The fact that the two terms »weak & strong« are not absolute, but rather relative concepts, is particularly true in science: what is con­sidered a strength in one context can become a weakness in another and vice versa. The scien­tists at Heidelberg University show, among other things, that many pro­cesses in life require an interplay of strong and weak elements in order to achieve balance, success or even resilience. And time and again, it is shown that many structures that are weak on their own can develop great strength together.

The contri­butions from a wide range of dis­ciplines deal, for example, with weak and strong states, with mole­cular balance that creates artificial life, with robust biological systems, with gender stereo­types and their effects and with the question of how we can create schools from which all children and young people emerge stronger.

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