News

Human Writing Pratices in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Mon, 18 May 2026 11:05:33 +0200

On May 18, staff member Jacqueline Bellon will host a workshop titled “Personal Writing and Academic Identity” at the Schader Foundation in Darmstadt as part of the series “Human Writing in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” The workshop will include a presentation on the challenges of academic identity and integrity when writing with and without LLMs or other generative and research-related AI tools.

The workshop will focus on real-world examples—including a long list of retracted AI-generated articles and structural issues within the academic system— followed by exercises from the project on “AI Tools in Higher Education,” including the evaluation of two term papers synthetically generated using different tools such as StudyTexter and Claude based on a list of criteria, to then ask the question of how we as researchers actually want to write ourselves:

Is a personal writing approach necessary for academic identity? Are there subject-specific differences?

https://www.schader-stiftung.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Workshopreihe_Menschliches_Schreiben_im_Zeitalter_der_KI.pdf

On the Ethics of Metaverses: Potentials, Challenges, and Research Tasks

Tue, 05 May 2026 14:27:06 +0200

Metaverses promise numerous new opportunities in areas such as work and the economy, gaming and entertainment, commerce and marketing, art and culture, as well as health and therapy. At the same time, however, the use of such virtual, immersive 3D environments also entails a number of risks, particularly with regard to data protection and privacy, psychological and social impacts, economic dependencies, as well as other ethical and legal issues. It is precisely at this intersection of new opportunities and emerging risks that a current research project based at IZEW on privacy, ethics, and IT security in metaverses is situated. This article presents the background, focus areas, methods, and objectives of the project. Central to this is the question of the ethical challenges that arise in the design and use of metaverses.

Full blog post here

The Debate Over Social Media Bans

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:11:06 +0200

Ethical Reflections on Children’s Digital Well-being Using the Example of Australia’s Social Media Ban

In the current debate over a social media ban for children, various interests and perspectives converge in the discourse surrounding children’s “digital well-being.” This article uses the example of the social media ban in Australia to outline the different positions and situate them within the national discussion from an ethical perspective. In doing so, the concept of digital well-being is presented as a possible approach within a network of necessary measures.

Article

The Sustainability Award for Theses 2026

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:51:10 +0200

Students or graduates who are writing (or have written) their final thesis in the field of sustainable development can still submit applications for the Sustainability Award for Final Theses until 15.09.2026. The University of Tübingen has been awarding the prize annually since 2011.

The Sustainability Prize is awarded to final theses at Bachelor's and Master's level (or equivalent) that are dedicated to a topic of sustainable development in an outstanding manner. The prize is endowed with 300 euros for Bachelor's theses and 500 euros for Master's theses. This year, for the third time, a prize for dissertations will also be awarded, which is endowed with 1,000 euros. The prizes are awarded in the fall as part of a festive event, the highlight of which is the Sustainability Lecture.

The concept of the Sustainability Award was developed by the Advisory Board for Sustainable Development, inspired by an idea from the student initiative Greening the University e.V. Tübingen. By establishing and publicly presenting this award, the university fosters incentives for scientific debate on the topic of sustainable development and highlights its relevance for society.

Further information on the competition can be found here:

General information and criteria (Download)
Information on the call for applications (Download)
Award winners 2025

How to transparently use and label AI in journalism? The VITraDes project is launched!

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:07:19 +0200

To date, there is a lack of clear rules and standards on how AI can be transparently labeled in journalism to maintain trust in the media and protect the public from misinformation. The “VITraDes” project aims to address this gap in journalism through the transparent labeling of AI use and to contribute to strengthening trustworthy public communication. To this end, IZEW is collaborating with the Bayreuth Center for Law and Technology at the University of Bayreuth and the Institute of Journalism at the Technical University of Dortmund. The project is also supported by associated partners from various media institutions. Specifically, ViTraDes pursues the following approach:

Assessment and critical review: Collection, analysis, and evaluation of regulatory and self-regulatory approaches to transparent AI labeling in journalism, as well as AI initiatives by media companies, publishers, and media organizations.
Self-regulation: Participatory development of guidelines (voluntary commitments) on AI labeling in journalism, including through stakeholder surveys and workshops and the networking of relevant interest groups.
Infrastructure and platform regulation: Analysis of the impact of AI labeling standards in journalism and legal implementation proposals for positive platform governance to promote trustworthy public communication.
Development of educational materials for journalism training regarding verification, labeling, and disinformation.

March 16, 2026 marked the official launch of the new funding campaign by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) to combat digital disinformation. In addition to VITraDes, the campaign will fund ten other research projects through 2029 with the goal of sustainably strengthening societal and technological resilience against digital disinformation. It is part of the German government’s IT security research framework program “Digital. Sicher.Souverän.”

Website: https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/296025

Projektleads:

The IZEW Ethics-Tools Lab: A Toolkit for Teaching Ethics

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:11:32 +0200

The IZEW Ethics-Tools Lab: A Toolkit for Teaching Ethics in Technology Development, Research, and Education

How can ethics be integrated into technology development, research processes, or (higher) education? Ethics tools can help people recognize, evaluate, and incorporate ethical aspects of their practical contexts into their decisions and actions. As part of the ANKER project, the IZEW Ethics-Tools Lab has collected such ethics tools, which were (co-)developed by IZEW staff. This aims to make an integral part of our work - often receiving less visibility and recognition compared to academic journal publications - publicly accessible.

Read the full blog post

Considerations on AI-imitations of Humans from an Ethical Perspective

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:51:42 +0100

In modern digital communication, we see the growing relevance of so-called AI companions and AI that look like and seem to behave like humans. We see AI assistants in messenger services, as well as AI agents that are an “autonomous” part of chatbots. We have conversational agents at every stage of education. There is also AI that appears as clones of real people, both living and dead people, and, of course, AI that is used for romantic partnerships. What all these applications have in common is that they want to make us believe we are having a human-like conversation.

Blogarticle

This blog article has been republished. See: Considerations on AI-imitations of Humans from an Ethical Perspective | Blog of the APA (December 16, 2025)

What empowers children to engage critically with AI? The KIKI project is launched!

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:51:44 +0100

KIKI had its kick-off-meeting on February 24, 2026.

In our interdisciplinary research project with the Department of Social Psychology at the University of Duisburg-Essen and the Department of Applied Computer Science at the University of Bamberg, and in collaboration with partners in the field, we at KIKI (short for "AI applications in acoordance with children's rights: empowering children and enabling educational professionals to ensure safe and child-friendly digital participation") are working participatively with preschool children to identify their needs and perspectives and are developing materials in a model project that strengthen various rights of children in early childhood in the spirit of positive media. One goal is to empower educational professionals to develop a basic understanding of AI mechanisms with children so that they can learn to act independently in digital environments. This is relevant because AI already permeates all areas of children's lives. Younger children in particular often consider digital technologies to be human-like and confide secrets to them or ask them for advice. Forty-one percent of 2- to 5-year-olds have access to voice assistants in the home, and 21% have their own tablet. And we know from miniKIM (2023) that this use often takes place unsupervised.

From an ethical perspective, however, we at IZEW are also researching very fundamental questions:

What makes early childhood special with regard to AI?
What role does physicality play in early childhood?
How could the foundation of key skills be embodied, and what relationship should children develop with AI—or should they not do so in the early stages of life?
Parents and educators have many reservations about AI in early childhood, and many AI-based applications are not yet sufficiently regulated.
What can research achieve in this area?
Which children's rights should be given priority (participation or protection)?
What constitutes digital wellbeing in early childhood?
And what guidelines for positive offerings can then be derived from the research?

KIKI will conduct research and publish findings on this topic until the end of 2028 and contribute to current public debates.

Project page:

https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/293592

Project Management

Dr. Ingrid Stapf: Senior Researcher – research focus media ethics, children´s ethics, children´s rights

Prof. Dr. Jessica Heesen: head of research group media ethics, philosophy of technology & AI

Complex communication: areas of tension in inclusive science communication

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:56:34 +0100

The question of with whom and how to engage in scientific dialogue that also addresses previously neglected audiences and/or vulnerable groups (children and young people, people with cognitive impairments, migrants, etc.) is a complex one. These issues are addressed in science communication research in the DiversPrivat project. The following article discusses some of the questions addressed there.

To the blog article

Academics in Activism?

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:51:25 +0100

There is broad consensus among climate scientists around the world that the climate crisis is human-made and that urgent action is needed on all levels of society for climate mitigation and adaptation. But is it justified for academics as academics to take part in public protests against the climate crisis or in support of climate justice? Or should they—if they wish to do so—participate only in their capacity as private citizens, without displaying visible symbols of their scientific profession, such as lab coats or academic robes?

To the blog article

Can AI lie? Hallucinations, sycophancy, and deception abilities from a technical and philosophical perspective

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:29:32 +0100

Chatbots hallucinate, fabricate facts and spread misinformation. But can they also deliberately intrigue, deceive and manipulate us? Can they ultimately also intentionally "lie" to achieve their own goals? What dangers do they pose, and how should we as a society respond? In his podcast, Martin Schramm asks philosophers to provide initial answers to these questions.

Listen here:

ARD-Audiothek
Spotify

Andreas Baur discusses the Internet of Commons on 17 Feb. in Berlin

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:41:11 +0100

The internet is a prime example of a virtual commons, i.e. a shared resource. It owes its existence to the active participation of all those who use and develop it. However, the increasing appropriation of the internet by a small number of market-dominating companies is in full swing.

In view of this development, there are growing calls to restore the internet to its original character as a ‘commons’. How can users gain real freedom of choice about which information, services and products they want to use or contribute themselves? How important are demands for ‘digital sovereignty’, ‘public digital infrastructure’ or ‘basic digital services’? How can we address the challenge that technical infrastructure and access – servers, networks and platforms – are often controlled by the private sector, meaning that commercial logic determines many investments, innovations, forms of access and possibilities for use?

Panel guests:
Dr. Theresa Züger, Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society
Andreas Baur, University of Tübingen and Critical Infrastructure Lab Amsterdam
Jürgen Müller, Head of the Policy and Digitalisation Department at the FFederal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Berlin
Moderator: Prof. Dr. Alexander Filipović, Professor of Social Ethics, Faculty of Catholic Theology, University of Vienna

The event is the public part of the 2026 Berlin Workshop Discussion of the ‘Working Group on Christian Social Ethics’ at German-speaking universities, which is dedicating this year's symposium to the topic of ‘Social Ethics of the Commons’.

The event is open to the public and free of charge, but registration is required:https://www.katholische-akademie-berlin.de/veranstaltung/internet-of-commons-wege-zu-einem-gemeinwohlorientierten-internet/#event-register

Friedrich Gabel opens the online lecture series “Inclusive Disaster Preparedness”

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:34:17 +0100

On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, the online lecture series “Inclusive Disaster Preparedness” launched by the Baden-Württemberg Inclusive Disaster Preparedness Initiative began. The series, which consists of six lectures, aims to examine how inclusive structures are designed in disaster management in Germany, where problems lie, but also where promising approaches already exist. The goal is to bring together experts and interested parties and encourage exchange. Dr. Friedrich Gabel advises the initiative and moderates the lecture series.

In addition to the kick-off lecture, which was attended by over 140 people from all over Germany, five further events with different focal points are planned:

February 18, 6:30-8:00 p.m.: Disability and chronic illness
March 18, 6:30-8:00 p.m.: Age and the need for care
April 15, 6:30–8:00 p.m.: Migration and refugee experience
May 20, 6:30–8:00 p.m.: Poverty and homelessness
June 17, 6:30–8:00 p.m.: Gender and sexual identity

Go to Flyer

Arguing – the Right Way!

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:39:27 +0100

Controversial issues are a sign of a vibrant democratic culture. At the same time, they pose a real challenge for teachers who face them every day when public debates make their way into the classroom.

So what can educators draw on when topics become emotionally charged, when shared points of reference start to crumble, or when lessons suddenly mirror broader social polarization?

Our new edited volume tackles exactly these questions. The contributions explore:

Didactic and ethical reference points for working with controversial topics
The role of the Beutelsbach Consensus — including its relevance and its limits beyond political education
How different subject didactics address controversial issues and translate them into their guiding principles
Why controversy is a central, cross-curricular concern for all areas of school education

The volume is aimed at teachers, teacher educators, and everyone involved in shaping schooling amid today’s societal debates.

With contributions by Uta Müller, Anja Meitner, Claudia Möller, Julia Hagen, Dominik Balg, Marcus Kindlinger, Victoria Estler, Taiga Brahm, Malte Ring, Uwe Küchler, Wolfgang Polleichtner, Konstantin Broese, Botho Priebe, Salwa Achahboun, Marcel Vondermaßen

Edited by
Dr. Simon Meisch & Dr. Uta Müller, International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW), University of Tübingen

The volume grew out of the expert discussion “The Challenge of Controversy in Schools and Higher Education: Didactic and Ethical Perspectives”, a cooperation between the Special Interest Group: Critical Thinking and Beyond – Normative Questions in Teacher Education and the State Agency for Civic Education Baden-Württemberg.

New research project BRIDGE

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 09:48:43 +0100

BRIDGE – the accompanying project for robotics, information law, dissemination, green tech, and ethics – is launching a nationwide scientific project as part of the “Digital GreenTech – Environmental Technology Meets Robotics” funding initiative of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR). Over the next three years, BRIDGE will advance Germany's high-tech agenda by supporting the safe and responsible transfer of research results into sophisticated environmental applications based on robotics and AI.

As consortium leader, the FZI Research Center for Information Technology is responsible for coordination and contributes its proven expertise in AI, robotics, and information law—including legal analyses and practical implementation support. The funding project partner is the International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) at the University of Tübingen, which identifies ethical dimensions and challenges for intelligent robotics in the environmental sector and develops proposals for effectively addressing them in technology development projects. DIZ | Digitales Innovationszentrum GmbH is a subcontractor focusing on networking, science communication, and systematic knowledge transfer to the specialist community. BRIDGE has a total budget of around €750,000 and a duration of 36 months and is funded by the BMFTR.

IZEW-Team:
Dr. Lou Therese Brandner, Aline Franzke, Prof. Dr. Thomas Potthast (Co-PI) and Dr. Simon David Hirsbrunner (Co-PI)

More information in the press release

Evening Lecture by Jaylexia Clark, PhD (UNC-Chapel Hill)

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 16:16:03 +0200

On October 29, 2025, the IZEW is happy to welcome Jaylexia Clark, PhD to the University Tübingen.

She will give a talk on the topic of "The Power of Racialized Emotions: Racial Profiling and Surveillance within the Platform Economy".

Talk overview:

This talk reexamines the role that historical processes of racial inequality and domination play in shaping interpersonal interactions and digital infrastructures within the platform economy: On April 1, 2022, a white female Uber passenger, Jill Berquist, was arrested in Minneapolis and later charged for one count of misdemeanor disorderly conduct after assaulting a Black male Uber driver, Wesley Gakuo. A recording of the incident went viral after it was uploaded on YouTube. In the video, Gakuo’s passengers called him a series of racial slurs, kicked his car, and called 911 to falsely claim that she was the one assaulted. What this incident, and others like it, remind us of is the persistent role structural racism plays in shaping interactions and digital infrastructures within the platform economy. Conflict stemming from racialized and gendered understandings of power, status, and privilege are not new social phenomena in the United States. Yet, platform work, such as ridesharing, is thought of as free of racial discrimination due to applications’ use of algorithmic management to assign tasks and allocate earnings.

About the guest speaker:

Jaylexia Clark is a Policy Post Doctoral Fellow for the Center for Information Technology and Public Life (CITAP) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill). She previously graduated from the University of Notre Dame where she obtained her Ph.D. in sociology, with a minor in Quantitative Social Science. Her dissertation "Racing Towards Global Racial Capitalism: Investigating the Relationship Between Racial/Gender Inequality and Platform Technology at Work" examines the intersection between platform technology and racial capitalism. Wherein, she investigates whether the use of platform technology for income-earning activities creates new opportunities for labor participation or exacerbates the exploitation of women and racially marginalized workers.

Collaboration:

This talk is part of the ongoing collaboration between the University of Tübingen and UNC-Chapel Hill and follows the joint event “Towards a Transatlantic Roadmap for AI Regulation” in March 2025, with the aim of deepening relations and creating opportunities for further cooperation between the two universities.

This event is co-hosted with the intiative:BiPoC+Feminismen*

Date & time
October, 29th 2025
6-8 pm

Location
Universität Tübingen
Verfügungsgebäude (0.02 VG)
Wilhemstraße 19
72076 Tübingen

Interdisciplinary Workshop on "Aligning AI with Society”

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:53:14 +0200

The IZEW, in collaboration with the Computer Science Department of UNC-Chapel Hill, is organizing an interdisciplinary and transatlantic workshop from September 25-26, 2025, on the topic of Aligning AI with Society on site at the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill.

The hybrid workshop brings together researchers from both UNC-Chapel Hill and University of Tübingen across the fields of computer science and humanities to discuss interdisciplinary perspectives and approaches regarding the topic of aligning AI with society.

By providing a forum for important questions about the challenges and opportunities of AI systems in context of their sociotechnical impact with researchers in an interdisciplinary and international environment, we are looking forward to foster conversation across the domains on each other’s research and languages.

We are especially looking forward to hearing from our three keynote speakers who will offer insights into the topic from their perspectives:
Dr. Simon David Hirsbrunner, IZEW, University of Tübingen
Dr. Neil S. Gaikwad, UNC-Chapel Hill
Dr. Katia Schwerzmann, Ruhr University Bochum

For further information regarding the workshop and to keep updated see our website:
https://sites.google.com/cs.unc.edu/aligning-ai-with-society/

Political AI

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 18:45:57 +0200

How are new technologies changing democracy and public life? This question is at the heart of a conference organised by the Protestant Academy Bad Boll on 18–19 October 2025, to which anyone interested in democratic processes, communication, artificial intelligence and opinion-forming is warmly invited!

At the conference, Maria Pawelec will speak about the political implications of deepfakes for democracy, social justice and gender equality. The discussion will also focus on the opportunities offered by this technology, for example in education and greater political participation. This will be followed by a workshop discussing various areas of application for deepfakes and exploring the question of how we as a society should deal with deepfakes.

Other speakers include Ina von der Wense from Otto Friedrich University Bamberg, Eric Dauenhauer from Politagents Consulting GmbH, PD Dr Martin R. Herbers from Zeppelin University and David Fischer from Politagents Consulting GmbH and AI4Democracy.

Further information and registration details can be found here:www.ev-akademie-boll.de/tagung/530425.html

10 Years of the Ethics Charter

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 11:03:39 +0200

10 Years of the Ethics Charter – Invitation on October 24, 2025, 3:00 p.m. at ILWA in Vienna, Austria

The BOKU Ethics Charter has been in effect for ten years. On this occasion, the Ethics Platform cordially invites you to a celebratory event.

When: October 24, 2025, 3:00 p.m.
Where: BOKU, Ilse Wallentin House, Ground Floor

The Ethics Charter was adopted in 2015 by the Rectorate and Senate and has since served as a central foundation of BOKU. The Charter is based on the principles of respect for life, equal treatment, sustainability, responsibility and precaution, the pursuit of truth, and civic engagement. https://boku.ac.at/fileadmin/data/H01000/H10220/H10240/ethikplattform/Ethik-Charta/BOKU_Ethik_Charta.pdf

Preliminary Program of the Celebration:

3:00 p.m. – Welcome
Prof. Dr. Eva Schulev-Steindl, Rector of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Roland Ludwig, Chair of the Senate

3:15 p.m. – Reflections, Insights, and Outlooks
Conversations with members of the Ethics Platform and the ÖH on the origins, content, and significance of the Ethics Charter, as well as current issues at BOKU

4:45 p.m. – Keynote Lecture followed by Panel Discussion
“Responsibility of Universities and Science”
Prof. Dr. Thomas Potthast, International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW), University of Tübingen

Closing with Buffet and Music

The detailed program will be continuously updated on the website: https://boku.ac.at/universitaetsleitung/senat/ethikplattform/festakt-10-jahre-ethik-charta

Transatlantic Scholars Unite on AI Governance Principles

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:44:21 +0200

Researchers from the University of Tübingen and the U.S.-American University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have released a position paper emphasizing the importance of democratic AI governance.

The scholars see the combination of U.S. innovation strengths and EU human rights protections as a key to responding to the urgent challenges in designing artificial intelligence for the benefit of society. Based on human rights and social justice, their work proposes research goals for the areas of democracy, labor, and the environment.

To the position paper: uni-tuebingen.de/en/285402

AI voices – deceptively realistic?

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 11:56:53 +0200

AI voices – deceptively realistic? TThe new episode of the podcast ‘IQ – Wissenschaft und Forschung’ (IQ – Science and Research) by Bayerischer Rundfunk explores this question.

The podcast examines what makes the human voice unique, how AI works behind voice synthesis (based on statistical predictions), and what can be done with this ‘army of voices’ – from AI-based chatbots and AI assistants to the digital afterlife industry and projects in the film industry or for historical and political education.

In the podcast, Maria Pawelec discusses, among other things, the ethical challenges of deepfakes of deceased people and the opportunities of voice synthesis for people with illnesses.

To the podcast: https://www.br.de/mediathek/podcast/iq-wissenschaft-und-forschung/ki-stimmen-taeuschend-echt/2108936

Wellbeing@Uni-Tübingen - Wellbeing as one of the foundations of sustainable development at universities

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 10:44:42 +0200

Wellbeing is relevant for all people. The promotion of health and thus wellbeing is also a central goal of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. But what does wellbeing mean in the context of sustainable development and how can it be achieved and promoted at the University of Tübingen (UT)? Our ‘6 Ways to Wellbeing’ campaign offers one approach. The ways we have jointly identified to improve wellbeing at UT - Be active, Connect, Eat well, Be relaxed, Keep Learning and Get and give - offer impulses for action for students and staff at UT linked to health programmes.

To the article: https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/284184

Refigured ethics. Moral negotiations in dealing with images of violence

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 12:32:55 +0200

The way we deal with images of violence is changing. What was once considered taboo is now often just a click away in the digital world. Videos of violence circulate on social networks, photos from war zones are shared millions of times and while some see them as necessary documents of reality, others consume them with voyeuristic fascination. But what does this change in behaviour mean for our ethical standards?

To the article: https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/282723

Who owns the human body?

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 11:13:55 +0200

Our body is unique. We can train it, we can care for it - but who does it actually belong to? In this episode of the podcast “Who owns my body?”, Uta Müller addresses this question. Together with Jenny Rieger from the NZZ, she discusses the relationship between body and mind (or soul) and who could “own” the body. She also discusses the ethical conflicts of surrogate motherhood, the sale of organs or body substances and other manipulations of the human body.

Listen to the podcast here:NZZ Megahertz

Practical guide for security authorities

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 11:00:36 +0200

alse information can pose a significant threat to public safety, for example by causing panic in crisis situations and making the work of emergency services more difficult, but also more indirectly by undermining trust in state institutions.

Authorities and organizations with security tasks (BOS) have a special responsibility to take action against misinformation in order to maintain security, but at the same time must respect fundamental rights and democratic values such as freedom of expression.

Maria Pawelec and Luzia Sievi, together with Michelle Duda from Cologne University, have thus written a practical guide for security authorities. This guide provides BOS with well-founded, ethically and legally reflected guidance on how to deal with misinformation in social media. It is based on empirical research as well as ethical and legal reflection in the interdisciplinary PREVENT project (2022-2025), which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The handbook contains legal principles, including on the topics of data protection and official responsibilities, as well as a systematic overview of possible countermeasures. These measures are evaluated both ethically and legally.

The guide provides both theoretical principles and suggestions for practical application through reflection questions, quizzes and practical and legal case studies. It serves to raise awareness, educate and inform BOS employees and volunteers in the field of civil security.

The guide enables BOS responsibly select and implement countermeasures in accordance with democratic, ethical and constitutional principles and makes an important contribution to combating security-threatening misinformation in social media.

GenAI and critical thinking: Effects and consequences for knowledge production, education/research, and society

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 10:28:03 +0200

Generative AI, especially language models, is transforming the practices of teaching and learning in education and research at universities and schools.
Initial findings indicate a connection between certain usage patterns and a decline in critical judgment. This presentation uses illustrative examples and current research results to explore what these developments mean for knowledge acquisition and knowledge production in educational and research institutions. It also examines the broader consequences for society, including risks to democracy.
Jacqueline Bellon also presents initial results from specific exercises designed to simultaneously foster epistemic competence/critical judgment, AI literacy, and standards of academic work. These exercises have so far been tested at universities but can be adapted for school contexts.

The 'KI-Fachtag' will take place at Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) at Schleichstr. 6 in Tübingen on July 11, 2025, with the involvement of the Center for School Quality and Teacher Education (ZSL), the KI Maker Space, and the Tübingen Regional Council.

Europe must act now

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 09:34:33 +0200

Europe is currently not doing enough in the fight against sexualising deepfakes, argues Maria Pawelec together with Mateusz Łabuz from the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg in a commentary in the European news portal EUobserver.

Given the growing threat posed by sexualising deepfakes (also known as ‘deepporn’ and ‘deepnudes’) and recent regulatory measures around the world (including the United States, where the bipartisan ‘Take It Down Act’ was just passed), the EU and its member states must step up their efforts to counter this silent epidemic that is striking at the foundations of our democracy.

Pawelec and Łabuz provide insights into the recently adopted EU Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, which will criminalise sexualising deepfakes by 2027, but urge Member States to take action already to combat the sexualisation of deepfakes, which almost exclusively affect women.

Read the commentary here: https://euobserver.com/digital/ar5f48cc16

Never have to say Goodbye? Current research on the ethics of the digital afterlife

Tue, 06 May 2025 12:26:47 +0200

In the wake of recent advances in the field of artificial intelligence, a new growth market has emerged in the form of the digital afterlife industry (DAI). Its providers hold out the prospect of being able to interact with digital simulations of deceased people. Such promises not only fuel the old human dream of overcoming finiteness, but also raise various ethical questions that are still largely unresolved. The latter form the starting point of the „Edilife“ research project conducted at the IZEW. The associated study, which will be published at the end of 2024, takes stock of current applications, sheds light on the current discourse and reflects on various usage scenarios. This results in a number of impulses for a self-determined and responsible approach to AI-based digital life on a technological, economic, political, individual and social level.

To the article: https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/281370

Policy-Paper on sexualising deepfakes

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 08:51:37 +0200

Together with Mateusz Łabuz from the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg, Maria Pawelec has published a policy paper on the urgent issue of non-consensual sexualised deepfakes, also known as pornographic deepfakes or deepnudes.

Non-consensual sexualised deepfakes are on the rise. The increasing quality and accessibility of deepfake technology makes it possible for anyone to create deepfakes of almost anyone who has shared images online (e.g. on social media) or privately with the perpetrator. The result: a flood of synthetic non-consensual intimate images (NCII) with devastating consequences for those affected, especially women.

Policy makers around the world are responding. A new EU directive, the Directive on Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, will criminalise non-consensual sexualising deepfakes, but it must first be transposed into national law by 2027. The issue is so urgent that earlier measures are needed, and legislative discussions are underway in Germany, for example.

The policy paper analyses the growing threat posed by non-consensual sexualised deepfakes, past and ongoing regulatory efforts in Europe, with a focus on case studies from Germany and Hashtag#Poland, and contains a set of key recommendations for policymakers and society to combat this threat to individuals' privacy and life chances, but also to social cohesion and democracy.

The policy paper is published by CEE Digital Democracy Watch, a Warsaw-based non-governmental organisation that promotes democracy in times of technological innovation. The target audience includes European and national decision-makers.

You can find the policy paper here: NCII_DeepFakes_ThreatsRecommendations.pdf

Artificial Intelligence and New Human-Technology Relations as a Challenge for the Philosophy of Science

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 08:48:08 +0200

Under the title “New Human-Technology Relations as a Challenge for Philosophy of Science,” researchers from various disciplines will meet on May 23, 2025, in Münster to discuss questions concerning the philosophy of science and higher education in relation to the use of generative and other AI models. Further information available at: https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/277482

Come and join us on May 23rd in Münster, Germany or via Zoom: https://uni-ms.zoom-x.de/j/8242804533

Register here if you want to come to Münster and enjoy a free lunch with us at the event: jacqueline.bellon@uni-tuebingen.de

Recap: UNC-IZEW Conference in March 2025

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 10:56:23 +0200

At the end of March, an interdisciplinary delegation from different departments of the University of Tübingen visited the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to work together on the timely and important issues of the intersection between Artificial Intelligence and regulation and come together at a jointly organized conference under the headline “Towards a Transatlantic Roadmap for AI Regulation”.
The conference was organized by researchers Prof. Tori Ekstrand, Prof. Amanda Reid from UNC-Chapel Hill and Jana Hecktor and Lisa Koeritz from the IZEW at University of Tübingen with funds of the joint seed for research and emerging technologies (LINK?) by both universities.
The delegation from University Tübingen consisted of Jessica Heesen and Andreas Baur of the IZEW as well as Prof. Tanja Thomas from the Institute of Media Studies, Prof. Bernd Heinrich as well as Tommaso Fia from the Faculty of Law and guest researcher Hüseyin Ates from Social Sciences University of Ankara.

From the outset, there were not only conversations about how to define and concretize these two broad terms, but also what positive and negative effects both phenomena (may) have: Can AI be used to improve society? And what changes, if it is strictly regulated?
Does it help us to move into the right directions or are we hindering process and all the important benefits AI can bring to the table? What are the differences in thinking about, working with or regulating AI between the US and the European Union?
It was a truly enriching combination of heterogenous disciplines willing to talk about shared interests and engaged researchers of all levels – from students of the masters seminar on “Digital Media & Society: AI Law and Data Privacy”, to PhD- and Postdoc candidates as well as professors from the University of Tübingen and the University of North Carolina.
We’re very glad that we were able to include an engaging and insightful keynote talk from Reggie Townsend, Vice President of Data Ethics as SAS, as part of the conference program, titled “Responsible innovation begins with responsible innovators”, where he shared his perspective on the topic of “Responsible AI”.
Our aim throughout the whole event was to not only discuss the emerging questions, challenges and possibilities as well as the possible outlook of a roadmap toward a transatlantic perspective on AI and regulation, but also to lay the foundation for the following collaborative work. We therefore also focused on how to build upon the questions, problems as well as came up with next approaches during the discussions. The group plans to continue this work in the upcoming months based on the understanding and discussion built within those two days.

For a longer report on the conference and for more information on the scientific partnership and cooperation between UNC and the Ethic Center, take a look here: https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/258278

Sustainability award for theses 2025

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 19:47:33 +0200

The challenge of sustainable development is to develop solutions for a globally just and sustainable development of our society - from an ecological, economic and socio-cultural perspective.

The Sustainability Prize for final theses is awarded annually to up to three Bachelor's and Master's theses (or equivalent academic achievements such as diploma theses, admission theses, etc.) and one dissertation. The competition is expressly aimed at students from all faculties. The prizes are endowed with €300 for Bachelor's theses, €500 for Master's theses and €1,000 for dissertations and are awarded each year at a ceremony. The award winners are expected to attend this event in fall 2025 and briefly present their work.

The Sustainability Award for final theses creates incentives for the scientific examination of sustainable development topics and makes existing good teaching and research at the University of Tübingen and its relevance for society visible.

APPLICATION CRITERIA
This year, all students and alumni of the University of Tübingen who have written and completed their thesis with a grade of at least good (2.0) in the previous two academic years (01.10.2023-30.09.2025) can apply for the Sustainability Award until September 15, 2025.

The decisive factor for the selection of the award winners is the extent to which their thesis makes a theoretically or practically relevant and excellent research contribution to sustainable development. Even though the focus is on students applying themselves, all thesis supervisors are encouraged to encourage their graduates to apply.

The application includes a cover letter, a copy of the (provisional) degree certificate, the thesis, a short letter of recommendation from the thesis supervisor and a two- to three-page explanatory overview. This overview should briefly summarize the approach and key findings of the thesis, address the thesis' understanding of sustainability and, in particular, explain the extent to which the thesis makes a relevant research contribution in terms of sustainable development. The letter of recommendation should make the professional assessment of the work visible to the jury and provide an assessment of the relevance of the work for sustainable development.

The complete application documents (cover letter, letter of recommendation, explanatory overview, thesis and degree certificate) must be sent electronically by 15.09.2025 to the following address
nachhaltigkeitspreisspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

The applications will be evaluated by a jury made up of members of the Advisory Board for Sustainable Development and, if applicable, other subject representatives.

For more information, simply visit the website of the Competence Center for Sustainable Development (KNE): https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/206871

Freedom that is meant how exactly? Defining the relationship between freedom and responsibility in current debates on science and ethics

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 11:10:12 +0200

“Freedom” is often contrasted with ‘ethics’ in science as if there were a zero-sum game: More of one means less of the other. Such ideas can even be found in contexts that otherwise provide extremely important impulses for current debates on academic freedom. Instead of halving both a meaningful concept of freedom and ethics, the dialectical enabling function of ethics for freedom (in) science should be emphasized.

To the blog article:https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/279861

Quod erat expectandum – or what our expectations might have to do with ethics

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 11:03:47 +0200

If you are reading this post, then you are doing so with certain expectations. Perhaps you have already read other posts on this blog that you found interesting and now expect that reading this post will not be a waste of time either. Or perhaps you are not expecting too much because you have been disappointed by previous blog posts and were expecting more. You probably already have certain expectations of the content of the text given the title - for example, that it has something to do with ethics or morals. So, what do expectations have to do with ethics and morals?

Go to the article: https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/280350

Deepfakes: Manipulation on Demand?

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:08:24 +0200

In the discussion paper ‘Deepfakes: Manipulation on Demand? Evolution of Deepfake Technology, Societal Impact, and the Path Forward’ provides a timely and comprehensive introduction to the technological development of deepfake technology since its emergence in 2017, the breadth of its applications from politics to sexualised deepfakes and deepfakes for criminal purposes, to deepfakes for economic applications, education and satire, as well as regulatory approaches in the EU and beyond to dealing with deepfakes.

The paper was published by the Israel Public Policy Institute (IPPI) and the Heinrich Böll Foundation Tel Aviv.

It can be downloaded for free here: https://www.ippi.org.il/deepfakes-manipulation-on-demand/

Contact: Maria Pawelec

"Towards a Transatlantic Roadmap for AI Regulation"

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 10:27:30 +0100

AI systems are playing an increasingly significant role in our (sometimes very private) daily lives. Therefore, the regulation of this technology is gaining importance globally, although there are often national differences in its implementation. An interdisciplinary exchange on AI technology and its regulations from a transatlantic perspective is not only productive and relevant but also timely.

Co-organized by and with the participation of IZEW researchers, the conference titled "Towards a Transatlantic Roadmap for AI Regulation" will be held at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, USA, from March 27-28, 2025. The conference will address these relevant topics from a range of diverse disciplines and perspectives.

As part of the long-standing transatlantic partnership between the two universities, in which IZEW has significantly contributed to the dialogue on ethical and societal implications of AI, data sciences, and digitalization in recent years, eight researchers from Tübingen will travel to the USA to attend the conference in Chapel Hill. In addition to IZEW researchers Andreas Baur, Prof. Dr. Jessica Heesen, Jana Hecktor, and Lisa Koeritz, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Bernd Heinrich and Dr. Tommaso Fia from the Faculty of Law, Prof. Dr. Tanja Thomas from the Institute of Media Studies, and Hüseyin Ates, former guest researcher at the Faculty of Law, will participate in the conference.

Researchers from various institutes at UNC will also be involved, including the Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life, the Department of Sociology, the School of Data Science and Society, the School of Law, the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, the School of Information and Library Science, and the Center for Media Law and Policy. This multitude of disciplinary perspectives, arising from the profiles of the researchers and encompassing fields such as philosophy, media ethics, gender studies, governance, law, and computer science, provides the foundation for a productive interdisciplinary dialogue on current challenges and research gaps related to AI regulation. Furthermore, the transatlantic exchange during this conference will offer valuable insights into existing transatlantic differences regarding AI regulation.

To conclude the first day of the conference on Thursday evening, March 27, 2025, Reggie Townsend, Vice President of Data Ethics at the US software company SAS from North Carolina, will deliver a keynote, bringing together the industrial and regulatory perspectives.

Resilience of water supply system

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 13:05:30 +0100

Resilience strategies and risk management in the water supply 18 - March 19, 2025, online with Jonathan Lübke
Securing the #water supply today and for future generations is a central social task. In the face of new challenges such as #digital threats and #climate change, future-proof and sustainable solutions are needed.

→ Event tip: In this two-day online event, you will gain valuable insights into a process-oriented #risk management and how to best prepare for crises in the water supply sector.

Further information and registration: www.dvgw-kongress.de/resilienz-wasserversorgung

Satire or disinformation using AI-generated images?

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 11:55:20 +0100

On the platform X, the number of (allegedly) satirical accounts is growing, posting AI-generated images of well-known politicians. Whether Karl Lauterbach, Robert Habeck, Annalena Baerbock or Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the accounts parody German top politicians – and are often close to the AfD.

(How) can you distinguish between satirical and non-satirical posts? What role do AI and deepfakes play here? What is still covered by freedom of expression and what is not? What role will the possible labelling of AI-generated content play under the new European AI regulation, the AI Act?

Maria Pawelec discussed this with Sophie Rohrmeier from BR24 Faktenfuchs against the backdrop of the upcoming German federal elections:
https://www.br.de/nachrichten/netzwelt/satire-mit-ki-fakes-zwischen-humor-und-falschinformation-ein-faktenfuchs,UcaRubR

Brilliant Woman in AI

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:43:17 +0100

IZEW researcher Jacqueline Bellon was included in the list of 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics. The Women in AI Ethics™ (WAIE) is a global initiative with a mission to increase recognition, representation, and empowerment of women in AI Ethics. It started in 2018 and is now published annually to recognize rising stars as well as pioneers in this space. To increase representation of women at AI/tech conferences and companies, they have also launched an open online directory of Women in AI Ethics to make it easier for conference organizers and recruiters to find suited speakers and researchers.

Jacqueline’s background is in philosophy of technology, epistemology, philosophy of science, and theories on culture and the social. Her research deals with conceptualisations of technology evolution, culture and technology as mediators of human-world contact as well as ethical aspects of tech representation, development, and use. She is finishing her dissertation on French philosopher Gilbert Simondon at the University of Darmstadt in which she gives an introduction into his "On the mode of existence of technical objects" and compares the use of his individuation theory from "Individuation in Light of Notions of Form and Information" in it with the use of it in "Imagination and Invention". A special interest of hers are computer vision and classification models as well as generative AI text and image models. She is a strong advocate of AI literacy and uses a variety of formats to spread it. At the IZEW she works on a project on epistemic and ethical question of AI tools in higher education.

To see the WAIE full list, visit: womeninaiethics.org/the-list/of-2025/

Deepfakes and the law

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 09:26:45 +0100

What challenges do deepfakes pose from the perspective of media, copyright and personal rights? How do sexualising deepfakes (aka deepporn) affect sexual self-determination? How should deepfakes be regulatedlegally? These are the topics of a one-day symposium at the Institute for Copyright and Media Law (IUM) in Munich on 14 March 2025.

In her talk, Maria Pawelec will focus on political science and democratic theory perspectives on the opportunities, risks and dangers of deepfakes for democracy and the community.

Participation is free of charge. Registration is possible until 7 March at: https://www.urheberrecht.org/events/20250314.php

"Artificial Intelligence and New Human-Technology Relations as a Challenge for the Philosophy of Science"

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 15:55:07 +0100

Under the title "Artificial Intelligence and New Human-Technology Relations as a Challenge for the Philosophy of Science", we aim to bring together researchers who, from their disciplinary perspectives and in their engagement with current AI applications and models, consider or wish to debate questions of philosophy of science and higher education at the planned event. The following questions may serve as a starting point for discussion but are not exhaustive:

How does the use of (generative) AI transform scientific knowledge production and teaching, and what philosophical reflections on foundational concepts, methods, and frameworks are necessitated by these transformations?

What implicit or explicit conceptions of humans and machines underpin the research, development, and application of AI?

How can synthetic outputs such as text, video, image, and audio be situated within the broader context of changes in public and academic reasoning from a philosophy of science perspective?

What interdisciplinary approaches (e.g., involving linguistics, semiotics, philosophy of language, epistemology, philosophy of science, technology assessment, philosophy of technology, futures studies, media studies, education sciences, and others) are most promising for addressing these questions?

What ethical implications are inherent in these developments and the corresponding philosophical reflections?

Deadline for presentation proposals is February, 28th. Please send to: jacqueline.bellonspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

Teaching materials on deepfakes in elections

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 01:10:01 +0100

The German Federal Agency for Civic Education has commissioned a current teaching unit on the topic of deepfakes and elections to sensitise students to the dangers of deepfakes and to impart critical media literacy. Maria Pawelec wrote a background text for this unit, ‘When appearances are deceptive: deepfakes and elections’.

In this text, she explains the topics of deepfakes for election manipulation, the loss of social trust and the liar's dividend, but also how political campaigns, activism and satire can potentially be used to promote democracy with the help of deepfakes, and she explains the upcoming use of softfakes.

Initiatives like this one are designed to empower teachers and students and to increase the resilience of democratic societies against misinformation.

The complete German-language teaching unit, which takes 45-90 minutes and includes worksheets and background information, can be found here: https://www.bpb.de/lernen/bewegtbild-und-politische-bildung/557388/unterrichtsmaterialien/

Read more on Maria Pawelec and her reseach:uni-tuebingen.de/en/73741

Madness as a strategy. Ethics of conviction and responsibility in politics

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 12:04:49 +0100

Richard Nixon's “Madman Theory” was intended to deter opponents in the Vietnam War through unpredictable behavior. But how did he combine ethics of responsibility with ethics of conviction - and still fail? The article sheds light on how calculated madness was used as a political tool and what parallels can still be drawn today.

To the article:https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/276753

Opportunities of deepfakes in historical-political education

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 16:07:34 +0100

On the occasion of the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of National Socialism on 27 January, Maria Pawelec talks to Deutschlandfunk about the potential (and dangers) of deepfakes for historical-political education and for Jewish memory culture, in particular.

Deepfakes can e.g., be used to make the teaching of historical events immersive or interactive. They can evoke strong emotions, spark enthusiasm for history and reach new target groups. At the same time, there is a risk that historical events will be presented in a shortened or one-sided way, that viewers will experience very strong emotions and no longer be able to reflect critically on what they have seen. It is therefore important to clearly label deepfakes with an educational intention and to critically contextualise them.

The interview can be found here: https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/campus-und-karriere-27-1-2025-komplette-sendung-100.html
(Deutschlandfunk ‘Campus & Karriere', 27 January 2025).

DLF interview with Jessica Heesen

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 09:29:20 +0100

Jessica Heesen has given an interview to Deutschlandfunk Kultur in the program “Studio 9” on the “Stargate” AI investment plans of OpenAI, Softbank and Oracle, which are supported by the Trump administration. In it, she emphasizes the importance of European regulation of AI and the critical examination of AI applications - especially in view of the growing political power of the American tech industry.

The interview can be found here:

Deutschlandfunk Kultur, “Free ride for AI industry in the USA: Why there are also opportunities”, interview with Jessica Heesen, https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/freie-fahrt-fuer-ki-branche-in-den-usa-warum-es-auch-chancen-gibt-100.html

GAIA Special Focus: "Sustainable development and ethics of science – mutual impulses and challenges", edited by Thomas Potthast and Cordula Brand

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 08:51:17 +0100

It addresses the ethical and epistemological debates surrounding the role of science in sustainability transformations. The Special issue critically examines epistemologies, pedagogical practices, and institutional structures. Collectively, these articles demonstrate how ethical inquiry fosters productive pathways toward sustainability transformation: ethics empowers, rather than impedes, these transformative processes.

Citation: Potthast, Thomas and Brand, Cordula, Eds. (2024): Sustainable development and ethics of science – mutual impulses and challenges. Special Focus, GAIA 04/2024.

Open Access: https://www.oekom.de/ausgabe/sustainable-development-and-ethics-of-science-mutual-impulses-and-challenges-80993

Hearing on legislation criminalizing sexualising deepfakes

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 08:33:03 +0100

On 16 January 2025, Maria Pawelec was invited to the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament to comment on the motion by the Free Democratic Party (FDP) parliamentary group ‘Determined against digital violence: Stop deepfakes and pornfakes!’.

The FDP North Rhine-Westphalia is calling for constructive support for a current draft bill in the Federal Council to include the protection of personal rights against deepfakes in criminal law as well as further measures to better combat image-based sexual violence through deepfakes.

Maria Pawelec issued a statement on this, which can be accessed here: https://www.landtag.nrw.de/portal/WWW/dokumentenarchiv/Dokument/MMST18-2258.pdf

In it, she welcomes the introduction of specific laws in Germany to clearly criminalise non-consensual sexualising deepfakes, as introduced in other countries such as Australia, several US states and South Korea and currently discussed in the UK, for example. This would close existing legal loopholes and be in line with the need to transpose the new European Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence into national law by 2027. To this end, the draft law currently being discussed in the Federal Council should be clarified to the effect that only sexualising deepfakes are covered. Otherwise, the proposed law would undermine freedom of expression, as it could also ban satirical deepfakes of politicians, for example.

However, regulation alone will not suffice. North Rhine-Westphalia, but also all other federal states, should therefore systematically record cases of non-consensual sexualising deepfakes, strengthen criminal prosecution, maintain and expand psychological and legal support for victims, and organise further training for the police and judiciary as well as broader awareness-raising measures. In the latter area, it is also crucial to raise awareness of the underlying structures of misogyny, discrimination and objectification of women and of the fact that non-consensual sexualising deepfakes are a form of image-based violence.

Victims und vectors - Which role does protective clothing play in the pandemic politics of care?

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 12:37:40 +0100

The Co-Care project explores these questions, by placing care workers centre-stage. Together with colleagues from LMU and IfE, researchers Katharina Krause and Katharina Wezel examine the invisibility of care workers, such as those in cleaning services and social work.

The political science based and ethical research within the project highlights the central role of protective equipment—especially face masks—in negotiating reopenings and #lockdowns, shaping political positions, and addressing care. In the journal Critical Studies on Security Katharina Wezel and Katharina Krause argue that during pandemics, questions of protection and vulnerability often remain implicit. Care workers, in particular, faced the dilemma of being essential for crisis work—roles they were required to and often wanted to perform—but frequently lacked timely or sufficient access to protective equipment.

The increasing frequency of infectious diseases also makes us acutely aware of how deeply interconnected humans, societies, animals, and the environment are. For future #crises, the researchers advocate for care-related issues—reciprocal relationships, context-specific #vulnerabilities, and concepts of good community—to play a significant role in shaping crisis policies.

Stuttgart Days of Media Education on 12 March 2025

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 14:38:49 +0100

On 12 March 2025, the Stuttgart Days of Media Education will take place at SWR Funkhaus Stuttgart on the topic of ‘Truth and Reality in the Digital Age: Media Education Perspectives’.

How do we strengthen society's ability to scrutinise and evaluate information? How do we develop sound media education practice in times of fake news, deepfakes and algorithmic distortions? What does competent action and critical thinking mean? What challenges do schools and educational institutions have to face?

The 47th Stuttgart Days of Media Education will address these questions in lectures, workshops and discussion panels. Among others, Maria Pawelec will speak on the topic of ‘Deepfakes: Dangers and potentials of audio-visual generative AI for politics and society’.

The programme and registration for on-site or online participation can be found here: https://www.stuttgarter-tage.de/2025

The Stuttgart Days of Media Education are a joint event of the Academy of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, the Evangelisches Medienhaus Stuttgart, the Landesanstalt für Kommunikation Baden-Württemberg (LFK), the Landesmedienzentrum Baden-Württemberg, the Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Baden-Württemberg (LpB), SWR and the GMK - Gesellschaft für Medienpädagogik und Kommunikationskultur e.V. (Society for Media Education and Communication Culture).

Dealing with security-related false information

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 14:32:59 +0100

(How) Should security authorities in democratic states counter disinformation in crises?

False information on social media threatens the security and bodily integrity of individuals as well as the stability of democratic states. Security authorities such as police forces, fire brigades, aid and technical relief organisations are tasked with upholding this security and stability. At the same time, they must not unduly interfere in democratic opinion formation and freedom of speech and expression. How can and should they deal with this dilemma?

Luzia Sievi and Maria Pawelec assess this in their new open access paper "(How) Should security authorities counter false information on social media in crises? A democracy-theoretical and ethical reflection", which is now available online at the International Journal for Disaster Risk Reduction: doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.105093

Sievi and Pawelec reflect upon four different measures security authorities can take: Media literacy trainings, social media monitoring, preventive and reactive crisis communication, and community management. They focus on values such as Hliberty, autonomy, neutrality, privacy, non-discrimination, and security to assess which measures security authorities can and should take.

The paper was compiled within the research project PREVENT, funded by the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung.

Study on the ethics, law and security of digital survival

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 10:27:27 +0100

Study on the ethics, law and security of digital survival:

Digital technologies are increasingly shaping our lives - but they have also long influenced the way we deal with death, grief and remembrance. Against the backdrop of recent advances in the field of artificial intelligence, a separate market has emerged in the form of the digital afterlife industry. Its services simulate the “continued life” of the deceased by imitating their communication behavior and interacting with users (e.g. in the form of chatbots or avatars). This not only has an impact on private mourning, but also on public cultures of remembrance. As much as they serve collective ideas of overcoming finiteness, such offerings also bring with them a number of still largely unresolved problems and raise ethical, legal and security issues: What wishes and expectations do people have for their digital existence after their death? Can AI representations of the deceased make the loss easier or do they make it more difficult? Who makes the final selection of the data to be used and who has the power to shape the digital identity after the end of life? How can the technical security of applications be guaranteed against external manipulation and how can the rights of those affected be strengthened and enforced? This pioneering study sheds light on various facets of digital end-of-life from an interdisciplinary perspective. It thus provides empirically informed and ethically justified impulses and options for action for the future practice of AI-based digital survival.

The study can be downloaded free of charge at the following link: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14222860

Narrative motifs and stereotypical attributions in the kaiju film genre

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 11:29:20 +0100

On classification systems in databases - narrative motifs and stereotypical attributions in the kaiju film genre

Genre classifications such as western, science fiction or kaiju structure our perception and evaluation of films. Despite their apparent unambiguousness, a closer look reveals their great complexity. What criteria play a role in categorization? Are stereotypical ideas served, especially in the case of non-Western works? Are ethical boundaries transgressed? Genre categories shape expectations and interpretations and reflect transcultural communication processes.

To the articlehttps://uni-tuebingen.de/de/274791

Dossier Deepfakes and the political reality

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 10:31:23 +0100

The dossier ‘When appearances deceive - Deepfakes and political reality’ by the Federal Agency for Civic Education aims to inform the public about the current state of deepfake technology and its effects and to contribute to the debate on how to deal with deepfakes.

The dossier sheds light on the phenomenon of deepfakes from a wide range of perspectives and provides up-to-date, in-depth knowledge on topics such as the AI and technology behind deepfakes, their psychological effects, the various areas of application, politics, disinformation, softfakes and non-consensual pornography (deepporn), as well as uses for entertainment, virtual influencers and deepfakes in journalism. It also discusses current approaches to regulation (including in the area of criminal law, technical approaches to detecting deepfakes, and their effects in the area of discrimination. The dossier is coupled with teaching materials for teachers.

Maria Pawelec advised the bpb on the creation of the dossier and wrote several chapters, including overview chapters and the texts ‘Political manipulation and disinformation’, ‘’Softfakes‘ in election campaigns’ and ‘Opportunities for democracy’.

Click here for the dossier: https://www.bpb.de/lernen/bewegtbild-und-politische-bildung/551578/wenn-der-schein-truegt-deepfakes-und-die-politische-realitaet/

Professorship (W3) “Ethics of scientific and technological innovation” at the International Centre for Ethics (IZEW)

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:29:13 +0100

Professorship (W3) “Ethics of scientific and technological innovation”
at the International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW), University of Tübingen

The Ethics Centre (IZEW) at the university of Tübingen is looking for an outstanding, highly motivated researcher to work on the ethics of scientific and technological innovation and to build a bridge between the various relevant disciplines. The professorship is to be filled as soon as possible.

The Ethics Centre (IZEW):

Ethical issues of technological innovation in research and development are one of the main topics that are investigated at the IZEW, always in close collaboration with the sciences. Research at the Ethics Centre generally is inter- and transdisciplinary (including third mission aspects) and not restricted to questions of applied issues within one single field. Therefore, we understand excellence in ethical research as a collaborative endeavour, encouraging scientists of various disciplines to reflect on concepts and methods of responsible research and innovation. The program of “Ethics in the Sciences” hence not only provides an excellent theoretical basis for interdisciplinarity but also for practical and collaborative research and teaching as well as capacity building.

The position:

The successful candidate should have expertise in application-oriented ethics with a focus on scientific and technological innovations. This includes the analysis of how culture, broadly understood as shared practices and knowledge, is affected by innovation while science and technology at the same time are shaped by their own cultures. A differentiated approach to methodologies of ethics in practice as well as insights into philosophy of science are expected. Furthermore, wide experience in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research including collaboration with the natural and life sciences, as well as with civil society, is required.

The preferred candidate is expected to conduct research on ethical questions related to innovative technologies, e.g., in areas of bionics, human-machine interactions, artificial intelligence and sustainability, in relation to issues of human autonomy, social accountability as well as personal, institutional and distributed responsibilities. A strong record in securing third-party funding for research projects as well as the willingness to participate in the executive committees and the lively working environment of the IZEW is expected. Interdisciplinary teaching in the field of ethics in the sciences at the Ethics Center as well as in cooperation with various departments and clusters of excellence is required. The position has a teaching load of nine hours per week during the semester.

The University is currently applying for Clusters of Excellence that cover a broad range of topics as part of the Excellence Strategy of the Federal and State Governments. The successful candidate is expected to be open to networking with existing clusters and new cluster initiatives currently being applied for. S/he is point of contact for questions on ethical and cultural aspects of innovative technologies and their implications for society.

Formal requirements:

Required qualifications include a PhD or equivalent degree as well as postdoctoral qualifications and teaching experience equivalent to the requirements of a full professorship.

The University of Tübingen is committed to equal opportunity, diversity and inclusion. Female scientists, in particular, are explicitly invited to apply, as are applicants from outside Germany. Applications from equally qualified candidates with disabilities will be given preference.

General information on professorships, hiring processes, and the German academic system can be found here: https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/213700

The following documents are required: curriculum vitae and description of academic career, copies of degree certificates, list of publications, overview of research focus and a research concept including proposals for the integration of ethical reflection on scientific and technological innovations at the University of Tübingen (max. 3 pages), a teaching portfolio incl. list of didactic training (max. 5 pages), and three relevant publications. Applications should be sent in electronic form (one PDF file) to the centers executive board, vorstandspam prevention@izew.uni-tuebingen.de, by January 30th, 2025. Enquiries may also be directed to this address.

Download the job advertisement here.

‘Your Body My Choice’

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 10:25:28 +0100

‘Your Body My Choice’ – what’s behind the trend of fascist and right-wing populists co-opting feminist standpoints

Far from constituting a coincidence or macabre joke, the slogan “Your Body My Choice” is a co-optation of feminist standpoints and might be integral to current fascist and right-wing populist narratives, as was also witnessed at anti-vaccination demonstrations during the Covid-19 pandemic.

To the Article

Sustainability prizes for theses and Sustainability Lecture 2024

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 09:46:24 +0100

On November 26, 2024, the University of Tübingen will honor outstanding theses that deal with sustainable development issues. For the first time, a prize will also be awarded for a dissertation. The IHK Reutlingen will also present the University with the EMAS certificate. The highlight of the evening will be Prof. Dr. Ulrich Brand's Sustainability Lecture on the topic of “Capitalism at the limit? On the contradictions of the 'imperial way of life'”.

The “Sustainability Prize for Theses”, which has been awarded annually since 2011, honors academic theses that deal with topics and issues of sustainable development in an outstanding manner. This year, a dissertation will also be awarded for the first time, alongside three outstanding Bachelor's and three outstanding Master's theses.

In addition, the Reutlingen Chamber of Industry and Commerce will present the EMAS certificate this year. The continuous revalidation according to EMAS since 2011 is a success that illustrates the sustainability efforts in the operational area of the university.

A highlight of the evening will be the Sustainability Lecture by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Brand. He teaches and researches as Professor of International Politics at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Vienna. In his keynote speech entitled „Kapitalismus am Limit? Zu den Widersprüchen der ‚imperialen Lebensweise‘“, Prof. Brand will shed light on the link between existing economic and consumption patterns and global inequalities and highlight the challenges this poses for a sustainable and just future.

Location: Alte Aula, Münzgasse 30

Date: 26.11.2024, 18:00 hrs

Trust in times of disinformation?

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 09:11:46 +0100

Deepfakes on the internet and disinformation are by no means new factors in the political discourse, but they are becoming even more explosive against the backdrop of the upcoming federal elections. What is the current state of technology and what influence is AI already having on the political discourse? What does this mean for society's trust in democracy?

Maria Pawelec from the IZEW and Dr Christopher Nehring will discuss this on 29.11.2024 at 6 pm at the Academy of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart.

Maria Pawelec's keynote speech will provide a diagnosis of the present: What do we mean by deepfakes? Where are we in our development? What are perhaps also potentials? Dr Christopher Nehring will devote his next keynote speech to the influence of disinformation on elections. We will then discuss the different perspectives. Is trust still possible in these times? We want to get closer to this question!

Register here until 28 November to participate: http://www.akademie-rs.de/vakt_25658

Benjamin Scharte opens the online lecture series "Civil Protection of the Future"

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 12:06:17 +0100

The online lecture series “Civil Protection of the Future” started on Thursday, October 24, 2024. The cooperation between Prof.'in Dr. Patricia Schütte (former) Department of Civil Protection, Disaster Management and Building Security at the University of Wuppertal and Friedrich Gabel from the IZEW is dedicated to questions about the adequacy of civil protection in Germany. In 11 sessions, researchers from both institutions and various disciplines will talk about current challenges and new research approaches in civil protection.

If you would still like to take part, simply send an email to: friedrich.gabel@uni-tuebingen.de

Decent deepfakes? New paper on professional deepfake developers’ ethical considerations

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 17:04:17 +0200

Deepfakes are threatening the foundations of democracy and the integrity of democratic elections. Sexualizing deepfakes are a growing threat to women and children worldwide; deepfake-based cybercrime is on the rise. At the same time, we are seeing incredible uses of the ever-improving technology for good and the benign, including deepfakes for entertainment, memes, marketing and Hollywood, but also deepfakes supporting causes like Ukraine in its defence against Russia, as well as contentious uses such as "softfakes" in election campaigns worldwide.

But who is behind the rapid development of the tech over the last few years? Who are the software engineers, developers, and companies that are driving the AI forward or making deepfakes tools available to the broader public? What do they believe in? How aware are they of deepfakes' multifaceted implications, and what role does ethics, including AIethics, play in their everyday work? These underresearched questions lie at the core of a new interview-based open access research paper by Maria Pawelec published in the journal "AI and Ethics": Link.

Agricultural turnaround and recognition

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 14:15:12 +0200

In view of the Europe-wide farmers' protests, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared in January 2024 that farmers were right to demand recognition for providing people with food. In response to the demonstrations, not only did the German government withdraw its planned cuts to subsidies for agricultural diesel, but the EU Parliament also withdrew the planned environmental requirements of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). But can maintaining the status quo be considered a question of recognition? I think not: No, on the contrary. Anyone who recognizes the importance of agriculture for the well-being of us all must push for changes to current practice. This blog post will focus on the role that recognition plays in and for the agricultural transition.

To the article

Technology Socialisation? Social Appropriateness and Artificial Systems

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 20:22:52 +0200

Technology will continue to be an increasingly important medium for human communication and interaction, but more and more human interaction will take place not only through technology but also with it. One dimension of new human-technology relations is the phenomenon of social appropriateness. Although social skills cannot be reduced to simple set of rules, people are generally able to 'read the room' and 'strike the right note' quite reliably. But what about 'intelligent' technical systems? Can they - should they - be equipped with the ability to behave socially appropriate in order to blur another important boundary between humans and technology? In other words, is it possible and necessary to socialize technology?

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-662-68021-6

Student assistant (f/m/*) (35/40 hours per month)

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 14:08:46 +0200

The International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) is looking for a

Student assistant (f/m/*)
(35/40 hours per month)

For the winter semester, we are looking for the support of various research projects. The research projects cover a wide range of topics spanning from discourses on technology ethics, media ethics, privacy, debates on disaster management, questions of children's rights regarding the safety of children online, the analysis of (semi-)technical security practices to the interdisciplinary analysis of populist developments in representative democracies. We seek support with:

Research on current topics (in the beforementioned fields)
Transcribing interviews (we therefore strongly encourage native speakers to apply)
Word processing and text formatting
The organisation of events
Reference management
Ad hoc tasks (i.e. copying, scanning literature)

We are looking forward to receiving your application including a short cover letter and your CV – via e-mail – by 31h August 2024. Please send your files to:

Jonathan Lübke
Internationales Zentrum für Ethik in den Wissenschaften (IZEW)
Wilhelmstr. 19 72074 Tübingen

Email: jonathan.luebkespam prevention@izew.uni-tuebingen.de

pdf download of the job advertisement here

What Rosa Luxemburg has in common with the witch Jagnieszka - transitory memory work using the example of the Polish feminist collective Dziewuchy Berlin

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 11:20:59 +0200

In 2020, following the call of the German-Polish protest art collective Dziewuchy Berlin, a large group of feminist activists, elves, sorceresses and ghosts draped in lace gathered at the Berlin monument to the Polish soldier and German anti-fascist. The participants were protesting against a further tightening of abortion laws in Poland. How does the protest change this monument? The essay discusses protest as a moment of transnational culture of remembrance.

Article

Human(s) in the loop(s): On the use of AI in German law enforcement

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 11:29:09 +0200

The criminal justice system is a core area of society undergoing intense digitalization and datafication processes accompanied and accelerated by rapidly evolving artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. While the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) provides the legal framework for the adoption of AI-based systems for the police, our research provides the empirical data to analyze this undertaking. By outlining the requirements for human oversight of AI applications in the context of policing, we demonstrate the importance of ethical reflection where AI use can have serious consequences.

Article

Keynote speech by Andreas Baur on AI ethics at the construction industry network meeting

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 12:09:57 +0200

‘Artificial intelligence: ethics, power and the infrastructure perspective’. With this keynote, Andreas Baur spoke to and with representatives of the BIM Cluster BW in Stuttgart.

The exchange between science and practice is a central component of applied ethics. At the invitation of the BIM Cluster BW, which is dedicated to the digitalisation of the construction industry, Andreas Baur spoke to 150 invited guests about the fundamental issues of artificial intelligence: ethics, power relations and the role of underlying infrastructures. In the ensuing exchange, interesting impulses were provided, questions were discussed and contacts were made.

Location: FORUM Haus der Architektinnen und Architekten (HdA), Stuttgart

[Translate to Englisch:]"Crisis and emergency management for all" Friedrich Gabel took part in an expert hearing in the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 12:41:04 +0200

On June 28, 2024, the commission of inquiry "Crisis and emergency management - shaping the future safely by learning from the past”, met in the state parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia for an expert hearing on the topic of "Crisis and emergency management in the context of climate change (vulnerable groups)". Friedrich Gabel was present as an expert for situation of persons with disabilities.

Click here for the hearings of the Enquete Commission II.

Female Identities in Internet Communication

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 12:22:41 +0200

At the beginning of its use, the Internet was associated with high expectations in terms of free communication. This freedom was conceptually linked to the invisibility of physical identities. From a perspective related to female identities, the article shows that although there are still ways of concealing living bodies or creating new virtual bodies in Internet communication, it also argues that Internet communication is nevertheless not free from social and possibly repressive contexts.

Article

Presentation on 1 July 2024 in Berlin: On Diversity and Technology

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 09:45:20 +0200

Researcher at the IZEW Laura Schelenz was nominated for the German Thesis Award 2024 by the Körber Foundation. She will present her dissertation in the last round of the award process with fellow nominees on 1 July 2024 in Berlin.

Lauras dissertation “Diversity, Technology, Power: An American Black Feminist Approach to Studying and Designing Diversity in Relation to Contemporary Technologies” was completed successfully on 6 December 2023 (magna cum laude).

The dissertation critically examines diversity concepts and norms that are applied in computer science and technology development. Due to well-known problems with discrimination through artificial intelligence and other technologies, diversity is increasingly being incorporated into technology development. This sounds good at first, but is this approach always beneficial? Drawing on Black Feminist theory, the dissertation criticizes the fact that computer science uses binary and flat concepts of diversity (e.g. male vs. female). Cases such as facial recognition, personalization and recommendation systems, and the design of a European platform show that an unreflective approach to diversity can promote rather than minimize discrimination. The dissertation presents ways in which diversity can be (historically) contextualized and incorporated into technology development in a reflective manner. It contains recommendations for computer scientists, but is also relevant for policymakers and users of technology.

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Astrid Franke, American Studies Department at University of Tübingen; Prof. Dr. Daniel Gatica-Perez, Social Computing Group at IDIAP, EPFL in Switzerland

Presentation of the KIM study at the founding of the “Inclusive Disaster Management Initiative”

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 14:20:21 +0200

On Monday, 3 June, the “Inclusive Disaster Management Initiative” was founded in Stuttgart under the patronage of Thomas Strobl, Minister of the Interior, Digitalization and Communities. As part of the founding event, Friedrich Gabel presented the results of the KIM study.

The Baden-Württemberg state government's representative for the interests of people with disabilities, Simone Fischer, and the DRK Landesverband Baden-Württemberg have initiated the founding of the “Inclusive Disaster Management Initiative”. This initiative was founded in Stuttgart on Monday (3 June) under the patronage of Thomas Strobl, Minister of the Interior, Digitalization and Communities, together with 14 other partners. In addition to the parliamentary groups in the state parliament, these include the municipal state associations, the state fire brigade association, the THW state association, the LAG self-help group, the state senior citizens' council, the state student council, the LIGA der Freien Wohlfahrtspflege and the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Interior. Other organizations and civil society associations have already confirmed their participation.

During the founding event, Friedrich Gabel presented the current results of the study “KIM – Disaster Management and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities” which the IZEW conducted from October 2023 till February 2024.

The initiative is unique in Germany. The objectives include:
• Raising awareness of the situation and needs of people with disabilities and other marginalized groups in inclusive disaster preparedness,
• Developing further concrete measures to improve preparedness and protection for these groups of people,
• Identifying and creating funding opportunities for inclusive civil protection,
• Promoting cooperation between all relevant stakeholders, such as authorities, institutions, aid organizations and people with disabilities,
• Attracting other stakeholders to the initiative.

Automated Pain Detection

Tue, 28 May 2024 13:47:43 +0200

The emerging technology of AI-supported pain assessment not only has the potential to support external pain evaluations by medical and nursing staff, it also harbours a number of ethical problems. The risk of systematic discrimination against members of certain groups in being able to provide competent information about their own pain deserves particular attention here, as there is a long tradition of such epistemic injustices in the field of pain diagnosis and treatment.

Article

Doing Pluralism

Tue, 14 May 2024 11:41:02 +0200

Right-wing extremist and right-wing populist concepts of society are often condemned across the board without recognising that they offer their supporters a coherent and attractive meaning. Pluralist democrats need a clearer understanding of pluralism in order to reject forms of life that are anti-democratic and anti-pluralist, but also to accept or tolerate those who merely follow a different idea of the good life. The "Doing Pluralism" approach outlined here attempts to provide an impetus for this.

Article

The Shroud of Security

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 12:30:04 +0200

It is a much-trumpeted truism: there is no such thing as absolute security. In any case, the provision of security is limited in view of the associated material resources and the always limited knowledge. Moreover, security, as one value among many, must also be limited, as security ethicist Regina Ammicht Quinn emphasised.

Article

Presentation of the final report on the KIM study on inclusive disaster management

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 11:12:20 +0200

On April 23, 2024, Friedrich Gabel presented and discussed the results of the KIM study (inventory of disaster management and the inclusion of people with disabilities) at the DRK Disaster Risk Reduction Symposium.

From October 2023 to February 2024, Friedrich Gabel and Maira Schobert from the IZEW conducted the KIM study (Disaster Management and the Inclusion of People with Disabilities) for Aktion Deutschland Hilft e. V. At the DRK symposium, they presented the results of this work and discussed them together with Dr. Jürgen Clemens (Aktion Deutschland Hilft e. V.), Nina Köksalan (Head of the National Contact Point for the Sendai Framework at the BBK), Philipp Cachée (Disaster and Civil Protection Officer, Berlin Lichtenberg District Office), Johanne Peter (Civil Protection Officer, Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund e. V.), Oliver Wiegers (Christoffel-Blind-Mission) and Maria-Victoria Trümper (Representative of the OPD Interessenvertretung Selbstbestimmt Leben in Deutschland e. V.)

You can find the results of the study as a long version, short version and in easy language (in German) here !

The Self as a Multispecies Being. Ethical Aspects of the Influence of Microbes on the Physicalness

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:24:41 +0200

Trillions of microbes live on and in the bodies of humans, animals and plants. They form the human, animal or plant microbiome. Accordingly, microbiomes do not exist independently of each other. Through the constant circulation and interaction of microorganisms, we humans are connected to each other and to our environment in a complex way. This raises numerous ethical questions. These are examined in the following blog post. The focus is on ethical questions in the context of human physicality.

Article

"It is impossible to protect yourself from becoming the victim of deepfake pornography"

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 14:30:51 +0200

In the Frankfurter Rundschau, Maria Pawelec details the dangers of AI-generated pornography, regulatory gaps in Germany, and the European Union's new directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, which will criminalise non-consensual deepfake pornography.

The interview entitled: >>"Impossible to protect yourself": An alarming number of women fall victim to deepfake pornography<< can be found at the following link:
https://www.fr.de/wirtschaft/intelligenz-ki-erschreckende-zunahme-deepfake-pornografie-kuenstliche-zr-92920356.html

The Role of Ethics in Shaping Robotics Development

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 13:08:22 +0200

This article discusses how ethics can be integrated into the development of autonomous robotics. Firstly, a potential mediating role between philosophical ethics and engineering is outlined. Secondly, the capability of ethics of robotics in making implicit values in the development of the technology is explicitly discussed. Thirdly, it is demonstrated how this reflection can contribute to making issues of responsibility visible, and how this can benefit the engineering sciences. Finally, it is pointed out that ethical reasoning and concepts often precede and inform legal regulation.

Article

Disaster Management between the State and the Economy

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 16:19:19 +0100

In 2022, Katharina Krause, Marco Krüger and Maira Schobert conducted a study for the General Secretariat of the German Red Cross on how companies and civil protection structures cooperated in coping with the Ahr flood.

The authors show the potential that lies in the structured involvement of companies. This potential is particularly in the spotlight of the disaster management discourse due to the German government's resilience strategy and the KRITIS umbrella law currently being negotiated.

The study highlights both the potential and the limits of corporate involvement, sheds light on the diversity of companies and shows that cooperation with companies has become essential in view of the large number of privately operated critical infrastructures.

The study is freely available online here (in German language only).

Reflecting on security behaviour: With Odysseus and Orpheus

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 11:28:53 +0100

In 2016, Regina Ammicht Quinn asked "What does, can and may ethics do" in relation to security debates? Based on her remarks on Odysseus' approach and a transfer to prevention, we will compare Odysseus' and Orpheus' approaches and draw small lessons for security behaviour.

Article

Intuitions in ethical judgement - helpful or misleading?

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 13:32:26 +0100

In our everyday lives, we constantly have to make decisions. We make many of these decisions spontaneously, on instinct. Others - and these are the ones we want to talk about - we think about for longer, weigh up the pros and cons and try to find good reasons for our actions. When it comes to morally relevant decisions, we do both - sometimes more intuitively, sometimes more reflectively. There is a heated debate among experts as to which form of basing decisions on moral judgements is better. My answer to this is that both intuition and reflection are needed.

Article

Panel discussion on four years Corona pandemic

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 12:50:35 +0100

The panel discussion "Jetzt mal Tacheles" takes stock of the societal learnings with regard to the Corona pandemic. Together with emergency physician Dr. Lisa Federle, district administrator Dr. Klaus Michael Rückert from Freudenstadt, member of the state parliament Dr. Dorothea Kliche-Behnke (SPD) and Prof. Dr. Boris Kotchoubey, researcher at the Institute for Medical Psychology and Behavioural Neurobiology at the University of Tübingen (inquired), Dr. Marco Krüger critically examines achievements, shortcomings and blind spots of the political treatment of the pandemic on 22 February from 7 pm on at the LTT.

Further information can be found here: https://www.landestheater-tuebingen.de/events/view/id/195788/date/1708556400

At second glance: On the (in)visibility of care

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 09:53:52 +0100

This blog article focusses on a classic area of care, namely nursing, and addresses the question of the visibility and visualisation of care based on a specific example: the iconic painting "Game Changer" by British street artist Banksy (2020).

Article

Job Offer student assistent (m/f/*)

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 12:51:08 +0100

The International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) is looking for a

Student assistant (f/m/*)
(35/40 hours per month)

At the earliest possible date, we are looking for the support of various research projects. The research projects cover a wide range of topics spanning from discourses on technology ethics, media ethics, privacy, debates on disaster management, questions of children's rights regarding the safety of children online, the analysis of (semi-)technical security practices to the interdisciplinary analysis of populist developments in representative democracies. We seek support with:

Research on current topics (in the beforementioned fields)
Transcribing interviews (we therefore strongly encourage native speakers to apply)
Word processing and text formatting
The organisation of events
Reference management
Ad hoc tasks (i.e. copying, scanning literature)

Students applying for the position are studying, e.g., at the Departments of Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, Media studies, other social sciences or English/American Studies (Bachelors/Masters/Staatsexamen). We expect the ability to work in a team, communication skills and an inherent interest in ethical approaches. Basic knowledge in ethics is desirable, as well as the willingness to familiarize yourself with these topics. The work at the IZEW is primarily conducted in German, whereby basic knowledge in German or the willingness to deepen your knowledge of the language are an asset. We still encourage native speakers to apply.
We are looking forward to receiving your application including a short cover letter and your CV – via e-mail – by 29th February 2024. Please send your files to:
Alexander Orlowski
Internationales Zentrum für Ethik in den Wissenschaften (IZEW)
Wilhelmstr. 19
72074 Tübingen
Email: alexander.orlowski@uni-tuebingen.de

Well-Being and Health

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 12:10:00 +0100

What do we need for a good life? Two groups were interviewed about their ideas of a good life in the context of a holistic understanding of health: female adolescents from the greater Tübingen area and female smallholder farmers in the greater Arusha and Moshi areas of Tanzania.

Article

Ethical reflection as orientation knowledge

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 11:40:57 +0100

In this blog article, the problem of a lack of orientation is framed as an area of tension between knowledge of availability and knowledge of orientation, with particular consideration of ethical reflection as a form of knowledge of orientation.

Article

The Society That We Want To Be: Four Conversations and a Disclaimer

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 12:41:29 +0100

This article offers a few reflections on the central questions posed by Regina’s recent article on AI and ethics (Quinn, 2021): When we talk about or debate ‘ethics’ what exactly is it that we are discussing and debating? What is the function of ethical interventions in relation to emerging science and technology? How should we understand the role of ethics in the landscape of the governance of AI? All of these questions are fundamental as they ultimately lead to a reflection on what kind of society we want to be.

Article

Ugly, obscene, subversive: Grotesque Women in the Media

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 18:35:29 +0100

The media exert a significant influence on body images. They confirm cultural ideals of beauty, disseminate idealised images and influence social norms and values. This article will focus on how the grotesque, repulsive, obscene body, of all things, can contribute to breaking down such powerful representational conventions and questioning normative ideas of femininity.

Article

Save yourself, if you can - How disaster management fails persons with disablities

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 14:11:21 +0100

Following the screening of the documentary "Save yourself, if you can" by the editorial team "andererseits" from Vienna, guests Thomas Strobl, Minister of the Interior, Digitization and Municipalities Baden-Württemberg, Katharina Brunner and Artin Madjidi, editorial team andererseits, Friedrich Gabel from the International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities at the University of Tübingen and Raul Krauthausen, author, moderator, media maker for inclusion and accessibility, discussed the situation in Germany and Baden-Württemberg. The panel was chaired by Simone Fischer State Commissioner for persons with disabilities. The event was organized in cooperation with the German Red Cross in Stuttgart.

Conference on "Digital Afterlife" in January 2024

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:14:23 +0100

On January 19, 2024 (Friday), a conference on the topic of "Digital survival" will take place at Hohentübingen Castle (Fürstenzimmer), Burgsteige 11, Tübingen. The conference is intended for all interested parties with and without a scientific background.
Admission is free. Please register by January 12, 2024 at the latest. Please send a short e-mail to: matthias.meitzler@uni-tuebingen.de

Further information can be found on the conference page.

23rd Vilm Summer Academy on fundamental issues of nature protection

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 09:32:20 +0100

The need for comprehensive social change and transformation processes is increasingly evident, despite or perhaps because of current political counter-movements and forces of inertia. It is now clear that industrialised societies must reduce their production and consumption to a sustainable level that is compatible with nature in terms of biodiversity and climate. This means that societies can no longer sustain permanently high growth rates that require increasing resources, even if they were to switch completely to renewable raw materials. As a result, these societies must politically reinvent themselves as post-growth societies. There are no historical models for this, and the political, ethical, and socio-economic challenges and uncertainties are significant.

What role can and should nature conservation play in supporting this transformation? There is a widespread desire for nature in many parts of society, albeit often unspecific and in various forms. Can this desire be harnessed to generate the necessary momentum for a socially transformative process that is also beneficial for nature conservation? What are the specific nature conservation projects and measures that have transformative potential, and what characteristics are important for them? The Summer Academy 2024 will address fundamental debates in nature conservation regarding social change. This includes criticism of nature-destroying industrial modernity and alienation from nature in a technologically shaped world, as well as criticism of growth and the demand for frugality instead of 'more and more'. Additionally, the academy will explore current political transformation movements and approaches related to climate and biodiversity crises. The Summer Academy will discuss the need for action, such as the implementation of a new National Biodiversity Strategy. The discussion will focus on how official nature conservation can operate to achieve transformation potential and conservation goals. It will also explore the new tasks that will arise for nature conservation associations, networks, and local activities.

Information on registration for the Vilm Summer Academy is expected to be published on the BfN website in spring 2024.

Walking between the Worlds

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 11:09:47 +0100

Is security a technical or a social task? Anyone researching civil security in Germany will be confronted with this question at some point. The trivial answer is "both". But this does not solve the problems that arise at the interfaces between security technologies and social values. This raises another question: How does good security research actually work?

Article

The Digital Services Act and Children's Rights

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 10:57:54 +0100

On the occasion of World Children's Day on 20 Nov 2023, the SIKID project publishes a position paper that examines the role that the EU Digital Services Act can play for the implementation of children's rights online.

"Strengthening Children's Rights through the Digital Services Act (DSA): Towards Best Practice Approaches"

This paper aims to constructively accompany the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) from a children's rights perspective. It shows which potentials arise from the DSA to strengthen children's rights in the digital environment. Special attention is given to provider measures as well as the prevention of harm, and the empowerment of children. The paper delineates what constitute best practice approaches in fulfilling the requirements of the DSA and shows the importance of a positive platform governance.

Download the position paper here: doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10156939

Keeping Livestock in Africa

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 12:44:44 +0100

Not least to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 - Zero hunger -, there is much discussion and experimentation in the African context on the intensification of so called ‘neglected’ livestock species. In the following, we will examine the idea of intensification - raising more animals and producing more animal sourced foods - from a Sustainable Development (SD) and ethical perspective.

Article

Call for Abstracts Global Justice, Technology, and Integrated Research

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 16:38:51 +0100

Call for Abstracts for presentations at
Global Justice, Technology, and Integrated Research - Online pre-conference
January, 30 2024

We invite proposals for presentations at an international online pre-conference on Global Justice, Technology, and Integrated Research related to 4th Conference on Integrated Research: Shaping and reflecting on Human-Technology Relations transdiciplinarily. Both events can be visited separately and independent from each other.

The pre-conference language is English; the follwing in-person event will be held predominantly in German.

Confirmed keynote speakers are:

Reconceptualising responsible research and innovation from a Global South perspective

Prof. Kutoma Wakunuma

Immortality, Superintelligence, and Utopia: Understanding the TESCREAL Bundle of Ideologies and its Implications for Global Justice

Dr. des. Émile P. Torres

------------------------------------------------------
What is it about? Integrated and Integrative Research aim at involving diverse stakeholders into technology development processes and at integrating ethical, legal, social and other aspects into such processes in collaborative practices. We invite scholars, and especially encourage junior researchers, to present their work, perspectives and theoretical take on related topics for an online pre-conference on Global Justice, Technology, and Integrated Research that will be held on January 30th 2024.

Impulses from the online pre-conference will be taken to the following in-person 4th conference on Integrated Research – Shaping and reflecting on Human-Technology Relations transdisciplinarily that will take place on January 31st and 1st of February at the HEINZ NIXDORF MUSEUMSFORUM in Paderborn, Germany.

The pre-conference aims to internationalize the discussion on integrated research and its implementation and puts the central theme of global justice, crucial for responsible innovation, on the agenda of the Cluster Integrated Research.

Proposals should deal with the topics global justice and integrated research concerning technology development, research, and implementation processes. This can include but is not limited to the following topics:

• Technology development and global justice
• Integration of ethical, legal, social, and other aspects into technology development
• Collaborative practices in technology development
• Human-technology relations in digitalised lifeworlds
• Responsible Research and Innovation and global justice

Researchers may work in philosophy, ethics, anthropology, sociology, psychology, social sciences, law, co-design, HMI, computer sciences, machine learning, technology development, the arts, social justice research and/or practices, Science and Technology Studies, or other related fields.

Deadline: Please send your proposals for an online presentation until December 15th 2023 (max. 500 words) to jacqueline.bellon@uni-tuebingen.de and kindly indicate in your proposal what time slot you would prefer to present in, either 8 am to 10 am, or, 5 pm to 7 pm CET (UTC+1).

Programme:https://integrierte-forschung.net/cluster/fachtagungen

No conference fees will be charged. The pre-conference in an online event and mostly independent from the following in-person event. Participants of the online pre-conference (January 30th 2024) are cordially invited to join the in person conference (January 31st and February 1st), however, conference language will be German and we cannot reimburse for travel costs.

We look forward to receiving your proposals

What is needed for a "good life"? AI from an ethical perspective

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 11:11:32 +0100

The presentation summarizes the ethical questions arising from new human-technology relationships in today's society. What problems can be identified? Are there solutions? What does society need in dealing with artificial intelligence, especially regarding developments in generative artificial intelligence? What is new about it, and what new challenges come with it? Which aspects are relevant for shaping a "good life"?

Using specific examples and current research, topics such as information and disinformation, justice and bias, opportunities, and risks of applications are addressed. Regulatory and other solutions are presented and the speaker advocates for the development of new cultural skills and new expectations, language, and perception habits.

Mini Series „Deepfake Music“

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 02:20:28 +0200

Deepfakes, or fake audio-visual media, will increasingly influence the music industry in the future. The development of artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly and thus access to deepfakes is now a breeze. Laymen can clone voices within seconds. Kathrin Schunn from the University of Music in Karlsruhe shows how the phenomenon behaves when the voices of singers are cloned in a 4-part miniseries.
The German-language miniseries shows a fictitious scenario about a student who wants to become famous with the cloned voice of a well-known singer. Experts from the fields of ethics, law and art also comment on the fictional events. Maria Pawelec from the International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) at the University of Tübingen, for example, explains how and whether deepfakes in music can be ethically justifiable, and what opportunities and dangers the technology offers in the music business.

The miniseries was published on the Young Culture Channel of the Karlsruhe University of Music (as well as on YouTube): www.jungerkulturkanal.de/thema/deepfake-music-wie-die-technologie-einfluss-auf-die-musik-nehmen-kann-1639/

You can find the trailer here: YouTube.

The soundtrack to the series, created with artificial intelligence, is also available here.

IZEW at the ACM CSCW Conference

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 12:54:15 +0200

Current and former IZEW colleagues co-presented a panel and special interest group on “Platform (In)Justice” at the ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing in Minneapolis, USA, on October 17-18, and presented their work on the ethics of digitization, the data economy, and artificial intelligence at numerous workshops.

Panel and Special Interest Group on “Platform Injustice”

“Platform (in)justice” encompasses a wide range of justice-related aspects in the platform world, including ethical concerns, algorithmic harms, societal oppression, and concepts of platform justice. It recognizes that injustice extends beyond intentional design to encompass broader power dynamics that emerge from platform operations. Regions within the Majority World, where most of the world’s population resides, often face disproportionate harm from platforms, yet have limited representation in the scholarship on platform (in)justice and solutions for design and governance. The panel aimed at shedding light on the experiences of populations in the Majority World and provide alternative solutions which are rarely considered in platform development discussions. Our panelists presented five case studies of technology use and platform effects involving Afghanistan, India, Korea, South Africa, and the broader Latin American context. By addressing these diverse contexts and political landscapes within the Majority World, we challenge the oversimplified Western perspectives that have shaped conventional understandings of platform (in)justice. The panelists included: HEESOO JANG, Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life, UNC-Chapel Hill, USA, NANDITHA NARAYANAMOORTHY, Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life, UNC-Chapel Hill, USA, LAURA SCHELENZ, IZEW, LOU THERESE BRANDNER, IZEW, ANNE BURKHARDT, RHET AI, SIMON DAVID HIRSBRUNNER, IZEW, SCOTT TIMCKE, Research ICT Africa, South Africa.

SIKID Project @ CSCW
The SIKID project was represented by Laura Schelenz at the workshop „AI through the Eyes of Gen Z: Setting a Research Agenda for Emerging Technologies that Empower Our Future Generations”. A position paper of SIKID for the workshop can be retrieved at: zenodo.org/records/8410325

KITQAR Project @ CSCW
The KITQAR project was represented by Dr. Simon Hirsbrunner and Dr. Lou Brandner at two workshops: “Supporting User Engagement in Testing, Auditing, and Contesting AI” and “Understanding Cognitive Biases in Human-AI Collaboration”.

RHET AI
Former IZEW colleague Dr. Anne Burkhardt also attended the ACM CSCW and represented the RHET AI Center of the University of Tübingen. The IZEW is pleased about the close cooperation with the RHET AI Center and Dr. Burkhardt's participation in the panel.

Data Protection in the Smart Home

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 11:22:30 +0200

When people live in a smart home or move around in such a context, they often cannot see where a camera is running, where a microphone might be recording something or where other data is being collected. The DAMA project (transparent data autonomy meta-assistant) aims to improve this situation and has developed a prototype that informs users about data collection and gives them back control over their data.

Article

Simon Meisch speaks at the Baden-Württemberg Association of Cities

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 10:56:37 +0200

On 18th October 2023, Dr. Simon Meisch will present the results of the CANALS project at the Climate Change and Climate Impact Adaptation working group of the Baden-Württemberg Association of Cities.

The working group deals with all municipal topics that are affected by climate change. The exchange serves to initiate municipal measures for climate impact adaptation and to create synergy effects.

Child, nature and their relationship - How open resonance windows create a connection to the world

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 12:00:34 +0200

In order to come closer to the goal of a sustainability-oriented transformation of society, we need mature, active and creative people who approach complex issues openly, courageously and curiously. For this goal, it is important to enable children to experience failure, self-efficacy and the challenge of difficult and complex situations in a protected and accompanied setting. A learning space of this kind can be provided by nature experience spaces.

Article

"Debating Planetary Ethics" project awarded by the Dr. K. H. Eberle Foundation

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 12:54:12 +0200

The project "Debating Planetary Ethics - A Podcast on the Planetary Boundaries" was awarded as an innovative digital teaching project by the Dr. K. H. Eberle Foundation on 27 September 2023. Rector Prof. Dr. Karla Pollmann and Thomas Schwind (Chairman of the Dr. K. H. Eberle Foundation) awarded the prize in the Historical Reading Room of the University Library.
The project is developing an English-language podcast in which Dr. Simon Meisch, together with Prof. Dr. Jeremy Schmidt from the Department of Geography at Durham University, discusses ethical issues related to the concept of planetary boundaries introduced in 2009. Among other things, this deals with climate change or ocean acidification. Each episode of the podcast will be dedicated to one of the nine planetary boundaries defined, engaging in an interdisciplinary debate with a wide range of scholars. The podcast is intended to function as a stand-alone learning unit with accompanying information, but can also be integrated as an ethics module in courses related to the planetary boundaries.

Contact:

Insights and Impact: A Recap of the Symposium on Social Justice and Technological Futures

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 11:49:41 +0200

In a world where technology plays an increasingly influential role in shaping our lives, it is imperative that we critically examine the ethical implications and especially the inherent implications for social justice that are bound up in its design, production and distribution. Therefore, in May, a symposium titled "Social Justice and Technological Futures" took place in the old town of Tübingen, bringing together a group of individuals from different corners of the globe.

Article

CfP, GAIA Special Issue: Sustainable Development and Ethics of Science – Mutual Impulses and Challenges

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 12:36:28 +0200

Current environmental and social crises have renewed demands for science taking responsibility and actively contributing to Sustainable Development (SD). This implies challenges for ethics of research and normative epistemology as well as institutional and policy questions. The special issue encourages interdisciplinary contributions addressing ethical challenges and multiple views of transforming science for SD. We ask for papers explicitly connecting SD-research and ethics: Which parts of the scientific ethos and the more general ethics in science are – or should be – affected? And vice versa: What kind of ethical perspectives did sustainability research not consider enough so far?

For more information please click here.

For more information via PDF.

Deadline for abstracts: 15.10.2023

Are we ready for a multispecies Westworld?

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 11:23:31 +0200

This column discusses the ethical implications of creating artificial animals to replace real animals in captivity for entertainment and education. While this technology could reduce the suffering of biological animals in captivity, artificial animals may undermine the purpose of zoos and soon become sentient beings themselves capable of being harmed. The authors conclude we should pursue this technology cautiously, limiting risks like moral uncertainty, and not view artificial animals as an adequate replacement for phasing out zoos and aquariums.

Link to the article

Please, don’t let them be misunderstood: Generative Language Models

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 11:00:00 +0200

It is important that people understand what it means for large language models (LLMs) to proceed statistically. The article gives examples of misunderstandings with consequences for everyday social processes in education and law and pleads for comprehensive offers to acquire understanding about the technical functioning of large language models and general reflective competence about one's own perceptions and insinuations (epistemic competence).

Article

Computer games as empathy machines?

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 11:08:32 +0200

Can computer games make us more empathetic, better people? This is what the discussion about so-called "empathy games" seems to promise; after all, these games are supposed to promote empathic reactions and altruistic behaviour in real life as well. However, there is also criticism of the pro-empathy discourse. Researchers like Bo Ruberg and Fritz Breithaupt, for example, point out the downsides of empathy from completely different perspectives. So it's high time to take a closer look at the debate.

Article

Guideline for Ethical Reflexion in German Civil Protection

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 12:16:40 +0200

We did it! The "Guideline for Ethical Reflexion in German Civil Protection", which was developed within the framework of the BBK-funded project EKAMED (06.2020-07.2022) is now published digitally and in print! The guideline should support emergency and civil protection workers in dealing with moral challenges.

CfP, GAIA Special Issue: Sustainable Development and Ethics of Science – Mutual Impulses and Challenges

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 09:11:35 +0200

Please find further details here.

Deadline for abstracts: 15.09.2023

Job advertisement for student or research assistant (f/m/*)

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:13:31 +0200

The International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) is looking for a
Student assistant (f/m/*)
(35/40 hours per month)

At the earliest possible date we are looking for the support of various research projects within the
department of Society, Culture and Technological Change (SCRATCH). The research projects cover
a wide range of topics spanning from discourses on technology ethics, media ethics, privacy, debates
on disaster management, questions of children's rights regarding the safety of children online, the
analysis of (semi-)technical security practices to the interdisciplinary analysis of populist
developments in representative democracies. We seek support with:
- Research on current topics dealt with in SCRATCH
- Transcribing interviews (we therefore strongly encourage native speakers to apply)
- Word processing and text formatting
- The organisation of events
- Reference management
- Ad hoc tasks (i.e. copying, scanning literature)
Students applying for the position are studying, e.g., at the Departments of Philosophy, Political
Science, Sociology, Media studies, other social sciences or English/American Studies
(Bachelors/Masters/Staatsexamen). We expect the ability to work in a team, communication skills and
an inherent interest in ethical approaches. Basic knowledge in ethics is desirable, as well as the
willingness to familiarize yourself with these topics. The work at the IZEW is primarily conducted in
German, whereby basic knowledge in German or the willingness to deepen your knowledge of the
language are an asset. We still encourage native speakers to apply.
We are looking forward to receiving your application including a short cover letter and your CV – via
e-mail – by 23rd July 2023. Please send your files to:

Alexander Orlowski
Internationales Zentrum für Ethik in den Wissenschaften (IZEW)
Wilhelmstr. 19
72074 Tübingen
Email: alexander.orlowski@uni-tuebingen.de

Download job offer (in German and English)

Autism representation in video games

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 12:23:05 +0200

The Auti-Sim video game is one of the first in the history of gaming that allows players to slip into the shoes of an autistic avatar.This blog article shows in what sense this must be considered problematic.

Article

Republica23: Free the (AI training) data!!

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 14:37:20 +0200

At this year's re:publica conference in Berlin, we were present with a panel on the quality and accessibility of AI training data in data-driven journalism.
The panel emerged from the KITQAR research project, in which we develop ethical positions on the topic of AI data quality.

Speaking on the panel were:
Uli Köppen, Head of Automation + AI Lab, Bayrischer Rundfunk
Christina Elmer, Professor of Digital Journalism / Data Journalism, TU Dortmund University
Andreas Hauschke, Project Manager for trustworthy AI, VDE e.V.
Moderation: Simon David Hirsbrunner, senior researcher and team leader for AI and data ethics, International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW), University of Tübingen

More info on the panel

Shaping climate adaptation well

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 11:35:36 +0200

Climate change is happening and societies are beginning to adapt. The task is to shape this adaptation well. Technical solutions alone are not enough; new forms of togetherness are also needed. Taking the city of Reutlingen as an example, the project "Changing Water Cultures" (CANALS) dealt with the challenges and potentials of this task.

Article

Digital Transformation and Gender Bias

Wed, 24 May 2023 16:25:40 +0200

As part of the digilog project, a cooperation between the University of Mannheim and Tübingen has resulted in a special issue at the renowned journal GENDER. The topic "Digital Transformation and Gender Bias" deals with questions around a gender-just digitization, as well as resistance against new technologies or the use of digital tools for political purposes.

Excerpt from the German-language foreword by Prof. Eva Gredel (University of Duisburg), Leonie Bröcher (University of Mannheim) and Laura Schelenz (University of Tübingen, Ethics Center):

"Die neuen Informations-, Partizipations- bzw. Teilhabemöglichkeiten verschiedenster (auch benachteiligter) Gruppen auf politischer, kultureller und sozialer Ebene werden in vielen Kontexten als Chancen der digitalen Transformation benannt. Demgegenüber können und müssen jedoch auch
Risiken wie Manipulation, Einseitigkeit oder Verzerrung von Informationen und Wissensbeständen in digitalen Medien gesehen werden. Damit einher können diskriminie-
rende Muster gehen, in denen sich bestehende Machtverhältnisse deutlich ausdrücken bzw. überkommene Deutungsmuster weiter tradieren. Für zahlreiche Prozesse etwa auf digitalen Plattformen oder in digitalisierten Arbeitsumgebungen werden Tätigkeiten durch automatisierte Verfahren (z. B. Algorithmen) ausgeführt, um große Datenmengenzu bewältigen. Um diesen technologisch-gesellschaftlichen Wandel sozialverträglich zu gestalten, gilt es, diese Automatisierung systematisch zu reflektieren und zu hinterfragen, um Diskriminierung und (Gender) Bias durch diese zu verhindern."

Non-technical control of water abstraction

Tue, 23 May 2023 10:43:38 +0200

Water is one of the most important resources on earth. However, it is also a finite resource that is becoming scarce in many parts of the world. While the topic of responsible water use mostly focuses on technical measures, this blog post will look at the non-technical management of water abstraction. What options and measures this can include and what ethical implications and questions arise from this will be presented in the following.

Article

New publication: "From digital inclusion to IT appropriation" by Sol Martinez Demarco

Wed, 17 May 2023 11:55:28 +0200

The gender digital divide is a well-known research and policy topic. Policy discourses emphasise the inclusion aspect focusing on equal opportunities and economic empowerment. Critical analyses of the inclusion narrative stress its universalist and normative perspective which implicitly excludes and determines what gender technology inclusion means. This contribution focuses on an alternative perspective developed in Latin America: appropriation of technologies. This approach foregrounds the socio-cultural and economic inequalities present in the Global South. Based on a case study of a transfeminist IT community from Argentina, this paper analyses the transformative aspects of this collective’s imaginary and practices. It argues that this approach is relevant to other Global South contexts where similar communities exist and provides us with a better understanding of possibilities and limits of inclusion in the digital technologies sector

Making/seeking/sharing homes and being at home in a digital age.

Wed, 17 May 2023 11:31:29 +0200

Regina Ammicht Quinn organizes and moderates a public event during the Tuebingen CIVIS Days.

For more information, see CIVIS website.

Thinking war from the perspective of peace

Tue, 02 May 2023 11:37:51 +0200

With Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, questions around war, conflict and peace have taken on new significance. This is also evident in the debates in Germany. But the debate often remains on the surface. Therefore, the seminar "Thinking about war from the perspective of peace" in the winter semester 2022/2023 aimed to take a more differentiated look at the topic with recourse to political science and philosophical texts: What forms of violence exist? What distinguishes war from "slow violence"? What is real peace? Can pacifism be immoral? What does it mean to think of war from the perspective of peace? The aim of the seminar was to introduce students to a set of tools that allow a clearer view of the complexities of war, conflict and peace.

Article

Social Justice and Technological Futures

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 22:02:32 +0200

Social justice theories are crucial instruments to meet the challenges of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence. These challenges include algorithmic bias and discrimination, profit-driven innovation, and technology imaginaries around convenience, optimization, and neutrality. The works of Black feminists and critical race theorists as well as decolonial and Global South scholars and activists render visible the interlockings of societal, economic, cultural, and political injustice in the design, production, and distribution of technology. In thinking about the future and its daunting challenges, including the transformation of work, climate change, migration, and overall precarity, what should be the role of technology? What do technological futures look like from a social justice perspective?

The Tübingen Symposium will bring together critiques of unsettling trajectories as well as visions for alternative pathways. We will question the canonical values in technology creation – scale, efficiency, and (big) data aggregation – while also exploring diverse and potentially competing social justice concepts. The Tübingen Symposium will give invited speakers the opportunity to connect and share views on the topics of the symposium. The audience will benefit from interactive panels including discussions of case studies of harmful contemporary or visionary alternative technologies. The topics cover science fiction, Afrofuturism, tech governance, policy and regulation, design approaches for social justice, digital activism, responsible research and innovation, decolonial approaches to technology development, and more!

Participation in the symposium is FREE. To register for the symposium and for any questions, please email Laura Schelenz (she/her) at laura.schelenzspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de
More information: www.uni-tuebingen.de/social-just-tech-future
Download the detailed program here!

Ashes of the Dead as a Matter of Dispute

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 11:29:07 +0200

Autonomy has become the magic word of modern society and people are increasingly empowered to decide for themselves what is good for them and what is not. Among many other areas, this also affects the contemporary approach to the end of life. Not least when it comes to the whereabouts of mortal remains, there are more options available today than ever before. But there is not always harmonious agreement among relatives when it comes to arranging the 'last things'; sometimes interests in self-determination clash with bureaucratic regulatory efforts. What this can mean in detail will be discussed using a concrete example that receives little attention in everyday social life: the private storage of ashes of the dead, which is forbidden in Germany but nevertheless practised in isolated cases.

Article

Open Course on AI Training Data Quality

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 10:31:28 +0200

When using artificial intelligence (AI), how can it be ensured that not only the data quality is right, but also that ethical and legal requirements are met? A free online course that starts on 19 April on openHPI, the open education platform of the Hasso Plattner Institute, provides an introduction to these problems of machine learning. It will be led by HPI professor Felix Naumann, media ethicist PD Dr. Jessica Heesen from the University of Tübingen, criminal law professor Frauke Rostalski from the University of Cologne and standards expert Dr. Sebastian Hallensleben from the Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies. Anyone interested can register for the two-week free course "AI and Data Quality - Perspectives from Data Science, Ethics, Standardisation and Law" at https://open.hpi.de/courses/kidaten2023.

The four lecturers of the openHPI online course are jointly researching the topic of AI and data quality as part of the KITQAR project funded by the Federal Ministry of Labour. The research consortium aims to develop practically applicable quality standards for test, validation and training data in the field of artificial intelligence by the end of this year. Further information

Social Justice and Technological Futures

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 15:03:17 +0200

WeNet Workshop “Diversity-aware Hybrid Human-Artificial Intelligence“

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 10:46:50 +0100

The increase in social media and Internet users’ exposure to diversity has not come with new instruments and skills to deal with it, despite the invariable impact that diversity has on human lives. This is the main theme of the multi-faceted event that the EU-funded WeNet project is organising within the 2nd International Conference on Hybrid Human Artificial Intelligence (HHAI 2023) on June 26-27, in Munich (Germany).

The WeNet event will revolve on a workshop entitled Diversity-aware Hybrid Human-Artificial Intelligence (DHHAI), which seeks to promote richer and deeper social interactions by enabling the Internet of Us, a Hybrid Human-Artificial Intelligence online platform, where human social relations are mediated and empowered by diversity-aware Artificial Intelligence.

The workshop welcomes contributions across disciplines, in the form of papers connected either to the workshop’s theme and topics, or to the connected shared data-analysis task Empirical Studies on Hybrid Human-Artificial Intelligence (EHHAI).

Join Us in Munich!

For more information on how to participate: DHHAI | EHHAI

Laura Schelenz and Jessica Heesen from the IZEW are part of the WeNet Consortium and co-organizer of the event.

This event is co-funded by the European Commission

The Greenhouse and Us

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 12:10:03 +0100

Time is money, talk is silver, silence is gold - metaphors like these are not only linguistically ubiquitous as implicit comparisons, but also significantly shape our thinking. In relation to climate change, metaphorical messages can thus be an important key to increasing our often low risk perception. But how do metaphors have to be designed so that we perceive climate change more strongly as a threat and recognise the urgency of environmentally conscious behaviour?

Article

Basic motives and values

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 11:32:53 +0100

Arguments about different value concepts are a central component of ethical reflection. Arguments are formed to support specific value judgements. The approach to the discussion and negotiation of values is primarily a cognitive one. A strength of cognitive ethical argumentation is, for example, that freedom from contradiction can be presented well, or the deductive validity of a conclusion from the listed premises, etc. The major disadvantage is that it is not possible to make a cognitive argument. The great disadvantage is that it reduces people to rational beings and tends to exclude people who argue emotionally or to defame them as disturbing.

Article

Ethics in TV series

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 12:44:00 +0100

TV series have become narrative formats that initiate and shape the discussion of social issues. In the process, they develop into spaces for reflection on the societies in which we (do not) want to live. However, series not only depict moral issues, but also shape them and thus also steer reflection on them.

Article

Andreas Baur on Gaia-X and Cloud Governance

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 19:50:35 +0100

Andreas Baur researches the Politics of the Cloud in Tübingen and Amsterdam. The political scientist is convinced: Regulation that disregards technology will not work. In the interview, Mr. Baur reveals how political concepts are embedded in technology and why initiatives like Gaia-X represent a new form of international technopolitics.

The interview was done by Andreas Weiss and Thomas Sprenger of the eco association. It is available here: www.gxfs.eu/this-governance-process-is-unique-in-the-world/

Neutrality of ChatGPT

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 11:33:48 +0100

With ChatGPT (GPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer and belongs to the Natural Language Processing models), a language model has been published for free use, which creates texts in significantly better quality than the systems that have been publicly available up to now. Accordingly, there was a great - especially media - response. However, the expectations attached to the system are sometimes too euphoric. Using chat examples, I would like to work out one of the limitations of the system and its implications: It is not a neutral technology, there are biases in ChatGPT and these must be taken into account when using it.

Article

Check out the latest newsletter of the European Society for Agriculture and Food Ethics.

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 10:46:49 +0100

The newsletter is dedicated to issues of teaching and training in the context of agriculture and food ethics. The three thematic contributions deal with a case study on the conflict between the protection of the Iberian wolf and sheep farming in northern Spain (author: Leire Escajedo San-Epifanio, Professor of Constitutional Law, and Law and Ethics in the Biosciences), the manifold ethical questions related to the consumption of chocolate (author: Birgit Hoinle, Research Associate, University of Hohenheim) and the educational concept of everyday fantasies using the example of apiculture (Author: Marco Elischer, Educational Officer at proBiene - Freies Institut für ökologische Bienenhaltung).
The contribution of our former colleague Birgit Hoinle presents a course she held in the Studium Oecologium and for which she (together with Matzel Xander and Raquel Cayapa) was awarded the teaching prize "Higher Education for Sustainable Development" in November 2022.
The newsletter can be downloaded here.

Crisis ethics in everyday life

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 11:51:20 +0100

Until now, one of the certainties of disaster management and research has been the exceptional nature of its subject. Accordingly, disasters are rare events of limited duration that shockingly interrupt everyday life, which is gradually restored after they have been overcome. In the light of recent years, on the other hand, the picture of everyday life as a succession of crises is increasingly emerging. The changed relationship between the two calls for ethical reflection.

Article

Conference: „Digitalized Lifeworlds and integrative Technology Development“

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 11:34:02 +0100

The conference language will be German. Parts, that are held in English are marked in the program:

Das BMBF-Cluster Integrierte Forschung lädt zum Austausch über den Einbezug ethischer, rechtlicher, sozialer und anderer Aspekte in Innovationsprozesse ein. Das TECHNOSEUM Mannheim bietet den passenden technik- und sozialgeschichtlichen Rahmen, um die Bedingungen von Technikentwicklung und deren Wechselverhältnis von Technik und Gesellschaft erlebbar zu machen.

Tagungsprogramm

Worum es geht

Vor zehn Jahren hat das damalige Referat „Demografischer Wandel, Mensch-Technik-Interaktion“ des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) den Schritt „von der Begleitforschung zur integrierten Forschung“ angekündigt, um „Innovationen im Dienste der Menschen auf den Weg zu bringen.“ Während international über den Sinn und den Zuschnitt von Post-ELSI-Ansätzen diskutiert wurde, fand die Idee Eingang in das BMBF-Forschungsprogramm „Miteinander durch Innovation“, dass ethische, rechtliche und soziale Aspekte technischer Innovationen nicht mehr begleitend erforscht, sondern in allen geförderten Forschungs- und Entwicklungsprojekten von Projektbeginn integriert werden sollten.

Seither wurde unter dem Label Integrierte Forschung in vielen Technikentwicklungsprojekten mit der Integration ethischer, rechtlicher und sozialer Aspekte experimentiert. Unterschiedliche Kooperationsformen von VertreterInnen aus Technik-, Geistes- und Gesellschaftswissenschaften wurden erprobt. Verwandte Konzepte wie Responsible Research and Innovation, Technikfolgenabschätzung, Co-Design, Partizipation etc. wurden dabei aufgegriffen und auch andere Wege beschritten. Eine Reihe von Tools, Heuristiken, Methoden und Checklisten sind entstanden. Gleichzeitig begann in diversen Forschungskontexten die Auseinandersetzung mit der grundlegenden Frage, wie eine solche Forschung zu verstehen sei. Geht es hierbei nur um methodische Fragen oder stehen auch grundsätzliche wissenschaftstheoretische Fragestellungen auf der Agenda?

Das BMBF-Cluster Integrierte Forschung bietet mit seiner Konferenz den verschiedenen Communities im Forschungsfeld Raum für Vernetzung und die Reflexion über Möglichkeiten und Herausforderungen dieses Forschungsmodus. In einer gemeinsamen Abendveranstaltung mit dem TECHNOSEUM Mannheim suchen wir den Dialog mit der Öffentlichkeit. Zwei Themen stehen im Mittelpunkt der Konferenz: Zum einen geht es um die Digitalisierung von Lebenswelten. Hierbei gehen wir der Frage nach, wie in digitalisierten Lebenswelten die notwendige Orientierung gelingt, mit der Menschen ihre Lebensform wählen und alle ein gutes Leben in Souveränität führen können.

Zum anderen wird integrative Technikentwicklung als Modus der Wissensproduktion reflektiert. Das Förderkonzept Integrierte Forschung zielt darauf, Technikentwicklungsprozesse integrativer zu gestalten. Wie wird dabei das Verhältnis von Wissenschaft, Technik und Gesellschaft neu justiert? Wie wird die Arbeit der „Integration“ in den Projekten gelebt? Wie nehmen die Beteiligten die Strukturen, Konzepte und Praktiken wahr, die ihre Handlungsspielräume im Projektalltag prägen? Welche Tools zur Umsetzung integrierter Forschung stehen zur Verfügung? Und wie könnte eine kritische Methodenforschung im Bereich integrierte Forschung aussehen?

Konferenzgebühren werden keine erhoben.

Abendveranstaltung: Pick your Scientist

Museum im Dialog: "Erfolg und Scheitern in der Technikentwicklung, Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft"

Welche Technik gehört eigentlich ins Museum?

Welche Techniken und Technologien haben eigentlich „Erfolg“ und wie sieht „Erfolg“ aus?

Bemisst er sich daran, wie gut das Objekt sich verkauft oder daran, welche Spuren es in der Natur, der

Gesellschaft und im Selbstverhältnis der Menschen hinterlässt?

Was geschieht mit ‚gescheiterten‘ oder ‚überholten‘ Technologien und was muss eigentlich archiviert werden, um später noch verstehbar zu sein?

Wie lässt sich Erfolg und Scheitern technischer Entwicklungen aus philosophischer, soziologischer,

rechtlicher, medientheoretischer, psychologischer, ökonomischer und technischer Hinsicht erklären?

Und wenn nicht erklären, dann doch ggf. beobachten?

"Pick your Scientist" ermöglicht den BesucherInnen des Museums im Dialog mit einem Wissenschaftler oder einer Wissenschaftlerin an einem Exponat der Ausstellung darüber ins Gespräch zu kommen, wie technische Objekte die Lebenswelt der Menschen, gesellschaftliche Strukturen, manchmal sogar die politische, ökonomische, soziale Gegebenheit der ganzen Welt beeinflussen – und andersherum: wie die kulturellen und historischen Gegebenheiten sich in technische Objekte einschreiben.

19:00-19:30 Uhr: Empfang und Einführung, Vortrag „Welche Technik gehört eigentlich ins Museum?“

19:30-21:00 Uhr: Besuch der Ausstellung im Dialog zwischen BesucherInnen und WissenschaftlerInnen

Änderungen vorbehalten

Anmeldung bis 1. Februar 2023 unter dem Link AnmeldungsFormular | Netzwerk Integrierte Forschung (integrierte-forschung.de).

Im Mercure Hotel Mannheim Am Friedensplatz (500m vom Veranstaltungsort) können unter dem Stichwort „Integrierte Forschung“ und der Mail-Adresse hb0r0-sbspam prevention@accor.de oder telefonisch unter 06 21 - 976 70 11 07 Zimmer abgerufen werden.

Brilliant Women in AI Ethics

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 13:30:54 +0100

IZEW researcher Laura Schelenz was included in the list of 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics. The initiative honors excellent researchers working on the harms and discriminatory effects of emerging technology guided by ethical principles.
"The Women in AI Ethics™ (WAIE) is a global initiative with a mission to increase recognition, representation, and empowerment of women in AI Ethics. This initiative started with the first 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics™ list in 2018, which is now published annually to recognize rising stars as well as pioneers in this space. To increase representation of women at AI/tech conferences and companies, we have also launched an open online directory of Women in AI Ethics™ to make it easier for conference organizers and recruiters to recruit talented women working hard to make AI ethical, inclusive, and accessible for all." womeninaiethics.org
Laura’s research deals with ethical and feminist perspectives on technology development. She is writing her dissertation at the University of Tübingen and explores the meaning and practice of designing “diversity-aware technology” from a Black feminist perspective.
Former IZEW researcher Dr. Paula Helm, who is now Assistant Professor for Critical Data Science and Ethics at the University of Amsterdam, was also included in the list. To see the full list, visit: womeninaiethics.org/the-list/of-2023/

Final results of the digilog@bw project available

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 15:21:28 +0100

For three years, the digilog@bw research network of the state of Baden-Württemberg conducted interdisciplinary research and critical reflection on the influence of digitization on individuals and society. In addition to the IZEW, the network included the University of Mannheim, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and, at the Tübingen site, the Leibniz Institute for Knowledge Media (IWM). The speaker committee consisted of Professor Thomas Fetzer from the University of Mannheim (head), Professor Michael Decker from KIT and PD Dr. Jessica Heesen from the University of Tübingen. The Ministry of Science funded the network within the tender line "Society in Digital Change" with more than 2.1 million euros for a period of three years. The research network developed design options for a democratic and equitable digital transformation. The University of Tübingen and the IWM were involved in the consortium with four projects: IZEW investigated the significance of deepfakes on public communication, the influence of cloud computing on the digital sovereignty of individuals, and participation relations in digital communication, especially discrimination against women by algorithms and in social media. At the IWM in Tübingen, research was conducted into how artificial intelligence-supported voice assistants affect information search and evaluation and what role media competence plays in this. At digilog-bw.de/blog, the research results are documented and explained in generally understandable videos and written articles.

Outrage about art attacks - But what about global warming?

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 15:00:35 +0100

Over the last months, there have been news reports on young climate activists attacking well known art works like the Mona-Lisa or Van Gogh’s Sunflowers all over Europe. (Aublanc, 2022; Dellatto, 2022; Skinner, 2022; York, 2022) At first glance, this might seem bizarre: Why attack art? Looking into the motives the activists present on their homepage helps shed a different light on the action than media coverage has focussed on.

Just out: ‘European Dreams of the Cloud’ by Andreas Baur

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 13:04:06 +0100

‘Recently, several private and political cloud initiatives emerged in Europe. This paper demonstrates how the sociotechnical imaginaries of three European cloud projects reveal a performative coupling of innovation and political ideas of control, territoriality and sovereignty. I ascertain three elements of the concept of sociotechnical imaginaries (innovation, boundary making and material properties) guiding the empirical analysis. Taking technology in the making and its role in (geo)politics seriously, this paper shows how imaginaries shape and interact with current geostrategic and political developments in Europe. The analysis of Microsoft’s cloud, Bundescloud and GAIA-X reveals that rising privacy and data security issues have been integrated into cloud imaginaries that traditionally highlight progress and innovation. More specifically, state actors and cloud providers link and sometimes merge allegedly opposing technological aspects of innovation and politicised ideas of control such as digital sovereignty. This shift constitutes a move towards erecting political borders and localising IT within a global infrastructure.’

The article is open access and freely available via the Geopolitics website: doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2022.2151902

Two courses from Studium Oecologicum nominated for ESD-price

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 11:03:27 +0200

The BNE-Price honors teaching projects that are exemplary for implementing Education for Sustainable Development: www.ph-heidelberg.de/bne-zentrum/lehrpreis/nominierte-2022/

On the course:

Basic course on Sustainable Development for students from all fields

Basics of and Perspectives on Sustainable Development (3 ECTS)

Have you always wanted to know what the guiding principle of Sustainable Development is all about? Are you concerned about how people can live together and shape the world and society together to create conditions worth living in today and in the future? Are you motivated to get involved and improve your English skills at the same time?

Then become part of our joint digital learning journey through the sustainability and transformation landscape globally as well as in Tübingen. Get to know new perspectives and critically reflect on content and implications.

When? Every 2nd Thursday in the winter term 2022/23; starts on 27.October 2022 (exact dates and times can be found on Alma).
How? The learning journey consists of 4 ‘plenary sessions’ and 3 ‘group sessions’, as well as individual self-learning phases; accompanied by the team of the Competence Centre for Sustainable Development and filled with diverse (external) expert contributions; partly implemented in multimedia. Course assignment is an own accompanying learning and research diary.
Who? Students of all subjects - no previous knowledge is required.
Where? In our digital learning (world) space (including Zoom, Ilias, Collaboard, etc.).
Registration:
- Students of the University of Tübingen: Online via Ilias (ILIAS/Wintersemester 2022-23/1SOG05)
- Students from partner universities and networks (e.g. CIVIS or ERASMUS):
Mail to dlsd@izew.uni-tuebingen.de

Further information: https://uni-tuebingen.de/universitaet/profil/werte-und-visionen/nachhaltige-entwicklung/studium-lehre/dlsd-projekt/

In case of questions do not hesitate to contact Amelie Schönhaar: dlsd@izew.uni-tuebingen.de

Diversity & Technology

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 09:44:50 +0200

In the context of the project Digilog – Digitalization in Dialogue, the IZEW has conducted research on participation, knowledge, and autonomy in the digital society over the last three years. Two project researchers, Sol Martinez Demarco and Laura Schelenz, were especially interested in diversity in the technology industry and in technological innovations. They have recently published their independent research results in a joint Zine on “Diversity & Technology.” The Zine offers an overview of various aspects of diversity in the context of digitalization.

More information about the project Digilog is available here: https://digilog-bw.de/

More information about Sol’s research is available here: https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/108654

More information about Laura’s research is available here: https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/108651

Panel on AI Development in Europe

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 10:23:32 +0200

Social Innovation and AI Development in Europe | a Panel Discussion in the context of the project WeNet - The Internet of Us
September 13 @ 6:00 pm
German-American Institute, Karlstraße 3
and online!

Europe is increasingly investing in the development of Artificial Intelligence, with a global third place in the number of AI economic players behind the United States and China. Arguably, research in AI is the biggest driver of these developments, with over 3 billion Euros annual investment in Germany alone. Social innovation plays an increasingly important role in the AI landscape with the European Commission funding and promoting research and products that primarily aim at serving society. Social innovations in AI promise to (re)focus AI development on people instead of profits. For instance, the WeNet social media platform has been included in the EC Innovation Radar for responding to the various concerns with existing online systems for personal interaction. Yet, questions remain about the export of European technologies and values as a form of digital colonialism and the reinforcement of bias and discrimination in technology. These trends, drivers, and conflicts are subject to our panel discussion with a group of renowned computer scientists and researchers.

We will ask and answer the following questions:

1. Where does Europe stand in terms of AI development vis à vis USA and China? Where do we want Europe to be?
2. Is social innovation unique to the European AI landscape? Is social innovation a competitive advantage?
3. What is the role of European legislation in the promotion of AI and social innovation?
4. Do European values and statements about trustworthy AI match products developed in Europe? Is there a gap between rhetoric and practice in social innovation and AI development?
5. What can be the role of social innovations like WeNet in the AI landscape?

The panelists:

Elizabeth Churchill (Google, USA) – Attending remotely
Gianluca Misuraca (Inspiring Futures, AI4GOV, InTouchAI & Re-Imagine Europa) – Attending in person
Daniel Gatica-Perez (EPFL, EU) – Attending in person
Judith Simon (Uni Hamburg, EU) – Attending remotely

And Jessica Heesen, from WeNet partner EKUT (EU), as host and moderator

Admittance to the online event is free of charge but registration is mandatory to participate online – REGISTER HERE: ti.to/wenet/wenet-ai-development-social-innovation-panel

Border Regimes and the Age of Technoscience

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 09:17:44 +0200

The conference aims at analyzing the interaction between technical designs, social imaginaries, and practices, as well as jurisprudence regarding to border control and border coercion.

It brings together perspectives from various fields: ethics, computer science, cultural anthropology, cultural studies, machine learning, media sociology and sociology of technology, political philosophy, political science, science and technology studies, security studies, and social geography.

The various disciplinary perspectives are linked by the concept “border regime”. This concept refers to the interplay between normative models, legal traditions, technical frameworks, and socio-political practices that correspond to the idea of national borders.

With its cross-cultural and interdisciplinary perspective, the workshop will illuminate how technoscience and social imaginaries of the technologically feasible shape border regimes and, vice versa, how different border regimes influence the path of technological innovation.

For registration, please contact
lukas.kurzspam prevention@izew.uni-tuebingen.de

More Information

Contribution to international disaster managemen

Tue, 17 May 2022 10:19:15 +0200

On 27th April the United Nations published the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2022. It is a core resource for international collaboration and exchange for improving disaster management. Friedrich Gabel and Marco Krüger together with two colleagues from the BuildERS project wrote a contributing paper for this report.

On the genesis of integrative technology development projects

Mon, 02 May 2022 11:59:47 +0200

How can the genesis of transdisciplinary technology development projects be made more integrative with regard to the inclusion of ethical, legal, social and other aspects?

Collaborative research workshop - First part of the intervention research "Genesis of integrative technology development projects".

Time: July 12, 2022, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Location: Freistil, Tübingen (Wöhrdstraße 25, 72072 Tübingen). The workshop will take place in presence in Tübingen. If it is not possible for you to travel to Tübingen, please note this in the registration form.

Organization: Céline Gressel (M.A.), Jacqueline Bellon (M.A.), Dr. Mone Spindler, International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) University of Tübingen

Funding: BMBF project ESTER in the Integrated Research Cluster

Target group: Researchers and practice partners with experience in inter- and transdisciplinary third-party funded projects

The workshop will be held in German.

Call for Participations

Further information and registration at: uni-tuebingen.de/en/210274

Job offer: Student assistent

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 17:26:23 +0200

The International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) is looking for a
Student assistant (f/m/*)
(35/40 hours per month)
at the earliest possible date. We are looking for the support of various research projects within the department of Society, Culture and Technological Change (SCRATCH). The research projects cover a wide range of topics spanning from discourses on technology ethics, media ethics, privacy, debates on disaster management, questions of children's rights regarding the safety of children online, the analysis of (semi-)technical security practices to the interdisciplinary analysis of populist developments in representative democracies. We seek support with:

Research on current topics dealt with in SCRATCH
Transcribing interviews (we therefore strongly encourage native speakers to apply)
Word processing and text formatting
The organisation of events
Reference management
Ad hoc tasks (i.e. copying, scanning literature)

Students applying for the position are studying, e.g., at the Departments of Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, Media studies, other social sciences or English/American Studies (Bachelors/Masters/Staatsexamen). We expect the ability to work in a team, communication skills and an inherent interest in ethical approaches. Basic knowledge in ethics is desirable, as well as the willingness to familiarize yourself with these topics. The work at the IZEW is primarily conducted in German, whereby basic knowledge in German or the willingness to deepen your knowledge of the language are an asset. We still encourage native speakers to apply.
We are looking forward to receiving your application including a short cover letter and your CV – via e-mail – by 15th May 2022. Please send your files to:
Alexander Orlowski
Internationales Zentrum für Ethik in den Wissenschaften (IZEW)
Wilhelmstr. 19
72074 Tübingen
Email: alexander.orlowskispam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

Job offer as pdf download

What do we owe to refugees?

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 14:32:17 +0200

On April 21, 2022, the University of Teramo will host the international conference "Sovranità e Cittadinanza in un Mondo Post Globale". After an welcome note by Dino Mastrocola and Paolo Marchetti, Gianluca Sadu Bordoni (Teramo), Claudio Corradetti (Tor Vergata Rome), Kristine Engelhardt (Trier), Roberta Picardi (Molise), Karoline Reinhardt (Tübingen) and Nuria Sanchez (Madrid) will in the first part of the conference discuss the "Fate of Cosmopolitanism in a Post Global World".

In the second part, Gino Scaccia (Teramo), Francesco Bilancia (Chieti-Pescara), Mario Savino (Tuscia), Salvatore F. Nicolosi (Utrecht), Emanuela Pistoia (Teramo), Simona D'Antonio (Teramo), Gianmaria Alessandro Ruscitti (Teramo), and Giulia Di Ludovico (Teramo) will explore dimensions of citizenship.

In her presentation "What do we owe to refugees?", Dr. Karoline Reinhardt will sketch a Kantian perspective on asylum, refuge and border regimes.

For more information about the conference, please feel free to contact karoline.reinhardt@uni-tuebingen.de.

Appropriation as Resistance

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 09:42:19 +0200

The international research cooperation “Sympoieisis of the Invisible: Narratives about Technology in the Global South”, hosted by the International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW), focuses on digitalization, digital exploitation, and digital colonialism in the Global South.

In April 2021, a first workshop on practices and effects of digital education in Brazil was conducted. The second workshop with the title „Appropriation as Resistance“ will focus on Argentina. It will center ways to decolonize education and culture through the appropriation of technologies in cultural practices.
With the goal to build a bridge between an academic and praxis-related dialogue and the nature of digital empowerment, we will invite participants from government, academia, private, civil society, and culture. Together, we will convey a comprehensive reading on the current status of Argentinian appropriation of Technology.

Further information and registration at: uni-tuebingen.de/en/226932

WeNet pilot study

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 08:47:38 +0200

The International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) at the University of Tübingen will launch pilot activities together with the non-profit organization Zan e.V. in Frankfurt, Germany. The participants of the pilot are Afghan women who have fled their country and are getting accustomed to social life in Frankfurt, a vibrant city in Germany. During the women’s arrival and integration, the WeNet chatbot “Ask for Help” can be a useful tool to connect with other Afghan women to share experiences and knowledge. The pilot activities will explore how the WeNet chatbot can accommodate the needs of Afghan refugee women, considering literacy and language barriers as well as cultural and socio-economic dynamics. The Dari version of the chatbot will be tested over several months in spring 2022.

For more information, please contact laura.schelenz@uni-tuebingen.de.

Report on "Digitization and the Common Good - Transformation Narratives between Planetary Boundaries and Artificial Intelligence" published.

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 12:23:38 +0200

In the project "Orientation to the Common Good in the Age of Digitalization: Transformation Narratives between Planetary Boundaries and Artificial Intelligence", anthropological and ethical concepts with a focus on artificial intelligence were analyzed and developed, and based on this, new entrances into narratives that create meaning (narratives) for social change processes (transformations) were created. The basis was a critical stocktaking of the body of knowledge on the developments and effects of artificial intelligence. The focus was on selected fields of application of artificial intelligence that can fundamentally change current relationships between people, technology and the environment. The fields of affective computing and autonomous systems for the development of previously unavailable spaces were examined in depth.

See the report

Workshop: What can law and design learn from each other?

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 11:58:34 +0100

Dear Interested Readers,
We would like to invite you to our digital workshop "What can law and design learn from each other?" on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm.

In this format, we would like to bring together experts from law and design. Together with you and colleagues from the Cluster Integrated Research we will

- approach the concept of "Law by Design",
- discuss what already succeeds or what fails,
- and design a smart object in order to combine perspectives from perspectives from law and design.

If you are interested in the workshop, please send an email to Stephanie Richards at s.richardsspam prevention@tum.de so that we can send you the zoom link and the schedule of the workshop.

We are very much looking forward to exchanging ideas with you.

With warm regards,
futurehomestories and RechTech

More info can be found here.

Videoconferencing as a structural disadvantage

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 08:31:31 +0100

Video conferencing is shaping a large part of our working world and many positive developments are associated with the digital transformation it brings. However, numerous video conferences during the work week are more tiring for some employees than for others. Gender, age, personality, background and the general conditions of videoconferencing at work have a significant influence. Especially existing work structures that have not been adapted to the digital world of work and are therefore unreflected can lead to disadvantages for some employees in connection with video conferencing.

Article

First episode of the Integrated Research podcast is online

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 21:50:01 +0100

In this first episode of the Integrated Research podcast, Mone Spindler and Arne Manzeschke talk about what integrated research means to them, what experiences they have had with it in their work, and what their ideal picture of integrated research looks like in the future.

Migration and Security in the City

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 10:16:32 +0100

In the volume Migration und Sicherheit in der Stadt: Sozial-, geistes- und rechtswissenschaftliche Analysen zu migrantisch geprägten Großstadtquartieren (Migration and Security in the City: Analyses from the Social Sciences, Humanities and Law on Migrant Neighbourhoods), scholars from the interdisciplinary research project "Migration und Sicherheit in der Stadt" (migsst) present their analyses and proposals for big city neighbourhoods.
In her contribution „Aspekte guter Medienpraxis für Quartiere der Vielfalt“ (Aspects of Good Media Practice for Neighbourhoods of Diversity), Dr. Anne Burkhardt first examines how migration and neighbourhoods perceived as having a migrant character are covered in the news. She then identifies central flaws in current media coverage from a media ethics perspective and develops recommendations for action for municipalities, cities and journalism.
In her contribution „Begriffe und ihre Folgen“ (Concepts and their Consequences), Dr Karoline Reinhardt looks at the use of the term "parallel society" in migration debates in Germany. She examines the attributions that go hand in hand with this term and what problematic consequences they have. From the results of this analyses, she derives recommendations for actors in neighbourhood work.
Since 2018, the project "Migration and Security in the City" (migsst), funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, has been using a comprehensive, interdisciplinary research approach to investigate whether forms of integration and/or segregation in migrant urban neighbourhoods reduce or increase crime and conflicts, and if so, to what extent. Empirical social science studies were conducted in four large German cities, each in two ethnically diverse neighbourhoods. These were flanked by theoretical work from the fields of law, communication science and applied ethics.
The sub-project at the IZEW analyzed the discursive construction of ethnic segregation and "parallel societies" in urban spaces and the role media coverage plays. In addition, the IZEW accompanied empirical research and the development of crime prevention approaches through ethical reflection on underlying presuppositions and concepts.
The volume Migration und Sicherheit in der Stadt is published in the series „Zivile Sicherheit" by Lit Verlag.

Sustainability Lecture with Kate Raworth and presentation of the sustainability awards

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 15:34:11 +0100

For the Sustainabiliy Lecture, Kate Raworth will join us digitally. The British economist and former Oxfam employee has developed the concept of the "donut economy": Economic activity must respect planetary boundaries and secure basic social rights. In the keynote speech, Kate Raworth presents her concept and discusses what orientation possibilities it offers for the city of Tübingen:

Thriving cities in the 21st century: can Tuebingen live within the Doughnut?

The event will take place in a hybrid format, in the Alte Aula or via Zoom:

Registration by mail is required to attend the festive event (nachhaltigspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de). The current Corona ordinance at the time of the event applies (current alert level, i.e. 2G, access for immunized individuals only).

To participate in the online format, go to the following link (no pre-registration required): https://zoom.us/j/98734840119

For more information, visit https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/35885.

Job advertisement: Scientific staff positions (f/m/d) to be filled

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 14:29:43 +0200

The staff member is involved in externally funded projects with the following main topics:
• Conditions and operationalizability of "trustworthy artificial intelligence".
• Tension between ethical requirements and context-related practical operationalization.
• Technification of migration control and criminal investigation.
The duration of the open positions is linked to the duration of the externally funded projects (which is either 28/02/2025, subject to final approval, or 14/06/2023, depending on the project). Part-time arrangements are possible. We are also welcoming tandem applications.

Applicants are expected to have the following qualifications:
• A Master's degree in Philosophy, Science and Technology Studies, Sociology, Social Anthropology, Political Science, or other social science or humanities discipline.
• Knowledge of one or more project topics. A relevant PhD is a plus, but not a must.
• A good written and oral expression in German already present at the time of employment is also required due to the necessity to write reports in German.
• Competencies in the field of ethics of technology and/or applied ethics in general, or if not trained in the field of ethics, a demonstrated interest in ethical issues and approaches.
• A willingness and ability to work across disciplines.

Become part of our vibrant community at the SCRATCH research group in Tübingen! We offer research opportunities on highly relevant topics, a variety of cooperation opportunities within the research area, support in the acquisition of possible follow-up projects and manifold opportunities for exchange with high-qualified international and interdisciplinary colleagues within and around the IZEW.

We are pleased if we could arouse your interest! Please send your application including curriculum vitae, relevant references, and publication list, if applicable, and an abstract of your written work (3-5 pages) in electronic form (summarized in one pdf document) to
paula.helmspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de by November 14, 2021.

The University of Tübingen aims to increase the proportion of women in research and teaching and therefore explicitly invites female scientists to apply. Disabled applicants will be given preference in case of equal suitability. Unfortunately, travel expenses to the interview cannot be covered.

Job advertisement as PDF for downloaden

Positions as Research Associates (f/m/d) to fill

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 13:56:04 +0200

The staff member is involved in the BMBF-project ESTER, which is part of the Cluster Integrierte Forschung. The focus of work is:
• Ethical and sociological analyses of the integration of ethical and social aspects in technological development projects.
• Contributing to developing the funding concept „Integrierte Forschung” into a research concept.
• Conzeptualizing and conducting a collaborative intervention on the question how to make the generation of ideas for a technological development project more integrative.

The duration of the open positions is linked to the duration of the externally funded project (31.3.2024). Applicants are expected to have the following qualifications:
• A Master's degree in Philosophy, Science and Technology Studies, Sociology, Social Anthropology, Political Science, or other social science or humanities discipline.
• Knowledge of one or more project topics. A relevant PhD is a plus, but not a must.
• A good written and oral expression in German already present at the time of employment is also required due to the necessity to write reports in German.
• Competencies in the field of ethics of technology and/or applied ethics in general, or if not trained in the field of ethics, a demonstrated interest in ethical issues and approaches.
• A willingness and ability to work across disciplines.
Become part of our vibrant community at the SCRATCH research group in Tübingen! We offer research opportunities on highly relevant topics, a variety of cooperation opportunities within the research area, support in the acquisition of possible follow-up projects and manifold opportunities for exchange with high-qualified international and interdisciplinary colleagues within and around the IZEW.

We are pleased if we could arouse your interest! Please send your application including curriculum vitae, relevant references, and publication list, if applicable, and an abstract of your written work (3-5 pages) in electronic form (summarized in one pdf document) to mone.spindlerspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de by November 14, 2021.

The University of Tübingen aims to increase the proportion of women in research and teaching and therefore explicitly invites female scientists to apply. Disabled applicants will be given preference in case of equal suitability. Unfortunately, travel expenses to the interview
cannot be covered.

Job advertisement as PDF for download

Me, Future and Integrated Research

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 21:38:55 +0200

Online
3 November 2021

As part of the research tour #MiteinanderDurchInnovation (TogetherThroughInnovation), the BMBF will stop at the Cluster Integrated Researchon November 3, 2021. The program (available online at: https://www.interaktive-technologien.de/service/aktuelles/ich-zukunft-und-integrierte-forschung) offers an insight into the concept of Integrated Research. Interactive formats will not only highlight the opportunities and challenges of this concept, but also present the work of the Cluster Integrated Research.

Participation is free of charge, registration at: https://ssl.vdivde-it.de/registration/3022 is mandatory.

Utopia and Revolution in Kant

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 10:07:14 +0200

University of Trier
13-15 October 2021

As in previous years, the Kant Research Centre at the University of Trier will be holding the Trier Kant Colloquium. This time, the focus will be on the last piece Kant had published himself, "Der Streit der Fakultäten" ("The Dispute of the Faculties"), in which he attempts to clarify the relationship of the faculties in relation to each other, but above all the task and role of the philosophical faculty. In lectures on all three parts of this piece, its contents will be presented, contextualised and put up for discussion.

On 14 October, Karoline Reinhardt will speak at the X. Trier Kant Colloquium on "Utopia and Revolution". In her lecture, she will discuss Kants assessment of the relationship between utopian concepts and revolutions, which Kant makes in the second section of "The Dispute of the Faculties".

Due to limited space, registration is requested at hueningspam prevention@uni-trier.de.

Policy Paper "Social Dimension in Transportation"

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 08:21:03 +0200

Ahmed Hamdy, associated with the IZEW, publishes at the American University in Cairo on the social dimensions and digital possibilities of transportation planning in Cairo. The article includes recommendations for policymakers, including an ethics-based app that increases marginalized people's mobility.

The paper is accessible online at: https://fount.aucegypt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1086&context=studenttxt

Position as student assistent (m/w/*) available

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 09:23:53 +0200

The International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) is looking for a
Student assistant (f/m/*)
(35/40 hours per month)
at the earliest possible date. We are looking for the support of various research projects within the department of Society, Culture and Technological Change (SCRATCH). The research projects cover a wide range of topics spanning from discourses on technology ethics, media ethics, privacy, debates on disaster management, questions of children's rights regarding the safety of children online, the analysis of (semi-)technical security practices to the interdisciplinary analysis of populist developments in representative democracies. We seek support with:
- Research on current topics dealt with in SCRATCH
- Transcribing interviews (we therefore strongly encourage native speakers to apply)
- Word processing and text formatting
- The organisation of events
- Reference management
- Ad hoc tasks (i.e. copying, scanning literature)
Students applying for the position are studying, e.g., at the Departments of Philosophy (Bachelors/Staatsexamen), Political Science, Sociology, Media studies, other social sciences or English/American Studies. We expect the ability to work in a team, communication skills and an inherent interest in ethical approaches. Basic knowledge in ethics is desirable, as well as the willingness to familiarize yourself with these topics. The work at the IZEW is primarily conducted in German, whereby basic knowledge in German or the willingness to deepen your knowledge of the language are an asset. We still encourage native speakers to apply.
We are looking forward to receiving your application including a short cover letter and your CV – via e-mail – by 17th October 2021. Please send your files to:
Alexander Orlowski
Internationales Zentrum für Ethik in den Wissenschaften (IZEW)
Wilhelmstr. 19
72074 Tübingen
Email: alexander.orlowskispam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

Job vacancy as pdf

CfP - Digital Transformation and Gender Bias

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 12:46:38 +0200

The process of digital transformation has a fundamental impact on social interactions and influences important areas of people’s lives. Especially under recent pandemic conditions, the desire and need to access digital information and communication technologies has intensified. The benefits of digital trans- formation are linked to new opportunities for information gathering, participation and involvement of a wide range of groups (including marginalized groups) at the political, cultural and social level. However, the risks of digitalization such as manipulation, bias or distorted information and knowledge in online and social media can and must also be addressed. These risks often involve discriminatory (linguistic) patterns in which existing power structures are clearly expressed or traditional patterns of interpretation continue to be conveyed. While algorithms are widely perceived to enable neutral deci- sion-making and efficient judgment, there is also the danger that algorithms perpetuate and reinforce gender bias due to unbalanced data sets and homogenous design teams. Online communities dedica- ted to providing low-threshold access to information and digital participation, for example, are often characterized by a lack of sociographic diversity (gender gap), which can lead to a lack of epistemic diversity (gender bias).

This special issue focuses on the extent to which sexist, racist, and other discriminatory patterns as well as power structures are transformed and/or reproduced in digital platforms, social networks and through algorithms. We appreciate contributions that analyze the opportunities and risks of digital transformation for a non-discriminatory and diverse society from a linguistic, media/cultural studies or ethical perspective. We welcome both critical, intersectional analyses as well as concrete proposals for solutions that promote an inclusive digital society.

For more information, please find the call here.

Cosmopolitanisms, Borders and Migrations Historical and Contemporary Perspectives

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 11:19:33 +0200

On 23 and 24 September, the University of Molise in Campobasso will host the conference "Cosmopolitanisms, Borders and Migrations: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives" will take place.
Karoline Reinhardt will open the conference with a keynote on "Immigration and Cosmopolitan Right: On Kant's Productive Disharmony with the Current Debate on Migration". This will be followed by contributions from David Miller (Oxford), Joseph Carens (Toronto), Roberta Picardi (Campobasso), Enrica Rigo (Rome), Alejandra Mancilla (Oslo), Valeria Ottonelli (Genoa), Angela Taraborelli (Cagliari) and Flavia Monceri (Campobasso).
For further information and registration please contact: Roberta Picardi or Benedetta Delisi.

Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italien, 23.-24.09.2021

Online-Workshop on “Beyond Productivity: Reimagining Futures of Agriculture and Bioeconomy”

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 09:33:03 +0200

Politically dominant strategies in the fields of agriculture and bioeconomy - even those which take Sustainable Development Goals seriously – stick to what might be called a ‘Productivity Paradigm’: increasing productivity is considered to be necessary to alleviate the rising biomass demand and the resulting competition on land use.
However, a lot of visions of agriculture and bioeconomy endorsed by politically subdominant groups both in the Global North and the Global South implicitly question a main pillar of the politically dominant positions: the necessity of productivity increase. This, in turn, is often brought forward as an objection against the subdominant visions. The workshop aims to reflect on this controversy.

• What are the normative presuppositions of the Productivity Paradigm?
• How do decolonized visions of an agriculture and bioeconomy independent of productivity growth look like?
• How could decolonized visions capture both discursive and material space?
Inputs (selection):
• Julien-François Gerber (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
• Emmanuel Sulle (University of Western Cape, South Africa)
• Wendy Wilson-Fall (Lafayette College)
• Theodora Pius (MVIWATA, Tanzania)

08th of October 2021, 10:00 am-3:00 pm. The workshop will be held online.
Registration: via email at

More details: http://batata-bioeconomy.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Beyond-Productivity_Workshop-Synopsis.pdf

Workshop on “Digitalization and Education in the Global South”

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 10:01:24 +0200

The first Workshop will take place digitally (via zoom) on the 16th April 2021, 1-4 pm. Together with scholars and experts from different countries of the Global South and the Global North, we want to evaluate how Digital Technology systems and processes are already being, or plan to be, implemented in education in Brazil (and other regions in the Global South), and what are the challenges and opportunities of this process. Furthermore, we have the following guiding questions:

What is problematic about the implementation of digital technologies, e.g. regarding data trading and related (digital) exploitation of vulnerable and/or marginalized groups?
How far can digital technologies improve global digital justice in the field of education, e.g. by facilitating access to education for pupils and students in the Global South and thereby reducing digital illiteracy and digital exclusion?
What could/should be done in order to adapt international guidelines to the demands of technology users, educators, pupils and students in the Global South? How can they be empowered to become active agents, designers and decision makers rather than marginalised users exposed to data exploitation?

The questions raised will be discussed on the basis of short inputs (5-10 minutes) by the organizers of the workshop and by the experts invited. The outcomes of these exchanges will be collected for a report, which will also serve as a basis for the second workshop that aims to transfer the theoretical knowledge into practice.

Location: The workshop will take place via Zoom.

Date: 16th April 2021

Can emotions be ecological?

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 15:16:37 +0100

In the English-speaking world, "ecological emotions" have become a keyword for the study of emotional and psychological reactions to climate change and environmental degradation. Media all over the world report about people suffering from Eco-Anxiety, Climate Depression or Ecological Grief (e.g. taz, Le Monde or Time USA). What exactly is behind this and what ethical implications this can have for educational contexts against a background of rational societies will be explained in more detail in this paper.

Article

"Ethics und Statistics": Regina Ammicht Quinn at the United Nations Statistical Commission 2021

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 09:19:32 +0100

"The United Nations Statistical Commission is meeting during an unprecedented time for official statistics. The coronavirus pandemic has thrown into sharp focus the need for trustworthy information to guide decision making and enable citizens to understand issues that affect their health and livelihoods. The impact of misuse of statistics or false statistics has also been apparent.

This event is a call to action at the national, regional and global level: where there is misuse of statistics it is time to speak out. The event will build on the webinar hosted by the International Association for Official Statistics (IAOS) on 6 October 2020."

Further information here.

Covideo parties and Zoom fatigue

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 11:42:12 +0100

The Corona pandemic has profoundly changed lives around the globe. In addition to the immediate health dangers of the pandemic, physical distancing also poses challenges to psychological and social well-being. The long-term psycho-social consequences are impossible to predict. In these problematic times, solutions based on digital technologies play a central role. For example, digital platforms offer manifold opportunities to improve emotional stability, for example by connecting and sharing with others during periods of lockdowns. They also play a central role in enabling new forms of platform-based remote working. They enable the creation of a space that is literally virus-free and thus seemingly completely unproblematic in terms of health, in which daily work routines can also be maintained from home.

To article

Debating Kant's Cosmopolitanism

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 11:11:28 +0100

On the occasion of the publication of "Kant, Global Politics and Cosmopolitan Law" by Claudio Corradetti, Karoline Reinhardt will discuss Immanuel Kant's cosmopolitan conception of peace and its relevance for contemporary debates with Daniele Archibugi, Damiano Canale, Claudio Corradetti, Peter Niesen and Gianluca Sadun-Bordoni on 18 January 2021.

The symposium will be held on Zoom.

For more information please contact: Karoline Reinhardt

Podcast and Talk on "Accessible Technology" with Ahmed Hamdy

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 10:56:56 +0200

wenet@tuebingen seminar with Ahmed Hamdy, American University in Cairo (Egypt), and University of Tübingen, Germany – Recorded on 27 August 2020

WeNet project aspires to develop a social media tool to foster community social relations, particularly among student populations. Diversity is an integral part of WeNet conceptually and practically. While disability is only one diversity factor, considering disability among users remains fundamental for equal access and opportunity.

WeNet recently had the opportunity and pleasure to host Ahmed Hamdy for a conversation on accessibility standards in digital technologies. The talk introduces system designers to the topic “accessibility”, and discusses how designers can accommodate the needs of users with disabilities in their systems. Users with visual impairment require assistive technologies to be able to navigate smartphones and digital services. In our conversation, Ahmed Hamdy introduced the social model of disability and argued for making digital technologies accessible to users with disabilities. He then shed light on how users with visual impairment use technologies and touched on the technical requirements for making apps more accessible.

This talk was hosted by Laura Schelenz, ethics researcher at the International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW), University of Tübingen, and it’s available here below in video format.

The podcast and talk is available online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYdBYDURqoo&feature=emb_title

Academic Staff/Research Associate in the Area of Ethics and Digitalization

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 09:23:29 +0200

German Collective Agreement TV-L E 13 (75-100%), 3 years

The International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) at the University of Tübingen offers a position for a research associate (f/m/d) in the field of interdisciplinary research on digitalization as soon as possible. The position is located with the Centre’s research focus “Media Ethics and Information Technology”. Specifically, we are looking for specializations in at least one of the following areas: AI ethics, big data and society, AI and trust, AI regulation, training data quality, algorithmic decision making and fake news. The position is suitable for part time arrangements.

The following qualifications are expected of the applicant:

Master's degree in philosophy, communication and media studies or another field within the humanities or social sciences
Specialization in information and media ethics, ethics of technology, or applied ethics in general
Willingness and ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment

Please send your application including CV, relevant certificates, a writing sample, and (if applicable) a list of publications in electronic form (attached as one single PDF document) by August 25th to wulf.loh@izew.uni-tuebingen.de. Unfortunately, we will not be able to cover travel expenses.

The University of Tübingen seeks to increase the proportion of women in research and teaching and therefore strongly encourages female researchers to apply. Severely disabled applicants with equivalent qualification will be preferentially considered.

Nursing in the corona crisis: A dilemma between protection and social isolation?

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 11:12:44 +0200

Marco Krüger reports from the AUPIK project in an interview with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

To interview

Coronavirus: what narrative for a pandemic?

Sat, 11 Jul 2020 14:31:01 +0200

Countless accounts of the reality of COVID-19 have been made since the beginning of its outbreak. The political response itself has varied over time and from one country to another, from disregarding the virus as a “distant foreign health issue” to declaring war on an “invisible enemy”. This reinforced a feeling of distrust in the received information, political discourses and containment measures among some populations, driving certain persons to alternative narratives which include problematic conspiracy theories. This article proposes to review how these stories provide a legitimization to uncooperative attitudes such as anti-lockdown protests by fashioning them “movements of resistance”. Its main argumentation is based on the premise that human actions can be understood by apprehending the narrative by which people live. It also recalls the function of narration in order to question and better define our current approach to narratives and reality.

Article

Racism concerns us all. Anti-racism too.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 14:51:35 +0200

Crises can be like a magnifying glass for social grievances and structural injustice in societies. This is also the case with COVID-19: Racism towards people read as Asian increased, in Brazil, Great Britain and the USA the COVID-19 induced endangerment and death rate of PoC and black people is disproportionately high, and also the conditions under which foreign workers work in the German food production, especially meat production, must be read through a racism-sensitive lens. And these are only three well-known examples. We have to talk about racism - not once again, but again and again. After the assassination of George Floyd during a police operation and the numerous protests of the Black Lives Matter movement far beyond the borders of the USA, the debate about anti-black racism is also increasing in Germany. Here are some thoughts on this.

Article

Sustainability in thesis

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 12:25:00 +0200

The period of the Covid pandemic was also a time of reflection on what reforms are overdue and should be in the near future. This may seem as if the virus is just a way of warming up a political soup. However, if the reasons that led to certain reform agendas before the pandemic are now proving to be valid a fortiori, the exceptional situation caused by Covid can be used as a legitimate opportunity to update an overdue agenda in the hope that it will now find a hearing and resonance. Those who have been working for a long time in the field of sustainable development, conservation theory and policy can work through much of what has been stored in drawers and shelves and propose it as an agenda. The following theses are not original. They are based on expert opinions of the German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU), on the Vilmer Summer Academy co-organized by the Tübingen Ethics Center (IZEW) and on various research projects and seminars in Greifswald and Kiel between 2000 and 2018.

Article

About inner conflict

Sat, 20 Jun 2020 08:38:29 +0200

Whether it's when I look at the pictures of crowded Baltic beaches, when I think about visiting friends and family or in the course of the worldwide demonstrations against racism, the current wave of loosening up and the behaviour of people in Germany trigger a feeling of inner conflict in me. This conflict is not least of all a moral conflict, because my own claim to act responsibly and not to endanger others is confronted with a reality in which I lack the knowledge to judge precisely this. The following article gives an insight into my examination of the issue of responsible trade in the context of a dying pandemic. I cannot avoid the fact that it is this very same disruption that currently accompanies every attempt I make to make contact. This article represents my personal examination of the issue and is deliberately a little more pointed at one point or another.

Article

WeNet Podcast on Ethics and Data Sciences

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 11:56:56 +0200

Link to the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KhusCxXJfA&feature=youtu.be

Machine generated personalization is increasingly used in online systems. Personalization is intended to provide users with relevant content, products, and solutions that address their respective needs and preferences. However, users are becoming increasingly vulnerable to online manipulation due to algorithmic advancements and lack of transparency. Such manipulation decreases users' levels of trust, autonomy, and satisfaction concerning the systems with which they interact. Increasing transparency is an important goal for personalization based systems. Unfortunately, system designers lack guidance in assessing and implementing transparency in their developed systems. In this podcast, ethics researcher Laura Schelenz and data scientist Avi Segal discuss the relevance and ways to implement transparency in systems that use personalization.

The podcast is based on the research paper “Best Practices for Transparency in Machine Generated Personalization”, which is available online at: https://arxiv.org/abs/2004.00935.

Der Podcast ist Teil des Projekts WeNet - The Internet of Us: https://www.internetofus.eu/

Science in the Corona pandemic: between demand and reality

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 10:43:23 +0200

For weeks, scientific experts have been interviewed in all media with regard to their research and knowledge about the corona virus. They are also expected to give their opinions on how to act - with clear recommendations for political decisions, but also for the actions of us citizens. My interest in this paper is not primarily ethical, but rather science theoretical - I consider the role of science as practice, i.e. in action and decision contexts of our society.

Article

Trust in the Corona warning App?

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 15:58:02 +0200

In the coming weeks the Corona-Warn-App will be released in Germany. For this project to succeed, it requires a sufficiently high usage rate among the population and therefore public trust in such digital contact tracing measures. In a guest article, Robert Ranisch argues that a sound scientific basis for justified trust is lacking. He describes in Die Tageszeitung (taz) how this could become a dilemma for the success of the Corona warning app.

Link: https://taz.de/Mit-der-Corona-App-gegen-die-Pandemie/!5686189/

The end of the small parties? How the Corona crisis threatens the diversity of the party landscape in Germany

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 10:32:32 +0200

Germany offers voters a wide range of different parties. In order to be eligible to stand in elections, however, a party must either already be represented in German parliaments or collect enough signatures from supporters. The latter has become practically impossible due to the pandemic. Is there a threat of a loss of heterogeneity and diversity in our democracy?

Article

Global crisis(s): Covid-19 and the human-animal relationship

Thu, 28 May 2020 17:22:23 +0200

The current pandemic raises many questions of interpersonal ethics. Beyond that, however, it also highlights an existing human-animal relationship, which - as the following remarks show - is problematic in many respects and requires a different, 'interspecies ethics'.

Article

Harry Potter in Corona times: What we can learn from a modern fairy tale about death and the good life

Tue, 26 May 2020 12:01:29 +0200

Chancellor Angela Merkel repeatedly urges caution in her handling of the Corona crisis. She was also only cautiously optimistic when announcing significant relaxation of the corona protection measures ( May 6). The background to this is a debate that has been going on intensively for some time: Does the protection of life come before all other valuable goods, above all freedom or dignity?
In the Tagesspiegel (26.04.), Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble has expressed concern that the protection of life is not the highest legal interest according to the German constitution. Only dignity is inviolable. He thus gave the debate an interesting twist: Isn't it the good life, instead of mere survival, that the contact restrictions were meant to protect?

Article

The dilemma of political action in times of crisis and an first proposal for a solution

Wed, 20 May 2020 19:26:59 +0200

Politicians are in a dilemma due to the corona pandemic. It has to take effective measures without having all the information available and without knowing exactly what the consequences will be. At the same time, there is a lot of resentment from parts of the population against the decisions that have been taken. Perhaps the current situation also offers the chance to make politics more transparent and thus to counteract the trend of alienation that has existed since before Corona.

Article

What we talk about - and what (or with whom) we should talk

Tue, 19 May 2020 15:11:04 +0200

"Children's summits instead of car summits" is the pointed demand of the German politician Dietmar Bartsch. Because children are, besides women and families, the "losers of the crisis". Since a few days the schools have opened their doors again. At least for the graduating classes, lessons should be made possible again - after all, exams are imminent or have already begun in some federal states. In many kindergartens, emergency care has also been slightly expanded and even playgrounds are now being reopened. In short: Children are, apart from the new start of the national football leagues, the focus of the social corona discussion. On closer inspection, however, this does not seem to be quite the case. The negotiation of needs that are diverse among children, not only because of different age groups, is given little consideration in the opening debate.

Article

The political construction of traumatic memories

Thu, 14 May 2020 09:30:19 +0200

In the current situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, dealing with the effects of the restrictions is omnipresent, both in private conversations and in the media. But what memories of this period will remain for us after the crisis, and what influence will these memories have on our future lives? Are parts of society experiencing a potential collective trauma precisely because of this exceptional situation that we will have to remember and process for years to come?

Article

Digital dystopia

Tue, 12 May 2020 14:26:24 +0200

The "Berliner Debatte Initial" dedicates its current issue to digital dystopias. Karoline Reinhardt examines in her article "Digital Humanism. Jenseits von Utopie und Dystopie" (Beyond Utopia and Dystopia), Karoline Reinhardt critically examines both the current technological dystopias and utopias and contrasts them with a draft of a digital humanism that reflects on the human scale and warns against "idolatry" (Erich Fromm) in its own work.

To the magazine

Children as or in danger? About possible consequences of corona measures on child development and understanding of values

Tue, 12 May 2020 14:10:56 +0200

The anti-corona measures have shaken our coexistence, sense of security and social norms of behaviour. This is particularly unsettling and stressful for children and young people. This article critically reflects on the possible effects of social distancing, school closures and ascriptions of danger on children's development and understanding of values and draws attention to a hitherto blind spot in the debate.

Article

The Invisibles - More needs to be said about the situation of people in outpatient care and their relatives providing care

Thu, 07 May 2020 17:51:15 +0200

The wonderful thing about SARS-CoV-2 would be that it makes us the same in many ways. "It doesn't care about how rich you are, how famous you are, how funny you are, how smart you are, where you live, how old you are, what amazing stories you can tell." No matter how rich, famous or old you are, the virus does not discriminate. This was the message Madonna sent to her fans in mid-March.

Article

How the triage rules compound historical injustices against Black communities in the USA

Thu, 07 May 2020 10:47:04 +0200

While ethical questions about the fairness of triage situations have surfaced during the Coronavirus pandemic, an important aspect is often overlooked: Historical inequalities and structural discrimination have left some groups significantly under-resourced to tackle the health crisis, and, in many instances, they are more likely to contract and fall seriously ill from the virus. As a result, some of those groups have a higher likelihood to be subjected to triage decisions. This raises the question whether the triage rules are “compounding” (Hellman 2018) prior injustices – and thereby may be fair but unjust.

Article

Caring for others – looking to the Global South

Tue, 05 May 2020 12:50:17 +0200

These days, thinking about the “others” has become popular, as it is a way of linguistically demonstrating your solidarity with the world. “I am thinking about other people but myself, I recognise there are vulnerable groups and that I am privileged”. The problem is, though, that there is a need to reflect on this concept of “other” in more detail, as it is heavily loaded with colonial pasts, with imperial histories and the oppression of an “other” that is once again overlooked during this pandemic. More than ever, it is time to take values such as solidarity and responsibility into account and look who currently is addressed by those and who is not.

Article

Decentralized tracing apps: The only feasible way - and still no miracle cure

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 12:20:15 +0200

When German "data protection model country" politicians present themselves to the US corporations Google and Apple in order to promote the support of a centrally organized Covid19 tracing solution, this is at first astonishing. Last week, the discussion about the pros and cons of centralized or decentralized data storage for Covid19 tracing apps picked up considerable momentum: There were riots in the development consortia, open letters and the federal government made a double turn: ultimately towards a decentralized solution. Why we "just got lucky again" and why a centralized solution should not be used either in Germany or elsewhere will be explained in the following. But we cannot rest on our laurels when it comes to opting for a decentralized solution either, because it is neither a miracle cure nor unproblematic.

Article

"We may save people who are about to die anyway"

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 17:16:22 +0200

Boris Palmer, Mayor of the city of Tübingen, together with the writer Juli Zeh, the philosopher Julian Nida-Rümelin, the physician Alexander Kekulé, the economist Christoph M. Schmidt and the economist Thomas Straubhaar, published an article in Spiegel on April 24, 2020 in which the authors argue for a quick way out of the lockdown in order to reduce the economic consequences of the measures against Covid-19 (see Spiegel online "Corona - get out of the lockdown as quickly as possible").

Article

Certification of Artificial Intelligence

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 11:30:31 +0200

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already used in many sectors. In order to exploit its economic and social potential, it is essential to strengthen trust in AI systems and the processes and decisions associated with them. A possible key prerequisite for this is the certification of AI systems. The benefits it promises and the demands it makes in terms of technical implementation, public welfare and maintaining innovative strength are outlined by experts from the Lernende Systeme Platform in an impulse paper written by Jessica Heesen together with Jörn Müller-Quade, Stefan Wrobel, Maximilian Poretschkin, Stephanie Dachsberger and Maximilian Hösl.

Document

What does living alone mean in times of Corona?

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 10:44:11 +0200

Even though the Duden dictionary defines "alone" and "lonely" as synonyms, most people distinguish in their language use positively alone and negatively lonely. For a long time there was the image of the scholar who, in the solitude of his ivory tower, surrenders to thinking and can only become creative in this way. This romantic form of loneliness belongs to the human being just as much as being together. Sometimes we have to step back to look at a problem from a different angle. Or to find ourselves. Without the social pressure we can give space to the sides of our ego that would find little recognition in society, but which also want to be lived (Svendsen 2016).

Article

What do tracing apps mean for data protection and self-determination?

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 10:14:24 +0200

Link to the interview

PD Dr. Jessica Heesen as expert on crime prevention in the digital society

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 10:01:34 +0200

For the digital expert report of the 25th German Prevention Day (DPT) on 28 and 29 September 2020, the DPT asked 17 experts for their opinion on digital crime and digital crime prevention. The result is 68 short YouTube videos that address current challenges, opportunities and developments.

Website of the 25th German Prevention Day at the Kongress-Palais in Kassel:

http://www.praeventionstag.de/nano.cms/jahreskongress

Microsite of the digital expertise: http://smart-prevention.de/
Short trailer of the report: https://youtu.be/cZ6kmBq3Wp0
Long trailer of the expertise: https://youtu.be/9TdhR5wNKdQ

To the complete press release.

The dynamics of the crisis

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 10:39:01 +0200

The terms deceleration and system relevance dominate the current political debate. Deceleration describes, sometimes in a romanticizing way, the slowing down of public life - and thus the restriction of individual freedoms - by the closure of many areas of society. In addition, the rhetorical figure of system relevance also determines the political debate. The term refers to all those who are considered indispensable for the preservation of society. It homogenises the various professional groups recognised as being of system relevance, thereby concealing serious differences between them. In the process, those affected become a collectivized instrument that serves to protect society. Hieraus erwachsen Gerechtigkeitsproblematiken. This gives rise to problems of justice. This contribution therefore aims to make visible the different social dynamics caused by the COVID 19 pandemic and to make the associated processes of privilege and marginalisation negotiable.

Article

Jessica Heesen at the ORF dialogue forum "New technology, new ethics?

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 10:02:29 +0200

On 13 May 2020, Jessica Heesen will participate online with a keynote lecture and panel discussion in the conference "Disruptive Technologies @ the c-tv Conference 2020. Artificially intelligent, traceable secure, high-resolution mobile and ethically responsible" in St. Pölten; the event can be followed at https://ctvkonferenz.fhstp.ac.at/

A review: Easter in times of COVID-19

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 09:54:44 +0200

This year's Easter presented us with special challenges regarding COVID-19. We were and are perhaps confronted very directly with illness, death and suffering in our immediate surroundings, or we experienced and still experience rather indirectly, be it through the media and/or through the restrictions of our everyday life, what a pandemic can mean. This raises the question of the manageability, meaning and coherence of what we are experiencing. This contribution would like to show how this question is related to the health science perspective of the so-called salutogenesis according to Antonovsky and his "good swimmer" in the flow of life. Salutogenesis asks about the origin of health, healing and happiness of man.

Article

It’s the youth, stupid.

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 12:03:33 +0200

In these weeks, the question of a future after Corona slowly reappears in conversations. And yet it seems unpleasant to put it out loud. How exactly should this future look like? Here the question is one of deep solidarity and a chance to include young people in time.

Article

Reflections on a field trip to Tanzania that has not (yet) been found

Sat, 18 Apr 2020 14:55:40 +0200

Cultural scientists create field diaries to record important observations or impressions during fieldwork. These not only contribute to the evaluation of the results, but are also used as a basis for (self-)reflection.

Article

"Death costs life" - On the concept of general life risk

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 10:42:26 +0200

In its ad hoc recommendation of 27 March, the German Ethics Council addresses, among other things, the question of the limits to which the protection against infection could be subjected and speaks in this context of a "general risk to life" which "must be accepted by everyone". The recommendation leaves open exactly what is meant by this, as it only wants to make it plausible that the protection of human life is "not absolute". Nevertheless, the term has appeared repeatedly in the media since then, mostly to justify the continuation or abolition of this or that measure. This is hardly surprising; the term has an intuitive accessibility and suggestive power which can easily cover up the sometimes considerable cultural differences and individual dispositions in the respective approach to death and dying. Based on the motto: "Death costs life, memento mori ... you already know."

Article

Care-Ethics and Corona: A perspective of care and concern

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 10:13:34 +0200

The outbreak of the corona virus has upset our everyday life and social conditions worldwide. From the effects on the economy, travel bans, and working conditions, to the massive restrictions on public life, to the individual consequences of contact and exit restrictions - the consequences of the pandemic are visible and tangible everywhere. The crisis raises questions of responsibility and appropriate handling of a situation that is new to us. It confronts us with a deep vulnerability.

Article

Corona and social relations with nature

Sat, 11 Apr 2020 15:25:00 +0200

A plea for why we need to change our relationship with nature

"Nature is sending us a message with the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing climate crisis," UN Environment Commissioner Inger Andersen stated in the Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/25/coronavirus-nature-is-sending-us-a-message-says-un-environment-chief?CMP=soc_567%E2%80%9CThere) on 25 March 2020. But what does she want to tell us? What does the corona crisis have to do with climate change and what can we learn from it for social (nature) relations? The corona crisis once again shows our existential connection to the natural world. In this article I argue that we have to change the modern understanding of nature in order to be able to account for the unlimited consequences of our impact on nature and to cope with the current ecological crisis.

Article

Mourning in times of Corona

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 10:24:55 +0200

Statistics tell us that at the end of the crisis, we will all know someone who has had Corona. Probably we will not all know someone who will have died of Corona. But what does it mean for us personally and as a society when a person dies in times of curfew and social distancing? A confrontation with a family tragedy.

Article

PD Dr. Jessica Heesen on the corona tracing app

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 10:57:35 +0200

Article

Culture of not forgetting

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 14:43:31 +0200

In recent weeks, social life has been increasingly restricted: Avoiding meetings, keeping distance, staying home, closing businesses. All in the service of social solidarity with the (potential) victims of the Sars-2 Covid 19 virus. Since these restrictions are accompanied by comprehensive challenges for people in Germany, Europe and the world, there are critics everywhere who question such a demand for solidarity and instead plead for a return to normality in order to protect the economy, future prosperity and the damages caused by the quarantine measures. This contribution takes up this criticism. However, instead of rejecting the current measures and accepting the numerous victims of the virus, this article argues for a culture of not forgetting. This recognizes the current measures as useful for the protection of life, but at the same time argues for a solidarity which goes beyond the (potential) victims of the virus.

Article

Look, please!

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:22:11 +0200

How much screen time is good for my child? How much control is necessary? A few suggestions for digital reality.

Download article

Article

Corona and domestic violence

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 10:49:12 +0200

"Stay at home" is the federal government's demand. But what if " staying at home " is just as dangerous as, or even more dangerous than, the coronavirus? Especially for people in abusive relationships, the "contact ban" can have side effects. This article deals with the challenges of people who are exposed to emotional or physical violence in a supposed shelter and in times of exceptional situations.

Article

Constructive conflict management in times of Corona

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 11:59:44 +0200

Both individually and collectively constructive handling of conflicts becomes particularly important in times of crisis. Depending on the type of housing, in times of Corona we suddenly and unexpectedly spend a lot of time with our fellow residents due to imposed lockdown. The current situation due to Corona puts many in tension and unfamiliar situations.

This article provides tools for constructive conflict management in one's own "four walls" and offers impulses for a successful conflict transformation in three steps:

Understand which phases a conflict goes through until it escalates and how the conflict state can be changed
Applying six steps for a constructive handling of conflicts
If necessary, read up on what science says about conflict transformation

Article

"How do we protect the weak?" An objection

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 18:59:45 +0200

"How do we protect the weak?"

This was the front page of the ZEIT on April 2, 2020, well meant but not well thought out.

Here it is assumed that our "Corona world" can be divided neatly into the weak and strong. And the strong are "we". The strong must now take responsibility, make decisions for themselves and others, behave properly and go shopping for their neighbours. The weak have to - actually nothing. Except follow the rules.

Article

From principles to practice: How we can make AI ethics measurable

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 11:17:04 +0200

With the increasing use of algorithmic systems in all areas of life, the debate on the social impact of technology and the development of a "European pathway to artificial intelligence" has also gained momentum. Humane and trustworthy AI are the keywords with which political actors in Germany and at European level describe this path. A number of ethical guidelines for the design of AI have been published to make this possible. There seems to be general agreement that AI systems must be subject to certain principles such as fairness, transparency or data protection.

General principles must be made measurable

However, the question of how the principles contained in the directives are to be implemented in practice remains largely unanswered. There are many different understandings of concepts such as transparency and justice. As a result, both AI-developing companies and users, e.g. public authorities, lack the necessary orientation and effective control of the systems is not possible. The lack of concreteness is thus one of the major obstacles to the development and deployment of public-interest oriented artificial intelligence.

Under the leadership of the non-profit standardization organization VDE in cooperation with the Bertelsmann Foundation, PD Dr. Jessica Heesen, Dr. Thilo Hagendorff and Dr. Wulf Loh from the Ethics Center Tübingen have been working in the interdisciplinary AI Ethics Impact Group since October 2019. With the working paper "AI Ethics: From Principles to Practice - An interdisciplinary framework to operationalise AI ethics", a study is now available that illustrates how AI ethics principles can be operationalised and transferred into practice. The AI Ethics Impact Group brought together experts from the fields of computer science, philosophy, engineering and social sciences. In addition to the International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) at the University of Tübingen, participants included researchers from the Algorithmic Accountability Lab at the TU Kaiserslautern, the High Performance Computing Centre at the University of Stuttgart, the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) in Karlsruhe, the Institute of Philosophy at the TU Darmstadt and the think tank iRights.Lab.

Twitter: #Principles2Practice and #AIEIG

Contact:
jessica.heesenspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de; thilo.hagendorffspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de; wulf.lohspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

Should we make war on Corona?

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 10:34:37 +0200

Politicians, journalists, and even scientists these days like to use the metaphor of war to describe the efforts that will now be necessary against the novel corona virus: "Sars-CoV-2 is our common enemy. We must declare war on this virus. That means countries have a responsibility to do more, to arm themselves and to strengthen themselves." (António Guterres in a guest article for the Süddeutsche Zeitung, 15.03.2020) At first glance, this drastic choice of words seems to make sense if one considers the restrictions and changes that this pandemic is imposing on us. Most of those who make these statements do so with good intentions: to conjure up the seriousness of the situation and emphasise the need to stand together against an external threat. But a focus on metaphors of war prevents us from focusing on those values that are indispensable for overcoming the crisis: personal responsibility, caring, empathy.

Article

The question of responsibility

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 15:36:03 +0200

In the debate on how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, it is often forgotten: Taking responsibility and showing solidarity does not only mean taking care of one’s grandparents’ shopping and washing one’s hands carefully. We must rather ask ourselves what we can do so that we can give a voice to those people who are overheard in the turmoil of the pandemic.

Read the article

Welcome to the blog "BedenkZeiten"

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 14:02:26 +0200

We are interdisciplinary ethicists, and we don't have any ready-made instructions in the drawers or on the desktops ether. We look at the world with curiosity and care and use normative knowledge for our thinking and writing.

This is no time to pause thinking.

Welcome to the blog "BedenkZeiten"

Triage rules for German hospitals

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:40:00 +0200

The COVID 19 pandemic threatens to push the German health system to its limits. There is a danger that not all patients will be able to receive the necessary intensive medical treatment. Specialist societies and the German Ethics Council have recently submitted statements on such a case. For the Science Media Center, Robert Ranisch discusses the latest proposals and identifies ethical challenges in the fair distribution of health resources in crisis situations.

Further information (in German)

On the connection between populism and education

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 11:57:58 +0100

You can find further information about the project here.

Second UNESCO award for the Compentence Center for Sustainable Development

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 10:15:43 +0100

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German UNESCO Commission jointly awarded 100 exemplary educational initiatives from all over Germany on 20 November in Berlin. 55 learning venues, 36 networks and nine municipalities are examples of how sustainability can be systematically anchored in the German education landscape. The Competence Centre for Sustainable Development at the University of Tübingen is one of the prize-winning learning locations, and is the second award for the Competence Centre after 2016.

Since 2016, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German UNESCO Commission (DUK) have been awarding education initiatives once a year as part of the national implementation of the UNESCO World Action Programme for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The selection is made by a jury consisting of members of the National Platform for ESD, the BMBF, Freie Universität Berlin, and the DUK. In addition to learning content, methods, and learning processes, the award-winning actors* focus their activities on ESD. In this way, they contribute to structurally anchoring ESD in the German education landscape.

Under the motto "Excellent", State Secretary Christian Luft of the BMBF and DUK President Prof. Dr. Maria Böhmer awarded prizes to 55 learning locations, 36 networks, and 9 communities for their outstanding commitment to ESD on November 20, 2019 in Berlin.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Potthast, Kerstin Schopp and Matthias Bornemann were presented with the award in Berlin for the Competence Centre for Sustainable Development (KNE) - an important recognition of many years of efforts to fundamentally anchor ESD at the University of Tübingen.

As early as 2016, the KNE had successfully applied as a place of learning. A confirmation of this award in 2019 is to be understood as proof that good progress has been made in the further implementation of ESD at the University of Tübingen. The jury commented: "In its mission statement, the University of Tübingen has committed itself to the maxim of sustainable development. Students in particular play a major role in anchoring education for sustainable development: among other things, they play an active role in shaping the university's orientation towards the mission statement and initiate ESD-related projects. The Advisory Council for Sustainable Development also reviews implementation measures and develops long-term visions. The jury emphasises the exemplary participation of all university groups, which ensures that different perspectives are included in the evaluation and orientation".

The KNE advocates the approach of putting ESD into practice throughout the university, from teaching and research to operation, governance and transfer. This approach of the whole institution approach was particularly highlighted by the jury.

In the field of teaching, for example, there is the interdisciplinary certificate course "Studium Oecologicum", which was initiated 10 years ago by students and serves as a model nationwide, as well as various basic events for student teachers. In the field of research, there are both small and large projects dealing with specific topics of NE (e.g. energy, biological diversity, bioeconomy, ESD). These can be found across faculties from ecology to political science, law or education. This year, the KNE has carried out its own small research project on understandings of NE at the University of Tübingen from a cross-university perspective.

In the field of operations, the waste management officer, the energy manager and the environmental coordinator, who is also responsible for EMAS reporting, are an integral part of the efforts for a sustainable university. The Advisory Council for Sustainable Development, which is made up of representatives of all groups represented at the university, is an advisory body of the Rectorate.

Finally, the area of transfer is not only covered by researchers and teachers of the university, who pass on their results to students and society, but also by the students themselves, who work on relevant aspects of NE in variously committed groups and return them to the university; the same applies to many administrative employees working as internal auditors for EMAS.

As part of the new excellence strategy, the KNE will now be permanently established at the University of Tübingen.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Lena Schlegel received the Sustainability Award (LINK) of the University

Fri, 29 Nov 2019 11:33:39 +0100

In her interdisciplinary work, she deconstructed the EU´s energy policy which falls short behind its self-declared goals of decarbonisation and commitment to climate protection from a critical posthumanist theoretical perspective. Lena Schlegel argues in her work, that a problematic ontological distinction of the human from nature is underlying the efforts to transform energy systems, thereby hindering deep transformation and reinforcing institutional path dependencies and prevailing power relations. She therefore suggests a re-conceptualisation of the human-nature-technology nexus as relational and co-constitutive network of relations of “care”. The principles of such an “ethics of care” provide implications for moral relations in the Anthtropocene which include the “more-than-human” and enable a radical transformation of the relationship between humans, or human societies, and the resources that power them. The sustainability prize honours dissertations which engage with topics of sustainable development in an extraordinary way and is awarded within the Sustainability Lecture (LINK) which this year was held by Shia and Hanno Su about their “zero waste” lifestyle.

Prof. Dr. Regina Ammicht Quinn elected Spokesperson of the Advisory Board of Tübingens Cyber Valley

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 10:03:44 +0100

The Cyber Valley Research Cooperation has established an independent body, the Public Advisory Board, which evaluates research projects with regard to their ethical and social implications. Europe's largest research cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence thus creates an additional element of transparency.

The members of the Public Advisory Board were appointed by Theresia Bauer, Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Science, Research and the Arts. The task of the Public Advisory Council is to examine project proposals of the Cyber Valley research groups before they are approved by the Cyber Valley Research Fund Board.

The appointed members come from various areas of science and civil society and thus represent a broad spectrum of relevant fields and backgrounds:

Prof. Dr. Regina Ammicht Quinn is a Professor of Ethics at the International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) at the University of Tübingen and Head of the Department of Society, Culture and Technical Change, where she deals with ethical issues of digital life and digital technology development. Professor Ammicht Quinn is the PAB's spokesperson.
Prof. Dr. Heinrich Bülthoff is Emeritus Director of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen. As head of the department "Human Perception, Cognition and Action" he researches the fundamental processes of human perception and behaviour in virtual environments.
Prof. Dr. Armin Grunwald is Professor of Technology Philosophy and Head of the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and Head of the Office for Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag.
Prof. Dr. Dr. Ulrich Hemel is Director of the Weltethos-Institute in Tübingen, which accompanies and shapes the critical dialogue on the topic of ethics and AI in general as well as specifically on Cyber Valley with conferences, public events and lectures.
Lorena Jaume-Palasí is the Founder of the non-profit organization The Ethical Tech Society, which at the interface of technology, ethics and society pursues the goal of researching processes of automation and digitization and classifying them normatively with regard to their social relevance. As a member of the High-Level Expert Group on AI of the EU, she was involved in the development of the European ethical guidelines for trustworthy AI.
Prof. Dr. Sandra Richter is the Director of the German Literature Archive in Marbach, where she deals with digitalization and products of digital culture as well as the question of how digital technologies can be used in literary and cultural mediation.
Katharina Schmidt is Founder of the AI start-up apic.ai, which uses artificial intelligence to investigate the causes of bee mortality. The company thus demonstrates a successful application of AI in the field of environmental protection and nature conservation. She is also involved in the G-Lab research project at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. Based on her experience in founding her own company, she develops new concepts for the promotion of a start-up culture among University students and supports the cooperation of Universities with start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Lukas Weber is a committed representative and co-organizer of the Fridays for Future activities in Heidelberg and a student at the University of Heidelberg. He is committed to taking a closer look at the consequences for future generations of today's decisions that will strongly shape and change our society, such as the further development and application of artificial intelligence.
Nicola Wettmarshausen is a journalist with a focus on science, environment and technology and founder of the citizen science initiative EcoCurious, which uses innovative projects and do-it-yourself formats to explore new applications for digital technologies and create new perspectives for an even closer exchange between science and society..
Lea Elsemüller is a city councillor who was appointed to the PAB by the Tübingen city council. She holds a bachelor's degree in cognitive science and a master's in computer science. Her main interests include the topics of sustainability, urban development and digital policy. Ms. Elsemüller will represent the city council in discussions, providing constructive and critical insights and supporting the transparent flow of information to local policymakers.

The Public Advisory Board of the Cyber Valley met for the second time on 13 Nov 2019 and elected Prof. Dr. Regina Ammicht Quinn as speaker.

Further information can be found here and here.

Beyond Privacy: Learning Data Ethics, European Big Data Community Forum 2019 on November 14 in Brussels

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 09:11:31 +0100

Big Data Analytics helps organizations, communities and individuals harness the value of growing amounts of data. According to recent forecasts, in 2025, the digital economy will multiply by 10 the volume of data now generated. While, on the one hand, this widespread use of data enables us to create more efficient and effective products and services, and fuel economic growth, on the other hand, this vast potential has created a new range of ethical challenges.
The dark side of data innovation is not only the result of uncontrolled data trading networks, which represent a huge risk to the privacy of individuals, allowing for misuse, but also emerges from numerous well-intentioned service providers who do not take basic measures to limit or protect sensitive data. Strong data protection, privacy-aware data management, transparent online services, and fair data trading approaches are the crucial aspects to be inherent to the EU data market.
Innovators, researchers and policy makers are asked to work together to ensure great safety and trust as foundations of both a responsible data economy and responsible innovation.
If you are active in Big Data research, policy or industry and are wondering how best to deal with ethical challenges, also in view of the rise of Artificial Intelligence, this event will make you aware of the most recent discussions about ethical principles and practical guidelines.
This event, supported by the Big Data Value PPP, is organized by five EU-funded research projects focused on privacy protection technologies, transparency, legal compliance: e-SIDES, MyHealthMyData, SODA, SPECIAL, WeNet.

Participation is free. Please see the agenda and register on the following website: http://www.cvent.com/events/beyond-privacy-learning-data-ethics/event-summary-0c8678e5ad0943d3af8bb2cc5aca14be.aspx

The current colloquium program is online!

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 10:50:58 +0200

You can find more information about the program under this link

CONFERENCE Who forms the city? Socio-political discussions in the context of the right-wing upswing 16.11.19, Hotel Silber, Stuttgart

Mon, 23 Sep 2019 10:04:58 +0200

Right-wing protest movements and recent election results show that the current shift to the right can be observed both in rural areas and in cities. The research project "Populism, Democracy, City" (PODESTA) at the Universities of Tübingen and Jena is dedicated to the urban level. It follows the assumption that current successes of the right are to be understood against the background of a crisis of democracy. On the one hand, deficits in political participation - for example in large-scale construction projects or in housing and transport policy - are thus addressed in the city, which can be appropriated for right-wing populist elite criticism. On the other hand, the diversity of different lifestyles brings with it conflicts over urban coexistence, which can turn into xenophobic resentments with right-wing offers of interpretation. The research project investigates such conflict situations in Stuttgart and Leipzig.

Within the framework of the conference organized jointly with the citizens' project Die AnStifter, previous research results will be presented and commented on by civil society actors. The central concern is to enter into dialogue with the citizens of Stuttgart. After all, it is civil society initiatives in particular that advocate more participation, social justice and tolerance in the city. They are also called upon to develop answers to the current rise of the right.
Together with representatives from political education, trade unions and civil society initiatives, the following questions will be discussed: What consequences does the current shift to the right have for urban policy debates? How can right-wing positions be dealt with in everyday life? How can the demand for a good life in the city be met?

With: Tom Adler (Die Linke und Bündnis Recht auf Wohnen), Jan Bleckert (trainer die Stammtischkämpfer*innen, Verdi Fils-Neckar-Alb), Peter Erben (citizens' initiative Neckartor), Peter Grohmann (Die AnStifter), Katharina Hajek (political scientist at the University of Koblenz-Landau), Friederike Hartl (education officer Stadtjugendring Stuttgart), Joachim Stein (Weissenburg Centre LSBTTIQ),

Sat, 16 November 10:00 - 16:30, Foyer "Hotel Silber" (Dorotheenstraße 10, Stuttgart)

The complete conference programme can be downloaded from the following link:
podesta-projekt.de/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Poster_PoDeSta_3.pdf

Admission free.
Please register at: gisela.mackenroth@izew.uni-tuebingen.de

Organized by the AnStifters and the research project PODESTA
(IZEW, University of Tübingen)
www.podesta-projekt.de
www.die-anstifter.de

New publication: "Migration and Cosmopolitan Right" (Migration und Weltbürgerrecht)

Mon, 23 Sep 2019 09:37:42 +0200

Migration is a controversial topic. It is widely discussed by politicians, the media and the public – but also within philosophy. In "Migration and Cosmopolitan Right" Karoline Reinhardt argues that Kant's ideas on the subject stand in a position of "productive disharmony" to the main lines of argumentation in the current philosophical debate on migration. She pays special attention to refugee status, legitimate and illegitimate grounds for refusal, statelessness, naturalization, the right to emigrate, individual duties of assistance and the idea of a "cosmopolitan attitude".

Her dissertation that was awarded the Kant-Förderpreis by the Immanuel Kant-Foundation and the Walter-Witzenmann-Preis by the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences is now published.

Digitalization in the Global South - TATuP 2/2019

Thu, 18 Jul 2019 11:22:23 +0200

Great hopes are pinned on the increasing digitalization on the African continent as ICT should lead to democratization, equality, and growing opportunities on the world markets. However, unequal power relations, neocolonialism, (digital) illiteracy are, as elsewhere in the Global South, downsides of technological progress. The authors of the special topic “Digitalization in the Global South” illuminate these aspects through interdisciplinary approaches and contribute to TA of digitalization in the global context. Guest editors are Jessica Heesen, Laura Schelenz, Kerstin Schopp, and Maria Pawelec (International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities, University of Tübingen).

In the TATuP interview Klaus Töpfer, the former Federal Minister for the Environment and current co-chair of the National Support Body for the selection of a repository site for high-level radioactive waste, comments about global environmental policy.

Also in the summer issue of TATuP: two research papers on assistive technology in health care, a plea for developing the openTA portal into an international platform, as well as reviews, conference reports, and news from the community.

Full issue (PDF/HTML) – language button on the right

Anti-urban utopias. The City in the Discourse of the Right

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 15:11:34 +0200

The Working Paper examines ideas and images of the city in present right-wing discourses. At the review of more than 2.000 documents between 2015 and 2018, we were able to reconstruct recurring patterns in the description of (large) cities and urban life forms. On the one hand, the city is rejected by the right-wing authors, since it is interpreted as place of cultural decline, loss of control and unmanageability. On the other hand, it is appropriated whenever the 'real', orderly, safe and productive city remains visible behind the impositions of urban life. The city is seen as a stage of self-promotion and as a battlefield that the right will not surrender to their opponents.

Authors: Bescherer, Peter; Burkhardt, Anne; Feustel, Robert; Mackenroth, Gisela; Sievi, Luzia

“To robots you aren't a burden”

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 12:45:53 +0200

You can read the interview here.

Autonomy in autonomous systems?

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 12:42:16 +0200

You can find more information here.

AI, gender issues and discrimination

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 11:15:36 +0200

Here you can find the complete article (in german language).

Call for Papers: Growing up and learning in supervised environments

Thu, 06 Jun 2019 11:19:20 +0200

The Forum Privatheit - selbstbestimmtes Leben in der digitalen Welt is organising an interdisciplinary conference on "Growing up and learning in supervised environments" in Berlin on 21 and 22 November 2019: Data Protection for Children, Learners and Educational Institutions". Digital technologies are increasingly shaping childhood and youth: from video surveillance in infancy to learning robots in kindergartens and learning assistants controlled by artificial intelligence for individual educational success. Digital media are used in particular for learning processes, knowledge transfer and information acquisition and are discussed under the buzzword of computer literacy. The applications, which are particularly used by children and adolescents, are not limited to the formal educational context, but also find their way into children's rooms on the basis of informal learning environments. However, little is said about privacy, surveillance and data protection issues in this sensitive and important area of society. The conference invites to inter- and transdisciplinary exchange beyond disciplines and scientific borders, to exchange with practitioners from educational work and to (socio-)political discussion.

The complete Call Papers can be found at https://www.forum-privatheit.de/jahreskonferenz/. Abstracts (up to 500 words) can be submitted until the 4th of July 2019 via EasyChair: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=jahreskonferenzforum.

IZEW staff at the NORA conference in Reykjavík

Wed, 29 May 2019 10:26:40 +0200

The conference "Border Regimes, Territorial Discourses, and Feminist Politics" took place from 22 to 24 May 2019 at the University of Iceland at Reykjavík. Researchers presented feminist and postcolonial perspectives on concepts, theories, and ideas on current right-wing populist movements, migration, border and reproductive technologies, security, sexuality, and masculinity. Laura Schelenz and Kerstin Schopp spoke in the panels "Social Media: From Resilience to Resistance" and "Responses and Reconceptualizations." Laura analyzed the potential of the #MeToo movement for the resilience and empowerment of women who have experienced sexual violence. She focused on the opportunities and risks of Twitter as a digital technology for dealing with potentially traumatizing experiences. Kerstin spoke about her research on coping mechanisms of women after a resettlement experience in Ekondo Kondo, Cameroon. She presented a specially developed model that focuses on coping and adaptation processes in different key areas.

Interview: “Do politicians need to tweet?”

Thu, 23 May 2019 16:19:48 +0200

Find the whole interview on page 44 of the Attempto Magazine. [German only]

What may machines decide?

Wed, 22 May 2019 14:16:13 +0200

What ethical questions does the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) raise?

What responsibility do you see for politics, research institutions and business?

These and other questions will be answered by the spokeswoman of the Ethics Center in an interview. You can find the entire interview here. [German only]

The IZEW congratulates Professor Vera Hemleben on her birthday!

Mon, 20 May 2019 10:31:07 +0200

Prof. Dr. Vera Hemleben belonged from the beginning to the discussion group "Ethics in the Natural Sciences", which was founded in 1985 and from which the "Centre for Ethics in the Sciences" emerged in 1990. As a geneticist who dealt with all aspects of molecular biological investigations on plants, she was also a pioneer in the promotion and supervision of interdisciplinary doctoral theses on ethical questions at the then Faculty of Biology in cooperation with the Ethics Centre. Vera Hemleben was first chairwoman of the Scientific Council of the IZEW, which was formed in 1994; there and in the two DFG Research Training Groups "Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities" (1990-1998) and "Bioethics" (20014-2013), she supported, advised, prudently accompanied and strengthened the Centre through her critical eye. We are very pleased that Prof. Hemleben is still supporting us, for example as chairperson of the IZEW's funding association, and hope that she will remain with us for a long time to come.
We say thank you very much and wish Vera Hemleben all the best for her birthday.

The team of the Ethics Centre

Land funds research into “Society in Digital Change” with 2.1 million euros

Thu, 09 May 2019 13:04:13 +0200

The digitization of business and society is currently focusing on technical issues such as autonomous driving, the digital equipment of schools and the use of artificial intelligence. However, technology alone is not the key to successful digitization. For it to succeed, it is necessary to critically reflect on the effects of digitisation on the individual and on a value-oriented shaping of society. The new scientific consortium called digilog@bw, in which the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Tübingen have joined forces under the leadership of the University of Mannheim, will do just that. The International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) and the Leibniz Institute for Knowledge Media (IWM) are involved in the Tübingen project. The consortium is led by Prof. Dr. Michael Decker (KIT), Prof. Dr. Thomas Fetzer (University of Mannheim) and PD Dr. Jessica Heesen (University of Tübingen). The Lands Ministry of Science is funding the project with more than 2.1 million euros for a period of three years as part of the “Society in Digital Change” call for proposals.

Autonomy, participation and knowledge - the topics are the three core elements of the new project. These are to be worked on in a cross-location and interdisciplinary manner. The research network aims to identify and analyse the influence of digitisation on people and society and to develop options for democratic and equitable digital change. To this end, it combines expertise from university and non-university research in the humanities, social sciences, law, economics, media and communication sciences, ethics and computer science, as well as interdisciplinary technology assessment.

The University of Tübingen and the Leibniz Institute for Knowledge Media (IWM) are involved in the consortium with four projects: the Ethics Centre investigates the impact of artificial intelligence on public communication, investigates the influence of cloud computing on the digital sovereignty of the individual and equitable participation conditions in digital communication, especially discrimination against women through algorithms and in social media. The Tübingen IWM is investigating the role of language assistants in critical knowledge transfer. Spokesperson of the University of Tübingen in the consortium is PD Dr. Jessica Heesen, Head of the Research Unit Media Ethics and Information Technology at the International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities.

Exhibitions, discussion events and lecture series are planned in order to enter into a dialogue with citizens outside science. That is why the Karlsruhe Centre for Art and Media (ZKM) is also involved in the project. In this way, the research network is to make a contribution not only to scientific discourse, but also to public discourse.

Contact:
PD Dr. Jessica Heesen
Universität Tübingen
International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW)
+49 7071 29-77516
jessica.heesenspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

The press release of the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of the Land of Baden-Württemberg can be found here. (German only)

Lecture “Humans, robots, sex and blessings: the differences a body makes” with Charles Ess, University of Oslo

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 12:59:21 +0200

On July, 2 2019 at 6 p.m. Prof. Charles Ess will talk about “Humans, robots, sex and blessings: the differences a body makes”. The lecture will take place in Keplerstr. 2 in lecture hall 0.01 as part of the research colloquium of the Ethics Center.

Lecture series: "Genome Editing: Technological and Ethical Challenges" (in German)

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 12:27:50 +0200

This lecture series is organized by Dr. Robert Ranisch and Prof. Dr. Dr. Urban Wiesing, Research Unit "Ethics of Genome Editing" at the Institute of Ethics and History of Medicine and Prof. Dr. Thomas Potthast, Chair for Ethics, Theory and History of the Biosciences.

More information about the program of the lecture series can be found here.

New Publication: "Resilienz im Katastrophenfall. Konzepte zur Stärkung von Pflege- und Hilfsbedürftigen im Bevölkerungsschutz" (Disaster Resilience. Concepts for Strengthening People in Need of Care or Assistance)

Mon, 25 Mar 2019 13:08:33 +0100

In situations of societal crisis – such as a long black out – people in need of particular forms of assistance are mostly neglected. This is the case, for example, for care-recipients living in their homes and being cared by their social environment or a mobile nursing service. The articles of this book seek to increase our understanding what kind of assistance people in need of care or assistance need and how disaster management structures can contribute to this. A theoretical discussion of resilience as well as the methodological approach of local knowledge generation via a model region represent the foundation of the further transdisciplinary research.

The book is the result of the research project KOPHIS that was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (funded from 2016 to 2019). Regina Ammicht Quinn, spokesperson of the IZEW, and Gerda Hasselfeldt, president of the German Red Cross, prefaced the book.

The book can be ordered with transcript.

Start of the research project “Leadership Ethics as Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities”

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 12:38:43 +0100

The project, which is funded by the Carl Zeiss Foundation, is dedicated to the conception and institutionalization of university teaching in the field of ethics and leadership responsibility for students of MINT subjects. In cooperation with the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Wittenberg Center for Global Ethics exemplary research-based courses are to be developed, carried out and scientifically evaluated. The aim is to elaborate the foundations for a permanent implementation of these teaching modules.

You will find further information at https://uni-tuebingen.de/einrichtungen/zentrale-einrichtungen/internationales-zentrum-fuer-ethik-in-den-wissenschaften/forschung/ethik-und-bildung/fuehrungsethik-als-ethik-in-den-wissenschaften/

Why does AI research and development need more women?

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 17:46:54 +0100

AI depicts society together with the existing injustices!

Artificial intelligence (AI) will of course be used in many areas of our society in the coming years - be it in medical diagnoses, in application procedures or in decisions about the creditworthiness of individuals. AI-based systems are based on algorithms invented by humans - and on data that they make available to them. In most cases, the human being is a man. The proportion of women studying computer science has been rising steadily for years. However, only one in five graduates is still female, according to current figures (2017) from the Federal Statistical Office. Regina Ammicht Quinn explains in an interview on International Women's Day why diversity in AI research and development is an important prerequisite for gender equality, and what is still necessary for it.

You can find the full article here.

Job vacancy: Leader of an Independent Junior Research Group

Mon, 18 Feb 2019 16:23:00 +0100

The Junior Research Group will be located in the ”Philosophy & Ethics Lab” within the Machine Learning Cluster, focusing on “Philosophical / Ethical Implications of Machine Learning in Science”. The Research Group will interact with the PIs and group leaders from the diverse scientific disciplines within the Cluster.

The group leader is expected to develop and carry out a research program, focusing on either Philosophy of Science or Ethics. Topics and questions can include:

How is learning conceived in ML and in formal epistemology?
How is concept formation and model building, as it works in ML, to be assessed from a philosophy of science perspective?
How is uncertainty modeled in ML?
What kind of knowledge or understanding can be achieved by machine learning?
How can ethical discourses on values and norms be connected to ML research? Which ethical values are important in the research of machine learningML?
What do exemplary changes in research through Ml mean for the concepts and conceptions of science?
Which methods are needed for implementing ethical values and principles into scientific ML practice?
How can Machine Learning’s social significance be taken into account in different stages of specific research in science?

The applicants are expected to have completed an excellent dissertation either in Philosophy of Science or in Ethics. Interest in and basic knowledge of Machine Learning are welcome, as well as the ability to interdisciplinary cooperation and mentoring skills. Early career researchers directly after the doctorate, as well as more experienced group leaders with some years of postdoc experience are asked to apply.

The research group will initially run for four years. After positive evaluation, it can be extended by up to three more years. The group comes with funding for PhD students/postdoc and independent research funding.

For more information see the advertisement at https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job?id=674387
or the Cluster’s hompepage http://www.ml-in-science.uni-tuebingen.de/

The University of Tübingen intends to increase the proportion of women and encourages female researchers to apply. Disabled applicants will be given preferential consideration if other qualifications are equal.
Applications with the usual documents should be sent in electronic form (as a single PDF, at most 5 MB) to the office of the Cluster of Excellence (ml-in-science@uni-tuebingen.de) by March 10, 2019. Questions can also be directed to the office or at Wolfgang Spohn (wolfgang.spohn@uni-konstanz.de)(Philosophy of Science) and regina.ammicht-quinn@uni-tuebingen.de (Ethics).

Lecture by Prof. Dr. Tobias Matzner "Algorithmic Subjectivity and Digital Publics"

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 09:44:46 +0100

Tobias Matzner is professor for “Media, Algorithms, and Society“ at the department of media studies at Paderborn University in Germany. His work combines theories of (digital) media and technologies with approaches from social theory, cultural studies, and political philosophy.

This keynote lecture takes place in the context of the Graduate Workshop “Sisterhood on Twitter? ICT-based Collective Action and Narratives of Solidarity and Justice” on February 18, 2019, and is organized by Ms. Laura Schelenz, University of Tübingen, laura.schelenz@uni-tuebingen.de, and Mr. Tommaso Trillò, University of Lodz, tommaso.trillo@uni.lodz.pl.

Integrated technology development: including ethical, legal, social and economic aspects

Thu, 17 Jan 2019 12:39:00 +0100

Sometimes a technology development leads to unforeseen problems, which can only be solved afterwards with a lot of effort. Do you remember the "nude scanner" for security checks at airports? Only after the scanners were already in use did it become clear that serious ethical and social aspects were not recognized. The manufacturers had to withdraw their devices and costly retrofit them.

However, there are ways to prevent such unfortunate surprises, which may come to you after market entry. Experts from the fields of ethics, law, social sciences and economics will use practical examples and concrete working materials to show you how to identify ethical, legal, social and economic aspects at an early stage and integrate them into your development processes.

In the first part of the evening event, the concept of integrated technology development will be presented, a new funding and research format that enables the process-accompanying inclusion of ethical, legal, social and economic aspects. The benefits of integrated technology development and the costs to be expected will be discussed jointly.

The second part of the evening is about practical implementation. First, six building blocks will be presented which are important for the success of the integration altogether. Afterwards, there will be the opportunity to get background information in a personal conversation with the speakers and to familiarize oneself with concrete working materials on questions such as the following and, if you are interested, to try them out:

What are the ethical, legal, social and economic aspects of technology development?
What competencies do representatives of ethics, law, social sciences and economics actually bring to a technology development project?
What possibilities are there for integrating their expertise into a technology development project?

The speakers refer to the Interdisciplinary Technology Development Handbook (Springer VS), which they are currently preparing.

Speakers:

Dr. Mone Spindler, „Focus Ethics and Integration“, International Centre for Ethics in Sciences and Humanities (IZEW), University of Tübingen
Céline Gressel, „Focus Social Sciences“, IZEW University of Tübingen
Alexander Orlowski, „Focus Social Sciences“, IZEW University of Tübingen
Sebastian Runschke, „Focus Law“, Forschungszentrum Technikrecht e.V. (FZT), Humboldt University of Berlin
Dr. Sven Wydra „Focus on Economics“, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems und Innovation Research (ISI), Karlsruhe

Program:

5 pm

Welcome and introduction round (15 min)
Introduction (30 min)

Integrated technology development: ethical, legal, social and economic aspects included

What's that? What's that? What good is that? And what does it cost?

Dr. Mone Spindler

Discussion (15 min)

6 pm

Break

06:15 pm until about 8 pm

How can this be put into practice?

Overview: Six modules for integrated technology development (15 min)

Céline Gressel

Discussion (15 min)

Further training with snacks, drinks and personal conversation (45 min):

Dr. Mone Spindler (Ethics and Integration)

Céline Gressel (Social Sciences)

Alexander Orlowski (Social Sciences)

Sebastian Runtschke (Law)

Dr. Sven Wydra (Economics)

Background information and working materials on questions such as the following:

What are the ethical, legal, social and economic aspects of technology development?
What competencies do representatives of ethics, law, social sciences and economics actually bring to a technology development project?
What possibilities are there for integrating their expertise into a technology development project?

More info: https://veranstaltungen.ihkrt.de/r/aspektetechnikentwicklung

"They want to know what we're gonna do"

Wed, 16 Jan 2019 15:56:00 +0100

Social scoring is the next big business of the data squid. Information freely available on the Internet from social networks or other sources is linked by algorithms and mixed together to form a value. In totalitarian regimes like China, social scoring is implemented on a large scale. Those who care about privacy should know what it is about - and why it matters what you do online.

The article, published on 15.1. in the Reutlinger Generalanzeiger, can be downloaded here as pdf.

"Caring for nature matters: A relational approach"

Mon, 14 Jan 2019 11:38:05 +0100

A new article has been published in the Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability (Vol. 35, December 2018, pp. 22-29) with the collaboration of Prof. Potthast: Caring for nature matters: a relational approach for understanding nature's contributions to human well-being. The authors dedicate the article to the late Felix Rauschmayer.

To the article

Abstract

Ecosystem services frameworks effectively assume that nature’s contributions to human well-being derive from people receiving benefits from nature. At the same time, efforts (money, time, or energy) for conservation, restoration or stewardship are often considered costs to be minimized. But what if caring for nature is itself an essential component of human well-being? Taking up and developing the concept of relational values, we explore the idea that well-being cannot be reduced to the reception of benefits, and that instead much derives from positive agency including caring for nature. In this paper, we ask specifically, first, how can ‘care’ be conceptualized with respect to nature, second, how does caring for nature matter both to protecting nature and to people’s well-being, and third, what are the implications for research and practice?

We describe the theoretical background, drawing especially from (eco)feminist philosophy, and explore its (mostly) implicit uses in the conservation literature. Based on this analysis we propose a preliminary framework of caring for nature and discuss its potential to enrich the spectrum of moral relations to/with nature. We explore both its consequences for environmental research and for the practice of conservation.

Conference: Disaster control and care

Wed, 09 Jan 2019 17:55:02 +0100

Alte Aula, University of Tübingen

23 and 24 January 2019

Registration

Since February 2016, the consortium of the project "KOPHIS" funded by the BMBF has been researching, under the leadership of the General Secretariat of the German Red Cross, ways to strengthen the contexts of outpatients in need of care and assistance in disaster situations. During the research process, empirical studies were conducted on the needs of outpatients in need of care and assistance and on the organisational and ethical modalities of crisis communication. Building on these studies, on international best practice examples and on conceptual considerations of resilience and vulnerability, the consortium developed auxiliary materials and training material for those affected as well as action guidelines for authorities and organisations with security tasks.

The results of this research process, which were modelled on participatory research formats in the Willich region, will be presented at the conference and discussed in various thematic panels.

Program

Energy Laboratory Tübingen hosts final conference

Mon, 07 Jan 2019 11:56:40 +0100

Alte Aula Tübingen
Donnerstag, 31.01.2019
http://www.gemeinsam-zur-energiewende.de/

Challenge: Energy system transformation in cities

Both the insights gained in the course of the project on the topic of sustainable energy system transformation in Tübingen and future perspectives for sustainable living in urban neighbourhoods will be presented by the project partners and other experts and discussed together with the interested public at this event.

Please register in advance by 20.01.2019, stating the number of persons and their names: energiewendespam prevention@geographie.uni-tuebingen.de

You can find the program here: Program

Jessica Heesen in an interview with taz.de on the "Politik Leaks 2019"

Mon, 07 Jan 2019 11:48:05 +0100

The whole article can be viewed here: http://www.taz.de/%215562833/

Video Panel Discussion: "Digital Technologies, Sustainability, Human Rights and Neo_colonial Effects" (in German)

Mon, 07 Jan 2019 11:40:34 +0100

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SCDJhmyS8g

How sustainable is the production and use of digital technologies actually? What are the environmental and social consequences of digitalisation and how can the right to repair help to curb it? What are the interests behind the export of digital technologies to African countries? And to what extent do digital technologies change social norms, cultural traditions and the distribution of power within societies? In a cozy setting, experts and audiences will discuss urgent questions related to digital change in a global context. The event is part of the W3 series "Technopolitics - Global Justice in the Age of the Digital".

Call for Abstracts: Graduate Workshop “Sisterhood on Twitter”, February 18, 2019, at the University of Tübingen

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 23:23:00 +0100

** New deadline for abstracts is January 20, 2019 **

February 18, 2019

University of Tübingen

** Deadline for abstracts is December 18, 2018**

Today, it seems that a hashtag is the means of choice to show solidarity with women/LGBTI* or advocate for gender justice. Social media and in particular Twitter are used by government bodies, civil society, activists, but also companies to promote gender equality. Examples of collective action that focus on the advancement of women’s and gender issues include the incredibly popular #MeToo initiative against sexual harassment in the United States, the relatable #YoTeCreo campaign in Spain, but also the #CzarnyProtest mobilization to push back against a proposed ban on abortion in Poland. Examples of top-down initiatives in support of gender justice include the UN campaign for IDEVAW #OrangetheWorld and the European Commission’s initiative #SayNoStopVAW. All of the above cases represents instances in which people claimed visibility by aggregating their voices and speaking up on a given issue. While in some cases more than in others, the overall impression emerging from these initiatives is that of a powerful show of horizontal democracy. However, the picture is probably not as clear-cut as it might look at first sight. Deeply rooted mechanisms of exclusion de facto prevent a large portion of the public from participating in these forms of collective action. Similarly, inequalities in the distribution of social media visibility seriously question the widespread assumption that anyone’s voice can actually be heard, as long as they tweet loud enough.

At the International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities, Tübingen, we will discuss the following and related questions: What are mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion in ICT-based collective actions? What is the actual visibility that these kind of actions can hope to achieve? Who are the most visible actors within their narrow context? What narratives do these actors voice? How do the actors’ narratives of solidarity and justice clash with feminist ideas about gender equality and justice? We encourage Master’s students and Ph.D. candidates to join our workshop. The goal of the workshop is to develop new thoughts about the topic at hand, gather inspiration for your own work, and connect with academics working on similar issues.

If you would like to contribute a 10-minute presentation, please send your abstract of 500 words to the organizers of the workshop by December 18, 2018. If you would like to attend the workshop merely as a participant, please register with the organizers by February 10, 2019.

Organization:
Ms. Laura Schelenz, University of Tübingen, laura.schelenzspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de
Mr. Tommaso Trillò, University of Lodz, tommaso.trillospam prevention@uni.lodz.pl

Date and Place:
February 18, 2019
Room 1.13 in Wilhelmstraße 19, 72074 Tübingen

Preliminary Program:
10:00 Welcome and warm up
11:00 Lecture by Tommaso Trillò: “Can the Subaltern Tweet? Unfulfilled Promises of Participation and Strategies of Resistance”
12:00 Lunch break
13:00 Short presentations/working groups
15:00 Short break
15:30 Short presentations/working groups
17:00 Final discussion and wrap-up
18:00 Keynote Lecture by Prof. Dr. Tobias Matzner: “Algorithmic Subjectivities and Digital Publics”

Ethical and Legal Aspects of Drone Defense

Mon, 17 Dec 2018 10:52:56 +0100

TATuP Edition 3/18, Topic: Drones in civil and military application

Unmanned and increasingly autonomous flight systems are conquering airspace. TATuP 3/2018 deals with the civil and military use of drones, possible paths of technology development, their actors and the need for a legal framework for current and future applications.

Today, drones are used in different areas. The development of autonomous weapon systems is of high priority for more and more states. The UN and human rights organizations are already warning of potentially catastrophic consequences. However, drones also have great potential in the civilian sector. As means of transport, in agriculture or to transport small loads for the so-called "last mile" they are hotly debated.

Together with Clemens Arzt and Susanne Schuster, Jessica Heesen wrote an article with the topic "Ethical and legal evaluation of measures of police drone defence - protection of fundamental rights in state security action".

Read the whole article: www.tatup.de/index.php/tatup/article/view/170/231

Integrated Technology Development: Challenges, Implementation Methods and Future Impulses

Wed, 12 Dec 2018 18:23:49 +0100

The BMBF initiative project INTEGRAM is holding a final workshop on 31 January 2019 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Fürstenzimmer of Hohentübingen Castle in Tübingen.

The workshop is aimed at everyone who is interested in findings and further discussions about possibilities and limits of integrated technology development. It does not matter which disciplines you belong to and whether you have a lot or little experience and previous knowledge.

Further information and the possibility to register can be found on the workshop page.

Contact

Alexander Orlowski
Universität Tübingen, IZEW
Wilhelmstraße 19
72074 Tübingen · Germany

+49 7071 29-75680

Kick-Off for the research project "Ethnic Segregation and Criminality" (ESKrim)

Wed, 05 Dec 2018 11:42:05 +0100

The admission and integration of a large number of migrants and refugees represents a major challenge for cities and municipalities. These not only concern the areas of work, housing or education, but also security. The separation of ethnic groups in specific urban neighbourhoods, i.e. the so-called ethnic segregation, is classified as a risk factor that increases the risk for residents of becoming perpetrators or victims of a crime.

The ESKrim project will investigate this assumption through a comprehensive and interdisciplinary research approach. From different scientific perspectives, it will be examined whether this is the case and which risk factors and potentials can be identified and by which means they can be influenced. Through surveys, interviews and statistical evaluations, data on migration, integration and segregation will be collected and analysed together with situation pictures on crime as well as city- and neighbourhood-specific data. An ethical accompanying research and jurisprudential studies complement the social scientific empirical work.

New approaches to crime prevention will be developed on the basis of the findings obtained. In addition, a planning and decision-making model for the intervening police work will be drawn up and a catalogue of requirements for communication and cooperative strategies for action in migration-influenced neighbourhoods will be elaborated. At the same time, the legal framework and organisational possibilities for police and preventive measures will be highlighted.

At the IZEW, PD Dr. Jessica Heesen questions the so-called "parallel societies" and examines the potentials of modern communication in multi-ethnic cities.

The three-year project is funded with a total of 1.9 million euros by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the Research for Civil Security programme (see www.sifo.de) to promote "Civil Security - Issues of Migration". It is coordinated by Prof. Dr. Bernhard Frevel of the University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration NRW.

Job vacancy: Researcher for the project “WeNet – The Internet of Us”

Tue, 04 Dec 2018 16:23:00 +0100

We look for a researcher with a background in ethics or social sciences and competences in the field of artificial intelligence and/or theories of diversity and/or data privacy.

Sustainability at universities: guidelines have been published

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 12:28:08 +0100

The HochN guidelines have been published! They are the results of two years of intensive, participative work in the research network and with various practical partners*. The publications on sustainability in the university areas of governance, research, teaching, transfer, operation and reporting offer exciting new insights, present the current status of good practice and offer examples and suggestions for one's own practice.

They are open source and available for download: https://www.hochn.uni-hamburg.de/3-aktuelles/nachrichten/87-hoch-n-leitfaeden.html

New publication: "Abwägen und Anwenden" anthology

Tue, 13 Nov 2018 12:46:00 +0100

Tübinger Studien zur Ethik.

Narr/Francke/Attempto Verlag Tübingen 2018.

Questions of ethical application have been the subject of controversial public debate for decades. The so-called applied ethics claim to make a contribution to orientation in concrete moral problems. That ethics "applies" a fixed set of norms and principles to concrete real problems in the world is, of course, too simple. For neither the formulation of the problem nor the relevant moral norms can be assumed to be justified or always accepted without further ado. In this volume basic questions of "application" in ethics are critically reflected. In case law, current developments call for a renewed methodological examination of established practice. In medicine and education, questions of ethical evaluation beyond "application" can be found that require different ways of ethical reflection. This volume contributes to the conceptual and practical further consideration of ethical considerations and to the exploration of the conditions of 'good' consideration.

With contributions by: Felix Berner, Jens-Peter Brune, Christiane Burmeister, Orsolya Friedrich, Martin Gebauer, Michael von Grundherr, Andreas Luckner, Uta Müller, Eugen Pissarskoi, Thomas Potthast, Philipp Richter, Lieske Voget-Kleschin, Bernhard Schmidt-Hertha, Micha H. Werner.

Interview with Dr. Thilo Hagendorff

Mon, 12 Nov 2018 12:10:00 +0100

The radio station hr-Info recently made a broadcast on the subject of "Web tracking - how we are totally monitored on the Internet". Part of the programme is a detailed interview with Dr. Thilo Hagendorff, in which he is asked about the technical possibilities and background of tracking.

To the article: https://www.hr-inforadio.de/podcast/netzwelt/web-tracking---wie-wir-im-internet-total-ueberwacht-werden,podcast-episode36382.html

Public presentation ceremony of the Sustainability Awards for Theses and the Sustainability Lecture 2018

Mon, 05 Nov 2018 10:36:54 +0100

Thursday, 15.11.2018, 6p.m.

Festsaal of the Alte Aula (Münzgasse 30)

https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/32417 , https://uni-tuebingen.de/de/35885

The winners will be announced during the ceremony and Chancellor Dr. Andreas Rothfuß will award the prizes.

Alfred T. Ritter will held this year’s Sustainability Lecture. He is Chairman of the Advisory Board of Alfred Ritter GmbH und Co. KG.

His lecture’s title is “Sustainable Development as a perspective for companies: The example of (the company) Ritter” and he will advocate the following thesis: “Industrial society must learn to do business in a way that is compatible with nature, otherwise it will perish”.

For further information please have a look at the following link: http://www.uni-tuebingen.de/de/105720.

We are looking forward to seeing you there; please circulate this invitation widely!

Dr. Uta Müller and Laura Schelenz speak about ethics and digitalization at the Steinbeis Networking Event

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 14:24:07 +0200

29. 11. 2018

Stuttgart Hohenheim

http://www.steinbeis.de/mediwa

Digitalisation is fundamentally changing how we work. Networking and synergies are becoming ever more important due to the convergence of new and emerging technologies. In order to take advantage of this potential and shape cooperation at all levels and channels, communication plays a central role. The media play a key role in this, diversity creates new opportunities and tasks in all areas of society, business and politics, but also brings with it a variety of challenges and questions.
A team of experienced Steinbeis experts will focus on this topic at the networking event "MEDIA AND DIGITALIZATION - SHAPING CHANGE" on November 29, 2018, from 1 p.m. in the Steinbeis House for Management and Technology in Stuttgart-Hohenheim. The two networks DIGITAL MEDIA WOMEN E.V. and WOMEN IN FILM AND TELEVISION GERMANY E.V. are cooperation partners.

We cordially invite you to our networking event and look forward to your participation! Please visit http://www.steinbeis.de/mediwa

Invitation to the vernissage

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 14:04:19 +0200

Foyer of the University library, Wilhelmstr. 32
10/23/2018

With the help of the forum für internationale entwicklung + planenung (finep) in Esslingen, the School for Sustainability would like to make Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No 9 tangible. For this reason, the innovative learning tool for SDG 9 - Industrialisation, Innovation and Infrastructure developed by finep will be exhibited for the first time at a German university from 23.10.2018. The tool, which is an interactive learning pillar, is to be implemented at a university in order to anchor the content of the SDGs in general, and SDG 9 in particular, at universities. The exhibition will last four weeks and open on 23.10.2018 with a vernissage.

We cordially invite you to this event!
The vernissage will take place on 23 October 2018 at 6:30 p.m. in the foyer of the University Library Tübingen (Wilhelmstr. 32). Professor Potthast, the head of the School for Sustainability, and Karola Hoffmann, finep, will give short talks on sustainable development at the University of Tübingen and SDGs, there will be a champagne reception and enough time to try out the learning column for yourselves.
We are looking forward to welcoming you!

School for Sustainability
Phone: 07071/29-77986
Mail: nachhaltig@uni-tuebingen.de

Dr. Robert Ranisch was awarded the AeV Junior Research Price for his doctoral thesis

Thu, 04 Oct 2018 10:41:00 +0200

The doctoral thesis ”Critique of Liberal Eugenics: The Ethics and History of Selective Reproduction” by Dr. Robert Ranisch (www.ranisch.com) was awarded the AeV Junior Research Prize „Medicine and Ethics“. This work was compiled under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Dieter Birnbacher (Düsseldorf) and Prof. Dr. Thomas Potthast while taking part in the Research Training Group "Bioethics" at the International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW). The award ceremony will take place at the Evangelische Stadtakademie Munich in October. A revised edition of the dissertation will be published by J.B. Metzler in 2019.

Call for Papers: Digitalisation and Development in the Global South. Progress by Technology?

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 14:37:00 +0200

A “digital divide” separates the countries of the Global North and South: they are unequal in terms of access to and the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) such as computers, mobile phones, and the internet. It is widely believed that bridging this divide will positively affect people in under-connected world regions: ICT are assumed to increase economic productivity and prosperity and to have a democratizing effect.

The TATuP thematic issue 2/2019 offers a platform to advance a critical assessment from an interdisciplinary perspective. It welcomes contributions from all disciplines working on the subject, including Philosophy, Sociology, Ethnology, Political Science, Development Studies, Engineering, Information Science, Library Science, Media Studies, Economics, and Geosciences.

Contributions to the TATuP thematic issue 2/2019 may address (but are not limited to) questions such as:

What are the motivations behind ICT export and digitalisation programmes?
Who is excluded from ICT use? Which divides (e.g. gender, rural/urban,
educational) persist and are potentially even reinforced by ICT?
How do understandings of privacy and access to information differ between cultures? How are different cultural understandings (in-)compatible with values inscribed in ICT?

Please send your abstract (max. 3000 characters incl. spaces) by November 12, 2018 at the latest to redactionspam prevention@tatup.de

For more information click here

Prof. Dr. Regina Ammicht-Quinn at Sommeruniversität 2018

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 17:52:20 +0200

This Lecture will be held in english.

Die #MeToo-Debatte hat seit Oktober vergangenen Jahres für einige Monate die Medien beherrscht. Nach dem Skandal um den Filmproduzenten Harvey Weinstein wurden Frauen weltweit aufgefordert, ihre Erfahrungen mit sexueller und sexualisierter Gewalt öffentlich zu machen. Diese Debatte ist ein wichtiges Symptom für sich verändernde Geschlechterverhältnisse – eine Veränderung, der mit Erleichterung und Unterstützung, aber auch mit Angst und Verachtung begegnet wird.
Worum also geht es bei der Genderforschung? Welche Rolle spielen hier populistische Strömungen? Und wie ließe sich eine „Ethik der Geschlechter“ entwickeln?

Prof. Dr. Regina Ammicht-Quinn ist Sprecherin des Internationalen Zentrums für Ethik in den Wissenschaften und Direktorin des Zentrums für Gender- und Diversitätsforschung der Universität Tübingen. Sie studierte Katholischen Theologie und Germanistik. Von Februar 2010 bis 2011 war sie Staatsrätin für interkulturellen und interreligiösen Dialog sowie gesellschaftliche Werteentwicklung als parteiloses Mitglied der Landesregierung von Baden-Württemberg.

When: Monday, 07/30 , 10:15

Wo: Hörsaal des Theologicums, Liebermeisterstr. 16

IZEW Members speak at Studium Generale

Mon, 16 Jul 2018 14:18:00 +0200

Prof. Dr. Thomas Potthast, Marius Albiez, Andri König and Dr. Uta Müller will give a presentation at Studium Generale regarding this question.

When: 07/18 2018 18:00c.t.

Where: Kupferbau, Hörsaal 25

This lecture is part of the Studium Generale series: "Lehrer*innenbildung für eine Schule der Zukunft. Perspektiven aus der fachdidaktischen Forschung".

Andreas Baur at the Nuremberg Technology Dialogue

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 11:07:04 +0200

One thing is clear: There is no such thing as absolute security in cyberspace – but not to worry about security is also not a solution. In the meantime, there is a broad legal, technical and also political scope of possibilities; this became clear once again on 21 June 2018 at the Nuremberg Technology Dialogue at the Home Ministry. In their contributions, the three speakers covered a broad spectrum that offered the listeners many opportunities to hook in with their comments and critical questions.

Following lectures hold by Daniel Kleffel from the Bavarian State Office for Information Security and Thomas Janovsky, Head of the Public Prosecutor's Office in Bamberg, Andreas Baur from the International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) was the last speaker of the evening and began with the question: What is security and who defines it? Subsequently, he highlighted the aspect of security from a political and ethical points of view and pointed out that ‘more security’ can also lead to ‘less freedom, equality and privacy’ and that security ultimately needs a discussion of values that society must face.

Jessica Heesen speaks at MCIR

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 13:09:28 +0200

The amount and significance of data increases constantly. New data on consumer preferences and behaviour are gathered everyday and pave the way for individual pricing.

Who benefits? This is one key question among several which will be dealt with at this conference.

Art to Stay or Coffee to go?

Thu, 28 Jun 2018 13:12:00 +0200

Img: Züleyha Kocyigit

Students dealt with the problem of disposable cups on tuesday at the University of TübingenStudierende. In Germany alone around 2.8 billion plastic cups are thrown away each and every year.

In Coperation with the tuebinger artist Hanna Schmitman the students of Carla Herth`s and Marius Albiez` course "Art to Stay or Coffee to go?"alerted the topic via art.

"Schwäbisches Tagblatt":
https://www.tagblatt.de/Nachrichten/Was-nach-dem-Kaffeetrinken-uebrig-bleibt-377631.html
"Studierendenwerk":
https://www.facebook.com/mystuwe
Hanna Smitman on instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkfLQHZHKQi/

IZEW-team attends at the 30th anniversary of the annual 100km relay

Mon, 25 Jun 2018 10:14:00 +0200

When? Saturday, 06/23 2018, Start: 02 p.m.

Where? Institute science and sport, Wilhelmstraße 124, D-72074 Tübingen

Nähere Einzelheiten über den Ablauf der Veranstaltung findet ihr im Internet unter:
https://www.hsp.uni-tuebingen.de/staffellauf/index.html

Launch of the blog series “Norms and Digitalization”

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 11:01:26 +0200

In the following weeks, we will post a number of articles on the topic by scholars from Germany and Europe.

Check out the first reading and be sure to revisit the blog in the next weeks: https://www.sicherheitspolitik-blog.de/

In the course of forming the global information society, the implementation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has been realized in many parts of the world. Technology today pervades most areas of human life, and is considered a useful tool for international development and the empowerment of disadvantaged groups. However, when implementing technology, central values such as data security, privacy and fair access to the internet are often neglected and local culture, content, and values become marginalized. Especially the export of ICT to the Global South raises concern about cultural domination and even neo-colonialism. Moreover, technology is not neutral but has values embedded in it. This provokes ethical questions about global power relations, (gender) justice, inclusion, and the implications of the distribution and use of technology. The authors in this blog series will explore related issues and discuss the congruence and competition of norms and values in the context of global digitalization.

Article in "Süddeutsche Zeitung"

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 15:36:00 +0200

Fake News are no more limited to text and images. Using modern software deceptive videos are created, shifting the problem of fake media to a whole new level.

On this topic Thilo Hagendorff, IZEW-Researcher in the project "Forum Privatheit" recently published an article in Süddeutschen Zeitung, which can be viewed herein Süddeutsche Zeitung`s online issue.

Participative research in an energy lab.

Sun, 10 Jun 2018 14:42:00 +0200

Speakers: Thomas Potthast, Andri König und Marius Albiez, IZEW.

This lecture is a cooperation with the lecture series "participative social science" .

Room 0.01, IZEW Verfügungsgebäude.

When? 06/12/ 2018 12 am.

Workshop: educational theory of ethics - ethics of educational theory - and classical lessons.

Tue, 29 May 2018 20:22:00 +0200

At the philological Seminar (Philologisches Seminar) on tuesday the 29th of may, 2:30 till 6 pm, a didactical conference will take place, hosted by the philological seminar and the International Centre for Ethics in Sciences and Humanities. This workshop will be about questions about educational theory of ethics and ethics of educational theory, Speakers will be representatives of didactics, ethics and classsical philology . This event is open for everyone, especially future teachers, tudent teachers and Lecturers of the University of Tübingen.

Further information can be viewed here.

20 June: Public Lecture by Rachel Fischer, South Africa

Wed, 23 May 2018 09:50:32 +0200

You are cordially invited to attend a public lecture at the IZEW in Tübingen:

On June 20, Ms. Rachel Fischer of the African Centre of Excellence for Information Ethics, University of Pretoria, South Africa, will give a talk with the title “African and International Information Ethics: Past, Present and Future”.

The lecture will be held in English and take place at 11 am in room 1.01, Wilhelmstraße 19.

Conference: "Peace and Conflicts: Present and Future Challenges"

Sat, 19 May 2018 13:31:17 +0200

On the occasion of the founing of a new center for Peace and Conflict Research, the University of Rijeka/ Croatia hosted a conference on this topic. together with Prio, the Peace Research Institute Oslo, and the Center for Peace Studies, Zagreb, the International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities was co-organiser of the event.

The conference addressed "frozen conflicts", political violence and reconciliation as well as current questions that have the power to divide societies - from gender to migration and the "Balkan Route". On one of the panels, seven ambassadors discussed their specific perspectives of strategies for conflict solutions.

Regina Ammicht Quinn spoke on "Gender Conflicts: Populism, Religion and the search for justice".

Exhibition: 21 Minds thinking the future

Mon, 14 May 2018 10:00:00 +0200

In the "Museum für Kommunikation Frankfurts" permanent exhibition 21 experts on economy, science, society and politics put different perspectives on communication in the 21st century and the influence of digitalisation up for discussion.

In Videostatements and Interviews the experts present their perspectives on possible trends in communication of the future.

Joining them is Prof. Dr. Regina Ammicht Quinn, spokeswoman of the IZEW.

for more information click here

PODESTA: the "corrupt elites" against the "decent people"

Wed, 02 May 2018 13:14:47 +0200

The "Schwäbisches Tagblatt" published an article by Manfred Hantke on the PODESTA project. The article describes the projects approach, aims and challenges.

The project, supporteed by the federal ministry of education and research, aims to develop solutions against the growing right-wing-movement, which is considered a consequence of the democracy crisis. Under the supervision of Regina Ammicht Quinn, Luzia Sievi and Anne Burkhardt connduct research on that at IZEW.

https://www.tagblatt.de/Nachrichten/Die-korrupte-Elite-gegen-das-gute-Volk-371788.html

Sustainability Slam 2.0

Wed, 18 Apr 2018 11:26:00 +0200

Sustainability Slam 2.0
The Slammer on stage rigorously explains the amount of tress during a plastic free shopping experience: Especially when it comes to choosing the pasta the decision is a hard one... Laughter fills the room – what would the audience have done in his situation, how would it have reacted?

That is how it could go on Friday night, the 8th of June 2018 at Café Haag in Tuebingen – Like that or maybe completely different?
Tell us about your personal experience with sustainable development, Your Ideas, your engagement, your research!

During the German actionweek on Sustainability and the actionweek on sustainability of Baden-Württemberg lädt the Centre for sustainable development invites you to Sustainability Slam 2.0 - a mixture of science and poetry slam! See also: www.n-netzwerk.de/n-aktionen/Sustainability and www.tatenfuermorgen.de/aktion/

Who can attend?
No mather if you are a student, a professor or a administraive worker, an inveterate habitan of Tuebingen or a visitor, young or old, engaged in the topic for years or just starting – as long as you are interested in sustainable development and have some experience in this area, you are more than welcome, to tell us about your experiences, your idas, your research in a seven minute input!

When and where will the slam take place?

The slam will start on Friday, the 8th of June 2018 at 08pm at Café Haag (At Haagtor 1).

What is it about?

You may present your input on sustainable development in a clear and entertaining way to a broad audience. The presentation should not las longer than 7 minutes. There are no limits to your crativity! Live-experiments, presentations, magic tricks, dances... everything you can do in 7 minutes is allowed.

Why should I attend?

The audience are your judges and choose the winners. The thirst three places will earn 60,- €, 50,- € und 40,- € for realising your own ideas.

How do I enrol?

If you want to present something, please send us an email with your name and the title and topic of your contribution until 05/31/18at nachhaltig@uni-tuebingen.de. Please let us also know if you want to bring special equipment or need help setting it up.

Prof. Dr. Regina Ammicht Quinn became part of the steering comittee "Lernende Systeme"

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 10:46:05 +0200

The platforms task is, to build a foundation for improving the quality of human life via artificial intelligence, promoting good wok, as well as sustainably ensuring growth and wealth.

Therefore, German knowhow must be transferred in merchantable aplications and people must be enabled to reflect and decide about learning systems in their work and everyday life.

Regina Ammicht Quinnis responsible mentor at the comittee „Recht und Ethik“.

Further Information: https://www.plattform-lernende-systeme.de/home.html

The annual report 2017 is released!

Thu, 05 Apr 2018 13:56:31 +0200

The annual report 2017 gives inside in:

The work of our two junior research groups;

Starting projects;

The second "Tübingen Symposium on Ethics" and further events,

Structural changes and our employments ;

Publications and interviews.

Public keynotes during the INTEGRAM Spring School

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 12:28:16 +0200

Prof. Dr. Katharina Zweig (TU Kaiserslautern, department
Informatics) prsents on April 09th at 06:00 pm c.t. on „dehumanized decisions. When computers can and should (not) decide (Entseelte
Entscheidungen. Wann Computer (nicht) entscheiden sollten)“.
Location: Auditorium at "Oberschulamt" at Keplerstraße 2.

Ana Viseu presents on April 11th at 06:00 pm c.ton "Experiences of a social scientist as 'embedded scientist' in
a research project on nanotechnologie; (exact title t.b.a.).
Location: Auditorium at "Oberschulamt" at Keplerstraße 2.

These events are part of the INTEGRAM Spring School "Integrated techdevelopment". The Keynotes are public and will be held in German.

Policy Paper: Improving information privacy, enabling innovation ("Datenschutz stärken, Innovationen ermöglichen")

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 19:10:45 +0100

The coalition agreement between CDU, CSU and SPD promises a „new start for Europe“, a „new dynamic for Germany“ and a „new cohesion for our nation“.

The scientific panel of experts „Forum Privatheit“, under participation of the "center for ethics", has examined this coalition agreement part on the planned digitalization and compiled its analysis in a policy paper called „Datenschutz stärken, Innovationen ermöglichen – Wie man den Koalitionsvertrag ausgestalten sollte“ ("Improving information privacy, enabling innovation - How to improve the coalition agreement").

The policy paper is available for download here.

Civil report on the project MUSKAT

Tue, 13 Feb 2018 11:59:46 +0100

After the completion of the project Muskat which was funded by the BMBF a civil report by Marco Krüger was publically released online.

download under: http://hdl.handle.net/10900/79947

Conference: Digitalisation in Africa: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Technology, Development, and Justice“

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 12:24:53 +0100

The aim of the conference is to bring scholars and practitioners together and foster an international and interdisciplinary exchange on technology-based development initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa. With growing activity in the fields of digitalisation and ICT for development in Africa, critical questions have to be raised: What are the motivations? How are technologies used? How do ICT influence (moral) norms of action, cultural traditions and the distribution of power?

The submission of an abstract is possible until March 15, 2018.

Further information about the conference is available at www.da-ethics2018.de.

Conference: "Digitalisation in Africa: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Technology, Development, and Justice"

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 12:11:28 +0100

The submission of an abstract is possible until March 15, 2018.

Further information about the conference is available at www.da-ethics2018.de.