Knowledge – Digital Society Blog

The photo shows the entrance area of an event: while people wait and an older man speaks at a standing lectern in an open space symbolising democracy without borders.

Matthias C. Kettemann, Karina Preiss | 31. August 2026

Democracy without borders? Global citizenship between platform power, AI and the crisis of knowledge

A look back and ahead at ten years of constitutional thinking across state borders.

A. Watolla, M. Stenzel | 29. June 2026

Tick-box democracy: What a polling booth reveals about our personal beliefs

We invited Berliners to share their feelings and opinions about democracy in Germany. Find the results here.

The photo shows a campus from above, showing the different paths of resilience in higher education.

B. Deacon, A. Aust, F. Kuper | 20. April 2026

Digital by design, not by default: Resilience in higher education

What does resilience in higher education look like? A comparison of two models from Germany and Portugal shows: there is no single formula.

A person climbing a steep rock face, symbolising the effort AI observatories make to scrutinise and challenge the structures of algorithmic power.

Paola Cantarini Guerra | 10. April 2026

Algorithms under scrunity: AI observatories as democratic infrastructure

Algorithms have a profound impact on people’s lives. This article explores why AI observatories are essential for democratic governance.

A shelf with books and a deconstructed face sculpture, symbolising how AI and bias influence knowledge and learning in higher education.

Katharina Mosene, Johanna Leifeld | 3. December 2025

Identifying bias, taking responsibility: Critical perspectives on AI and data quality in higher education

AI is changing higher education. This article explores the risks of bias and why we need a critical approach.

The photo shows fighting white and black pelicans on the water, symbolising the spread of disinformation by German politicians and parties.

Sami Nenno | 10. November 2025

Who spreads disinformation, where, for what purpose, and to what extent?

How much disinformation do German politicians and parties actually spread? On which platforms and to what ends? Two new studies provide systematic answers.

Ben Shultz | 27. August 2025

Defending Europe’s disinformation researchers

Disinformation researchers in Europe face lawsuits, harassment & smear campaigns. What is behind these attacks? How should the EU respond?

A powerful image symbolising resilience: ocean waves crashing against a lighthouse during the daytime, representing researchers standing strong against science hostility.

Nataliia Sokolovska | 23. January 2025

Science hostility: What we know and what we can do about it

How can we support researchers through communication training, institutional support and awareness-raising measures on the issue of hostility towards science?

The picture shows seven yellow heads of lego figures, portraying different emotions. This symbolizes the emotions university educators go through in the process of resistance to change due to digitalisation.

Bronwen Deacon, Melissa Laufer | 12. September 2024

Resistance to change: Challenges and opportunities in digital higher education

Resistance to change in higher education is inevitable. However, if properly understood, it can contribute to shaping digital transformation constructively.