The Standing Group Politics and Technology was founded in 1987 on the basis of a workshop held within the Joint Sessions of Workshops in Amsterdam. Starting from this point, in 1988 an ECPR-Research Group was selected on the topic ‘The State, Technology and Unintended Consequences’ that was held with the ECPR in Rimini.

During these ECPR Activities, the framework for interdisciplinary research was laid out and specified in individual research projects funded by a variety of organisations and foundations (e.g. the EU, Europe of the Cultures, national and regional Government agencies, and foundations such as the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation or the Hans-Boeckler-Foundation).

So far, seven funded research networks with a comparative European perspective were realized, mostly adopting a transatlantic perspective in addition. Books with publishers of high international standing and special issues with SSCI-listed periodicals were produced.

The Standing Group will follow this path and produce further books based on the ongoing funded research as well as on the existing results that may provide a basis for future research projects and research networks.