Essay competition

Utopias for a Digital Society

The deadline for submissions to the competition twentyfourty has been reached. We'd like to thank everybody for their contributions.

The science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke coined the term "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". Our world today would probably appear like a science fiction piece if observed from only twenty years ago – in many respects magical. Digital technologies have influenced our daily lives and changed how we learn, work, live and love significantly. With the looming rise of the era of artificial intelligence, virtual reality and data ubiquity, it seems evident that significant changes still lie ahead of us.

How will our digital society look like in the future?

The European Hub of the Global Network of Internet and Society Research Centers (NoC) is looking for radical and thought-provoking utopias of digital society. Researcher and thinkers are invited to submit their visions of a digital society along one of the following five themes:

• Learn: How will we learn in the future? How will we teach? What will schools and university look like?
• Live: How do we stay healthy and what will we eat? what will our homes look like? How will we communicate?
• Love: How will we get to know people? How do we stay in touch? What will parenting, relationships and love affairs look like?
• Work: How will we work in the future? Where will we work? What will factories, offices and jobs look like?
• Rule: How will states interact in the international arena? How will conflicts emerge and resolve in the future?

Formal Requirements

We expect a creative and thought-provoking abstract that is based on current trends and research. The following criteria must be met:

• Abstract          Max. 1000 words
• Language        English
• Deadline         04.03.2019

Evaluation Criteria

To be eligible, you must be associated with a university, research institution or have a proven track record in the relevant field. All contributions will be evaluated equally according to a specific set of criteria.

• Originality: The idea must be the author's own.
• Individuality: Single-authored work expected.
• Evidence-based: The essay topic must be based on current research or trends.

Abstracts (1000 words) can be submitted until 04.03.2019 via online form. The ten best contributors will be invited to a writing sprint for five days in Berlin in May 2019 (travel expenses covered). The final essays will appear in an edited volume under a CC-license.