The workshop “Sociodigital Research and its Impacts” brought together early-career researchers and their supervisors from the University of Graz, CAIS and ifib – the Institute for Information Management in Bremen. It created a space for exchange across disciplines, institutions and research traditions, focusing on how sociodigital research engages with policy-making, public discourse and social change. Jasmin Baake, Anna Ricarda Luther, Besjon Cifliku, Artur Solomink, Ivana Žemberi from the CAIS research programme Design of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, as well as its director Prof. Hendrik Heuer, took part.
Insights into the workshop:
The day began with short presentations by PhD students, in which they introduced their research projects and reflected on the connection between their academic work, political engagement and societal impact. The contributions provided an insight into the diversity of socio-digital research. They ranged from questions of governance through algorithms and digital infrastructures, via media and communication practices, to topics such as social participation and digital justice. In the ensuing discussion, it became clear that digital technologies shape many areas of social life and that their analysis benefits from exchange between different academic disciplines.
Another item on the programme was a trial session for a doctoral colloquium led by Paola Lopez (University of Bremen). She presented her research on the use of algorithmic systems by state institutions and discussed the associated issues of (in)justice.
This was followed by two informal “Walk & Talk” sessions. During these, participants went for a walk together and discussed key questions relating to their research. The focus was on the significance of the societal impact of academic work, as well as the role of interdisciplinary collaboration in bringing about social and political change. The open format facilitated exchange between different disciplinary and institutional perspectives.
In the afternoon, the group visited the Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. A discussion with Dr Martin Hagen, State Councillor for Budget, Personnel and Digitalisation at the Senator for Finance, centred on the relationship between research and political practice. In particular, the discussion focused on how scientific findings can be incorporated into political decision-making processes and public administration.
The day concluded with a session on science communication with Dr Leif Kramp (ZeMKI). The focus was on strategies for communicating research findings in an accessible way outside the scientific community, as well as the challenges of making complex topics from the field of the digital society accessible to different target groups.
Overall, the workshop demonstrated how important exchange between different disciplines and institutions is for better understanding digital societal developments. The discussions made it clear that socio-digital research not only provides scientific insights but can also offer important impetus for public debate, policy and the shaping of society.