210125 SE M11: FOP Forschungspraktikum (2023W)

The ongoing digital revolution creates a number of severe challenges to our states and societies. In particular, democracy is a fragile multi-process based on various essential components that are now all affected by digitalisation. Moreover, the sum may even be significantly more than its parts: The platform economy (co-)shapes the media landscape that (co-)shapes individuals that (co-)shape governments and the EU. There could hence appear a downward spiral where the above-mentioned components of the political system (at large) drive each other further in the direction of a less democratic system, over and over again. Can the ongoing regulatory debates, most importantly at EU level, be potential turning points? We will discuss the recent and current efforts of the EU to get a grip on digitalisation.

This intense seminar is for very advanced students. It is designed to be the last course before writing the MA thesis and can possibly guide you towards a suitable topic for your MA thesis. You should already have at least some basic training in the field of European integration and know the principles of the workings of the EU institutions and decision-making processes.

A “Forschungspraktikum” is a research training course to coach how to best develop and execute students’ own research. Accordingly, social scientific researching, writing, and presentation skills will be trained in-depth.

Methods will include, most importantly, presentations by the teacher and the students, group work, peer feedback, and debate. You will need a good command of the English language to follow this course, and a stable internet connection with working camera and microphone is indispensable.