The list of the various fields in which defence plays a role reflects the diversity of the disciplines in which models of defence strategies and processes are developed. The fundamental question here is whether there is any transferability among the fields. Could, for instance, models of prevention in terms of security policy learn something from the mechanisms of immune defence?

Models. One of the research group's first goals was to evaluate the foundational elements of defence processes across all fields and disciplines. What properties does an organism, a group, an individual need to recognise something as an attack on its own vital functions? What can be interpreted as an attack? What are the overrun operations of enemy recognition and defence? What are the fundamental conditions for an organism to initiate defence? Is the threat that has to be defended against an internal or external one?

Strategies. While there is potential for the development of a foundational set of elements defining defence in an interdisciplinary comparison, at the same time this comparison reveals the diversity of the strategies that govern defence. At this point it is interesting not to capture the common denominator but the diversity of defence strategies and mechanisms such as immunisation, exclusion, projection, denial, prevention and pophylaxis, control and isolation. In terms of strategies, the forms of failure or of pathological forms of defence need to be investigated too. At which point does defence become a threat for the defending organism, as is the case with allergies, social stigmata or paranoia. How do defensive processes fail?

Media. Every defence requires the recognition and representation of the attacker, meaning it has to rely fundamentally on a medium of representation. It is therefore the goal of the researh group, not just to compare and describe models of defence and mechanisms of "enemy recognition" in the interdisciplinary exchange among biology, politics and psychology, but also to get in touch with projects and persons that realise and reflect "defence" aesthetically. What "images", what shapes and compositions of enemies and attack strategies are circulating? What media strategies are used in defence processes?