Bedrohte Wissenschaft: Politische Einflussnahme
Political actors possess numerous means to exert pressure on academic institutions. But what are the consequences for academic freedom?
Staffing, the allocation of funding, laws and regulations, public campaigns: Political actors from Germany and abroad possess numerous means to put pressure on scientific institutions—and they are not shy to use them. Yet, academic freedom, along with freedom of art and expression, is explicitly enshrined in the German Constitution, and politics should be the guarantor of this cornerstone of democratic societies. The concluding event of the series “Threatened Science” will discuss how politics influence science and what strategies can be used against this.
Panelists:
- Dr. Anna A. Ahlers, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science
- Franziska Brychcy, Member of the Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin, Chair of the Committee for Science and Research
- Prof. Dr. Eva Geulen, Director of the ZfL
- Prof. Dr. Alexander Libman, Chair of Politics, Institute for East European Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, Principal Investigator at SCRIPTS
- Moderator: Katja Weber
The event is a collaboration between the Cluster of Excellence Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS), the ZfL, and the Centers for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (GWZ e.V.).
The admission is free. Please register here.
About the “Threatened Science” Series
Academia is under threat. Its findings are being questioned, its institutions undermined, and scientists personally attacked. The dangers facing science come from many directions: political interference, self-censorship, societal rejection of inconvenient truths, and the questioning of scientific authority are all factors narrowing the space in which science can operate. In four events as part of the Berlin Science Week, the series will bring together representatives from research, scientific institutions, politics, the civil society, and those affected to discuss where these threats come from, what impact they have, and how science can protect itself.
The series is organized by the Cluster of Excellence Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS) in collaboration with the Berlin University Alliance and Berlin Research 50 e.V.
It is part of the Science Year 2024 – Freedom.
Fig. above: © Igor Omilaev / Unsplash
