Challenges of digital democracy: conference and panel discussion at Kronenplatz
To mark the International Day of Democracy, Kronenplatz will be transformed into a meeting place with art, music, panel discussions and hands-on formats from September 13 to 15. Digital participatory approaches will be the focus of the conference “Resilient Democracy in Times of Crisis” organized by the House of Participation of the FZI Research Center for Information Technology.
Democracy needs us all, especially now. Because our democracy has been facing difficult tests for some time now. Inflation, war in Europe, environmental crisis – all these challenges can put a strain on our democratic system. In times of great challenges, the House of Participation (HoP), an initiative of the Karlsruhe FZI Research Center for Information Technology, is dedicated to the strength and resilience of our democracy. Digital participatory solutions and citizen science and their potential with regard to the challenges of our time will be discussed.
Conference “Resilient democracy in times of crisis”
The conference “Resilient Democracy in Times of Crisis” will discuss how digital solutions can be used to strengthen the resilience of our democracy in order to withstand the numerous interwoven challenges.To this end, the HoP will provide insights into its research on digital participation and citizen science. Current issues and ideas will be discussed in workshops. Based on successful practical examples, experts and interested parties will enter into a dialog and can learn from each other. “Participants can get to know different participation methods in the workshops. Together with the experts, they can then consider and discuss where these could actually be applied,” explains Dr. Jonas Fegert, Head of the HoP. The aim is to find out which methods are suitable for different application scenarios such as schools or neighborhoods, says Fegert.
The conference is aimed at anyone interested in strengthening our democracy. Whether you work in politics, are involved in civil society or are simply curious about solutions to the challenges facing our democracy – the HoP team is looking forward to your participation!
Panel discussion “Challenges of digital democracy”
The panel discussion on the topic of “Challenges of digital democracy” follows the conference, but is also interesting in its own right. Digital solutions can strengthen the resilience of our democracy, but they also come with their own challenges. Digital formats and tools require resources and skills on the part of all those involved. They also compete with platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and TikTok for our limited attention. They not only have to be attractively designed, but also adhere to ethical principles.
“With the panel discussion, we want to broaden the focus a little and take stock of the situation. In short, we are looking at the tense political situation, questioning why this is the case and what can be done to counteract it,” explains Fegert. How these challenges can be dealt with in the realization and implementation of digital democratic processes, formats and tools is the key question of the panel discussion. Guests from research, democratic practice and politics as well as the audience will discuss this topic.
The conference is part of the Days of Democracy at TRIANGEL on Kronenplatz. It is worth taking part in the varied program.
HoP conference and panel discussion (both free of charge)
September 15, 2023
Conference “Resilient Democracy in Times of Crisis”: 9 am – 2 pm
Panel discussion “Challenges of Digital Democracy”: 6 pm – 8 pm
TRIANGEL Kaiserstraße 93, 76133 Karlsruhe
Registration is only required for the conference until September 11, 2023 to hop@fzi.de