The complexity of platform power
The complexity of platform power
Information and communication technology has undergone dramatic developments over the last two decades. Increasing interconnectedness has led to more self-organized public debates, platforms and their algorithms have gained new power over discourse, and generative AI has made content fabrication easier than ever. But it has also given research new tools to quantify precisely these systemic changes. Detailed data from social media allows us to measure and model their network structures and dynamics. Against this background, we ask: What is really changing, what does science know about the connection between the crises of democracy and the worldwide use of digital and social media? A better understanding of these systems is critical for civil society in democracies worldwide, and I will conclude with a methodological outlook on how we are currently trying to explore these missing puzzle pieces.
More educated, more pro-immigration?
Education is often seen as a key to fostering inclusive attitudes toward immigration and strengthening social cohesion in diverse societies. But can education alone deliver on this promise? In this talk, Lenka Dražanová will present a new policy paper that critically examines this assumption. Drawing on 20 years of data from the European Social Survey […]
In Our Interest: How Democracies Can Make Immigration Popular
Alexander Kustov will present his newly published book, in which he argues that showing people how immigration benefits them and their fellow citizens can lead to greater acceptance of open policies. Looking beyond the stereotype of xenophobic voters, he identifies people’s genuine concern for compatriots as a key driver of immigration attitudes. Using extensive cross-national surveys and experiments, this book demonstrates voters tend to oppose freer immigration because they believe it threatens their countries, but can be persuaded if they see immigration policies as in their interest.
