CAISzeit – The Podcast
What kind of digital society do we actually want to live in? CAISzeit is dedicated to this very question. In the podcast of the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS), we discuss with researchers from various disciplines how the digital transformation is changing our society.
What dangers are there in the digital space and what potential does it open up? Which digital innovations will determine the future? How are digital technologies already changing the way we work, inform ourselves and form our opinions? Against the backdrop of scientific research, we look with our guests at multifaceted phenomena of digitalization. Digital transformation is more than a purely technological phenomenon. As a socio-technical process, it is already shaping politics, the economy, the media, culture and our entire social life.
In CAISzeit, we talk to researchers about the phenomena of digitization. In addition to addressing the risks, we focus on looking constructively into the future and finding possible solutions.
Dr. Matthias Begenat, Head of Science Communication
Credits
Intro/Outro Music: ccbysa4.0 tastenspieler
intro/outro narrator: Laura Habke
Editing: Heiner Kunkel
Current episode
Voting Under Time Pressure: Challenges of the 2025 Snap Bundestag Election – Guests: Anne Goldmann and Aryan Shooshtari
In this episode of CAISzeit, host Matthias Begenat discusses with political scientists Anne Goldmann and Aryan Shooshtari the impact of time pressure, digital innovations in the election process, and the challenges for municipalities in the context of the early 2025 Bundestag election.
The 2025 Bundestag election is fast approaching, and political parties are in the final stretch of their campaigns. However, this election is unique: Due to the collapse of the “traffic light coalition” and the subsequent vote of confidence, it has been moved forward and is taking place much earlier than originally planned.
In this episode of CAISzeit, we take a behind-the-scenes look at the election process: How is the election organized, and who is involved behind the scenes? What challenges do municipalities face in providing polling stations, recruiting election workers, and managing mail-in ballots? How do tight deadlines and a lack of statistics on mail-in voting impact trust in the election? What role have digital innovations played in the election process so far, and what opportunities and risks do they bring?
Our guests are political scientists Anne Goldmann and Aryan Shooshtari, who conduct research at CAIS in the research program Digital Democratic Innovations. Together with them, host Matthias Begenat discusses the challenges of this special election.
Recommendation on the topic:
- “How is a Bundestag election organized?” – Clearly explained with graphics and informational texts on the bpb website (in German). Text, concept, and consulting by Christoph Bieber, Anne Goldmann, and Aryan Shooshtari.
Guests:
Anne Goldmann is a PhD Student within the research program “Digital Democratic Innovations” at CAIS, while Aryan Shooshtari works there as a research assistant.
All episodes
Voting Under Time Pressure: Challenges of the 2025 Snap Bundestag Election – Guests: Anne Goldmann and Aryan Shooshtari
In this episode of CAISzeit, host Matthias Begenat discusses with political scientists Anne Goldmann and Aryan Shooshtari the impact of time pressure, digital innovations in the election process, and the challenges for municipalities in the context of the early 2025...
Can justice be programmed? Fairness and transparency in algorithms. Guest: Miriam Fahimi
Algorithms determine our lives: From the content we see on social media to the loans we are granted.
Facts or fakes: How do I recognize trustworthy content on news sites? – Guest: Prof. Dr. Hendrik Heuer
Reliable information is incredibly important for all of us.
Between Clicks and Content: How Do People Work on Digital Platforms? – Guests: Dr. Sophie Rosenbohm and Dr. Fabian Hoose
Today on CAISzeit, it’s all about digital work: How do people work on digital platforms?
Beats, Bits, and Algorithms: How Digitalization is Changing (or Has Changed) the Music Industry – Guest: Dr. Mario Anastasiadis
Today on CAISzeit, it’s all about music. Digitalization has completely turned the music industry upside down in recent decades.
Hearts, Hashtags, Hate Speech: How to Research with Social Media Data? – Guests: Dr. Katrin Weller and Dr. Johannes Breuer
In the new CAISzeit, we talk with Dr. Katrin Weller and Dr. Johannes Breuer about why it is necessary to research social media platforms and how this research is conducted.
What is AI doing in the classroom? From research on educational technologies – Guest: Prof. Dr Nikol Rummel and Dr Sebastian Strauß
ChatGPT is on everyone’s lips. Even at schools and universities, there is hardly a topic that is being discussed more controversially. Generative artificial intelligence is sometimes viewed very pessimistically or – on the other hand – praised as a technology...
Data for the smart city and you’re up and running: Is it really that simple? – Guests: Dr. Thomas Bartoschek, Marlene Damerau, Prof. Dr. Christoph Bieber
The idea sounds tempting: data is collected, evaluated and used for urban development. Whether it’s traffic routing, noise pollution or improving the climate – by collecting and evaluating data, many things seem controllable and better designed.
Digital Social Election 2023: More than a test run? – Guest: Prof. Dr Christoph Bieber
in 2023, eligible voters in Germany will be able to cast their votes online for the first time in a so-called remote election. This is made possible by a test run, which will be carried out during this year’s social...