Research at the Weizenbaum Institute
We conduct multifaceted research into the conditions, phenomena and consequences of digitalization. Our working principles are interdisciplinarity, basic orientation, openness, participation and a long-term perspective.
Our research topics, methods and formats are continuously reviewed and further developed in dialog with social stakeholders. In this way, we play a pioneering role in the development of digitalization research.
We also analyse, test and promote open science and the digitalization of science. We consider dialog and knowledge transfer in politics, business and civil society to be one of our key tasks.
The current research program
In order to investigate the relevant challenges and opportunities of digital change for individuals and societies in an interdisciplinary, fundamental and value-based manner, research is organized into four interdisciplinary research foci:
- Digital technologies in society: between opportunities for participation and new inequalities
- Digital markets and public spheres on platforms: between the common good and economic imperatives
- Organization of knowledge: between openness and exclusivity
- Digital infrastructures in democracy: between security and freedom
Each focus area analyzes a social tension that forms the common reference for the work in each of the four research groups assigned to a focus area. The research groups are flanked and supported by the new Weizenbaum Digital Science Center, which provides research, networking, orientation and infrastructure services for interdisciplinary digitalization research and strengthens the coherence of research.
