Academic Freedom Index 2025: Academic freedom has declined in 34 countries
The growing influence of anti-pluralist parties is often accompanied by a decline in academic freedom in the respective country. This is one of the findings of the latest Academic Freedom Index (AFI). It covers 179 countries worldwide.
So that everyone can have their say: Citizens' assembly on AI research
Rhetoric expert Anika Kaiser researches how people can make themselves heard on the major issues of our time – artificial intelligence (AI) being a case in point. She is the right person to take care that this grassroots democratic process does not remain too detached from reality: in her first life, she trained as a painter.
Democracies under pressure: 14 million euros to research how to overcome the crisis
The foundation has brought together researchers from the humanities, cultural studies, and social sciences, as well as practitioners from outside academia, to develop new ideas and solutions for making democracies more resilient.
Radical democracy – How grassroots movements lead to solidarity and problem solution
5 countries, 10 cities, over 100 initiatives – in a large-scale research project, social scientist Helge Schwiertz is investigating how citizens are working together at local levels to find solutions to the major crises facing Europe.
The European idea is noticeably crumbling. Researchers funded by the Volkswagen Foundation met at the status symposium 'Challenges and potentials for Europe' to exchange views on the results of their research on the topic. One conclusion: fortunately, joint European research on Europe is not crumbling!
Protest movements: How do they affect democracies in Europe?
Election victories for authoritarian parties, demonstrations against the right, Fridays for Future and increasing populism: democracies in Europe are coming under pressure. The "ProDem" project has analysed the impact of protest movements on the development of democracy in six European countries.
Manganese Nodules and Microorganisms: Life Fuelled by Radioactivity?
Radioactivity is generally considered harmful to life. Yet in manganese nodules in the deep sea, microorganisms might benefit from it. Or even live off it? This is the intriguing hypothesis that geoscientist Walter Geibert hopes to prove.
Climate Research Using Old Ship’s Logs: the Wind Leaves no Trace on the Sea
Did a volcanic eruption in 1783 shift the tropical rain belt? Old ship’s logs could provide the answer – and also shed light on the future climate for millions of people living around the equator.
