Thursday, 13.11.2025
- 06:00 pm - 09:00 pm
Launch event - Are thoughts still free?
from the series "Democracy: History. Present! Future?" | at 42kaiserslautern
The RPTU lives democracy: we research political and social contexts, we develop plans for public spaces, we develop future technologies and discuss their impact on our coexistence.
Together with the citizens of Landau and Kaiserslautern, we participate in democratic life in both cities and the region. As an entire university, as researchers, as university employees or as students, we contribute our perspectives to the democratic discourse - and at the same time benefit from the perspectives of our neighbors from society.
The series of events offers an insight into the many different ways in which people at RPTU conduct research into questions of democracy and generate knowledge relevant to democracy. It also opens up a space for reflection on how we can all meet the current challenges and threats to democracy.
Alternating between the university campuses in Kaiserslautern and Landau, the event evenings are intended to create an intensive exchange between the university and society:
| How has democracy developed and where do we stand today? | What questions about living together do we need to answer together? | And how do we want to further develop our democracy? |
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Bus transfer between Kaiserslautern and Landau
A free bus transfer between Kaiserslautern and Landau will be provided for the opening and closing events(13.11.25 and 26.01.26). Registration is required to use the bus transfer. The registration link can be found below in the respective event descriptions.
Overview of event dates
Research between academic freedom and political influence
Researchers are coming under increasing pressure worldwide, even in democracies. Financial cutbacks are reducing the scope for research. At the same time, the objectivity of scientific research is often called into question, researchers are openly hostile and entire fields of research are declared to be the enemy. Donald Trump's fight against American universities is a particularly drastic example of these developments. However, people in science in Germany also have to deal with attacks. While the vast majority still had a great deal of trust in science, especially at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, this quickly changed in parts of the population. Research that does not fit in with their own world view is now often politicized and fought against.
What are the causes of such attacks on academic freedom? How can universities defend themselves against these developments without becoming political actors themselves? Does the university itself need to change in order to create new freedom for research?
The panel will discuss these questions:
- Prof. Dr. Manuela Glaab is Professor of Political Science at RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau and Scientific Director of the Frank Loeb Institute.
- Prof. Dr. Malte Drescher is President of the RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau.
- Dr. Lars Lott is a political scientist at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and co-author of the Academic Freedom Index reports.
- Sven Werkmeister is Director of the Strategy Department of the German Academic Exchange Service.
When:
18:00 - 20:00 (followed by wine, juice and snacks until approx. 21:00)
Where?
42Kaiserslautern
Eisenbahnstr. 42
67655 Kaiserslautern
Registration for the eventRegistration for the bus transfer
The kick-off of our event series will take place at 42kaiserslautern. Due to the limited number of places, registration is required.
A bus transfer from Landau to the event location in Kaiserslautern has been arranged. If you would like to take advantage of this, you must register separately for the bus transfer.
Political culture and communication
People approach each other and discuss their political views - this is what a lively democratic culture of debate should actually look like. But in many cases, we are witnessing a breakdown in political discourse in Germany: the tone of discussions is becoming harsher, the ability to compromise is declining and people are becoming less receptive to the arguments of others.
Political scientist Prof. Dr. Jürgen Maier examines the extent of the ideological divisions in Germany. In his lecture "How big is the rift that runs through Germany? Ideological and affective polarization in politics and society", he analyses the severity of the aversion that people feel towards their political opponents. He looks at both the German electorate and the parliaments.
Psychologist Prof. Dr. Stephan Winter will then look at the phenomenon of conspiracy theories. Under the title "In the web of conspiracy: social media, conspiracy theories and political implications", he looks at the role of social media in the spread and reinforcement of conspiracy beliefs.
- Prof. Dr. Jürgen Maier is Professor of Political Communication at RPTU in Landau.
- Prof. Dr. Stephan Winter is Professor of Media Psychology at RPTU in Landau.
When:
18:00 - 20:00
Where?
Audimax (E1)
Fortstraße 7
RPTU Campus Landau
76829 Landau in der Pfalz
Remembrance politics in crisis?
"Never again!" This demand has become the cornerstone of German politics. Never again should a war start in Germany, never again should there be genocide, never again should a dictatorship rule - these convictions have shaped German democracy for decades. In addition, the positive memory of moments and places in the history of German democracy is increasingly gaining space in political discourse.
Despite this democratic consensus, the politics of history and remembrance has always been a contested field. Political extremists try to rewrite history in their own way. Hitler is supposed to have been left-wing or the Holocaust just an insignificant episode in an otherwise glorious history. Alternative, anti-democratic remembrance is based on such bogus arguments.
How can a democratic politics of remembrance defend itself against such distortions? What are the challenges facing remembrance work and Holocaust remembrance in particular today? How can a democratic politics of remembrance be communicated in the school and university context and what specific problems arise here?
These questions will be discussed:
- Apl. Prof. Dr. Tobias Freimüller is deputy director of the Fritz Bauer Institute Frankfurt.
- Prof. Dr. Matthias Bahr is Professor of Religious Education and Head of the Human Rights Education Project at RPTU in Landau.
When:
18:00 - 20:00
Where?
Building 42/Room 110
Gottlieb-Daimler-Str.
67663 RPTU Campus Kaiserslautern
The will to change: from founding to change in established companies
Democracy thrives on participation - and participation needs spaces in which people can act, shape and contribute their own ideas. In addition to traditional educational institutions, entrepreneurial initiatives also make an important contribution. They show that the willingness to take action in order to make a difference can be the decisive driver for the further development of our democracy. This applies both to the founding of new initiatives and to engagement within existing organizations.
What exactly distinguishes social entrepreneurs from traditional entrepreneurs? And how can entrepreneurial means be used to promote political education and make democratic values tangible?
After a brief classification of social entrepreneurship and an overview of the sector, the session will delve into a discussion that will shed light on two perspectives:
The start-up perspective: We will hear from social entrepreneurs from the region who are solving social problems and creating social impact with their new initiatives.
The perspective of change from within: We take the academic perspective on topics such as corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship into the mix. We discuss how sustainable transformation can also be initiated in established companies or institutions such as universities and administrations through the work of social change agents.
Together, we will discuss entrepreneurial ideas for a vibrant, sustainable democracy and show how each individual - whether founder, employee or citizen - can take action.
On the podium:
- Bernhard Lorig is a start-up coach at RPTU & HS Kaiserslautern start-up office.
- Dr. Johanna Rothmann is Chairwoman of the Social Innovation Center and spokeswoman for the regional group of the Social Entrepreneurship Network Germany e.V.
- Pauline Wittkowsky is a social entrepreneur at incalor UG.
- Adina Krauß is a freelance speaker in cultural and political education.
- Prof. Dr. Katharina Spraul holds the Chair of Business Administration, in particular Sustainability Management at RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau.
- Dr. Cynthia Loos is a habilitation candidate at the Chair of Business Administration, esp. Sustainability Management at RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau.
When:
18:00 - 20:00
Where?
Audimax (E1)
Fortstraße 7
RPTU Campus Landau
76829 Landau in der Pfalz
How do we shape democratic coexistence?
Democracy does not only take place in our heads, but also in our physical environment. What opportunities are there to promote democracy through the design of our cities? What public infrastructure factors such as schools, local amenities and community spaces play a concrete role in people's everyday lives to support coexistence? What factors such as climate change, urban heating, green recreational areas and a clean environment need to be considered in the long term? And what opportunities does Digitalization offer?
On the podium:
- Ulrike Annecke is Managing Director of CampusKultur
- Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Sascha Henninger is head of the "Applied Urban Climatology" working group in the department of Spatial and Environmental Planning at RPTU. His research focuses on urban climatology and settlement ecology.
- Prof. Dr. Annette Spellerberg is Professor of Urban and Regional Sociology at RPTU. Her research interests include housing, neighbourhoods, place attachment, Digitalization and spatial development and socio-spatial inequalities.
- Prof. Dr. Florence Metz is Professor of Policy Analysis and Political Economy at RPTU. Her research is anchored in the theoretical debates of public policy research.
When:
18:00 - 20:00
Where?
Building 42/Room 110
Gottlieb-Daimler-Str.
67663 RPTU Campus Kaiserslautern
The truth is not just in the numbers
In modern, evidence-based democracy, data and figures are produced in order to justify political decisions. However, figures are not self-explanatory, but are always embedded in social processes and can only be understood in this way.
In her lecture, Prof. Dr. Zweig uses various situations to explain how tricky it can be to interpret figures and derive decisions from them. One example from the USA: a calculation system is used to identify terrorist couriers - with sometimes drastic consequences for citizens who are wrongly labeled as possible terrorists. At a time when such and similarly serious decisions are outsourced to machines, there needs to be an understanding of how the underlying figures are generated. Professor Zweig outlines a fundamental process for this in her lecture.
Lecture and audience discussion with
- Prof. Dr. Katharina Zweig is a professor at the Department of Computer Science at RPTU in Kaiserslautern, where she heads the Algorithm Accountability Lab and the Socioinformatics degree program. She conducts research into the quality and fairness of AI systems and is a multiple SPIEGEL bestselling author. Her latest book "Weiß die KI, dass sie nichts weiß?" will be published in October 2025.
When:
18:00 - 20:00
Where?
Audimax (E1)
Fortstraße 7
RPTU Campus Landau
76829 Landau in der Pfalz
How does education lead to democracy?
Democracy is demanding. Successful participation in a democratic society requires, for example, democratic values and knowledge of political contexts. It requires language skills, a conscious approach to the media and the ability to form one's own opinion. Teaching all of this is the task of educational institutions, from schools to adult education centers and extracurricular institutions to universities.
How can people of all ages best acquire the skills and values that are essential for a functioning democracy? How should educational institutions be designed in order to become places of democracy themselves? And what should education look like to prepare people for life in a diverse and digital society?
These questions will be discussed:
- Dr. Hans-Ludwig Buchholz-Lübben, Managing Director of the Frank Loeb Institute in Landau
- Prof. Mandy Schiefner-Rohs is Professor of Pedagogy with a focus on school pedagogy and Vice President for Teaching at RPTU.
- Prof. Dr. Barbara Geistis Professor of Didactics of German Teaching at RPTU in Landau.
- Junior Professor Hannes Saas is Junior Professor of Vocational Education and Training with a focus on digital transformation at RPTU in Kaiserslautern.
When:
18:00 - 20:00
Where?
Building 42/Room 110
Gottlieb-Daimler-Str.
67663 RPTU Campus Kaiserslautern
The liberal democracies of the West are under pressure: in Germany, Europe and the USA. Unresolved problems such as the climate crisis, migration, war and security are shaking up societies. No one benefits from this more than the authoritarian populist parties. Should they be banned - is that allowed in a democracy? Or must democratic parties and governments finally solve the major problems in order to regain the trust of the population? Even numerous academic books are now talking about the "death of democracy". How accurately do these reflect reality? A comparative look at Germany, Europe and US politics will illustrate how fragile and resilient our democracies are in the post-democratic era.
Lecture and audience discussion with
- Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Merkel was Director of the Department of Democracy and Democratization at the Social Science Research Center Berlin until 2020 and Professor of Comparative Politics and Democracy Research at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. He is one of the most respected representatives of comparative politics in the German-speaking world and has played a key role in shaping research on democratization processes, system changes and system collapses.
When:
18:00 - 20:00 (followed by a discussion until approx. 21:00)
Where?
Old department store
Rathausplatz 9
76829 Landau in der Pfalz
Registration for the event Registration for the bus transfer
The conclusion of our event series will take place in the Altes Kaufhaus in Landau. Due to the limited number of places, registration is required.
A bus transfer from the Kaiserslautern campus to the event location in Landau has been arranged. If you would like to take advantage of this, you must register separately for the bus transfer.
The organizers of this joint series of events are looking forward to welcoming a large number of participants and lively discussions,
the Frank Loeb Institute, the Open Digitization Alliance Palatinate and CampusKultur!
