Germany Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Social Sciences and Humanities in Germany Leader Award
  • 2023 - Research.com Social Sciences and Humanities in Germany Leader Award
  • 2022 - Research.com Social Sciences and Humanities in Germany Leader Award
  • 2002 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts
  • Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts
  • Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts

Overview

Ortwin Renn is affiliated with the University of Stuttgart in Germany and focuses on research within the Social Sciences, with a particular concentration on Sociology and Political Science, Global and Planetary Change, Political Science and International Relations, Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law, and Economics and Econometrics.

The main topics covered in Renn's work include Sustainability and Climate Change Governance, Risk Perception and Management, Disaster Management and Resilience, Complex Systems and Decision Making, Infrastructure Resilience and Vulnerability Analysis, Public Administration and Political Analysis, and Innovation, Technology, and Society.

Renn has contributed numerous papers published in several frequent venues. These include:

  • GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society (11 publications)
  • Risk Analysis (8 publications)
  • Journal of Risk Research (4 publications)
  • Advanced Theory and Simulations (4 publications)
  • International Journal of Disaster Risk Science (3 publications)

Recent papers authored or coauthored by Renn include:

  • Global polycrisis: the causal mechanisms of crisis entanglement, 2024, Global Sustainability
  • Systemic Risks from Different Perspectives, 2020, Risk Analysis
  • COVID-19 risk governance: drivers, responses and lessons to be learned, 2020, Journal of Risk Research
  • Assessing resilience of healthcare infrastructure exposed to COVID-19: emerging risks, resilience indicators, interdependencies and international standards, 2020, Environment Systems & Decisions
  • Global polycrisis: The causal mechanisms of crisis entanglement, 2023, SSRN Electronic Journal

Frequent co-authors in Renn's publications include:

  • Pia-Johanna Schweizer
  • Roland W. Scholz
  • Jörg Radtke
  • Jean-Luc Brédas
  • Emily A. Carter

Renn has also published books through various publishers, such as Verlag Barbara Budrich, where two editions of Gefühlte Wahrheiten were released in 2022.

Another book titled Transformationsanspruch in Forschung und Bildung. Konzepte, Projekte, empirische Perspektiven was published in 2023 by Waxmann Verlag GmbH eBooks.

Throughout their career, Renn has received recognition including being named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2002 and membership in the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Best Publications

  • The Social Amplification of Risk: A Conceptual Framework

    Roger E. Kasperson;Ortwin Renn;Paul Slovic;Halina S. Brown

  • Risk Governance: Coping with Uncertainty in a Complex World

    Ortwin Renn

  • The Risk Perception Paradox—Implications for Governance and Communication of Natural Hazards

    Gisela Wachinger;Ortwin Renn;Chloe Begg;Christian Kuhlicke

  • Fairness and competence in citizen participation : evaluating models for environmental discourse

    Ortwin Renn;Thomas Webler;Peter M. Wiedemann

  • On risk defined as an event where the outcome is uncertain

    Terje Aven;Ortwin Renn

  • Concepts of risk : a classification

    Ortwin Renn

  • A new approach to risk evaluation and management: risk-based, precaution-based, and discourse-based strategies.

    Andreas Klinke;Ortwin Renn

  • Credibility and trust in risk communication

    Ortwin Renn;Debra Levine

  • Fairness and Competence in Citizen Participation

    Ortwin Renn;Thomas Webler;Peter Wiedemann

  • Three decades of risk research: accomplishments and new challenges

    Ortwin Renn

  • Global Risk Governance

    Ortwin Renn;Katherine D. Walker

  • Risk, uncertainty, and rational action

    Carlo C. Jaeger;Thomas Webler;Eugene A. Rosa;Ortwin Renn

  • The Social Amplification of Risk: Theoretical Foundations and Empirical Applications

    Ortwin Renn;William J. Burns;Jeanne X. Kasperson;Roger E. Kasperson

  • Public participation in impact assessment: A social learning perspective

    Thomas Webler;Hans Kastenholz;Ortwin Renn

  • Public participation in decision making: A three-step procedure

    Ortwin Renn;Thomas Webler;Horst Rakel;Peter Dienel

  • Changing the resilience paradigm

    Igor Linkov;Todd Bridges;Felix Creutzig;Jennifer Decker

  • Coping with complexity, uncertainty and ambiguity in risk governance: a synthesis.

    Ortwin Renn;Andreas Klinke;Marjolein van Asselt

  • Risk Management and Governance: Concepts, Guidelines and Applications

    T. Aven;Ortwin Renn

  • Risk governance

    Unknown

  • The role of risk perception for risk management

    Ortwin Renn

  • A New Approach to Risk Evaluation and Management: Risk-Based, Precaution-Based, and Discourse-Based

    Andreas Klinke;Ortwin Renn

Frequent Co-Authors

Thomas Webler
Thomas Webler Keene State College
Andrew Stirling
Andrew Stirling University of Sussex
Eugene A. Rosa
Eugene A. Rosa Washington State University
Ernst-Detlef Schulze
Ernst-Detlef Schulze Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Klaus Fraedrich
Klaus Fraedrich Max Planck Society
Gunnar Luderer
Gunnar Luderer Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Paul Slovic
Paul Slovic University of Oregon
Lucia A. Reisch
Lucia A. Reisch Copenhagen Business School
Lynn J. Frewer
Lynn J. Frewer Newcastle University

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Exploring Social Sciences and Humanities opens diverse career opportunities—from counseling and education to business, journalism, and public service. With the evolving demands of today’s job market, flexible online degrees are making it easier to advance your education while balancing other commitments.

If you’re interested in counseling or clinical roles, pursuing affordable online masters in psychology programs can provide the knowledge and credentials you need. For current educators or aspiring education leaders, consider 2 year ed d programs online to enhance your expertise and career prospects quickly.

Professionals aiming for a rapid career boost may benefit from one year masters programs online, allowing for advanced credentials in a shorter time. Similarly, those starting their academic journey or seeking a career change can accelerate their studies with an accelerated bachelor's degree online.

Each of these online pathways offers unique advantages, such as flexibility, affordability, and faster completion. They help you remain competitive and adaptable in an ever-changing professional landscape.

Best Scientists Citing Ortwin Renn

Trending Scientists

Recently Published Articles