“Science no longer works without Courage and Fearlessness”

A Safe Space for Open Discussion

Prof. Dr. Ralf von den Hoff, FRIAS Director and member of the HRRC Board of Directors, describes the mood among the participants as “on the one hand tense, even desperate, because of the urgent threat to research in the U.S. that affects so many, and on the other hand highly motivated and eager, even combative.” The latter was also due to the fact that the conference offered all participants “a space for free scientific debate that is increasingly missed in the U.S. It was impressive to feel the solidarity of researchers from Germany and the USA become scholarly productive.”

Von den Hoff refers to substantive discussions about universal human rights and values in their Western conditionalities. He also points to conversations about freedom defined as freedom from fear and anxiety – also in research – and about the need for academic solidarity. “Freedom and human rights are especially threatened by fear. It is fear that leads to further (self-)restrictions in addition to the concrete constraints put on science: Science no longer works without courage and fearlessness – that’s frighteningly new!” says von den Hoff.

GenAI & Me is a participatory education and outreach project on creative and emancipatory AI funded by the Connecticut/Baden-Württemberg Human Rights Research Consortium (HRRC). At the fourth HRRC conference, the results of workshops with pupils were presented in an exhibition – including AI-supported graphic novels on social and ethical issues surrounding artificial intelligence. The project is part of the Nexus Experiments initiative.

The participants made active use of the framework for open and controversial debates. Ambiguities became the focus of discussion for instance in the context of human rights and technology / artificial intelligence (AI). Researchers showed with the example of the interactive exhibition “GenAI and Me” (see video above) – as well as in contributions addressing the societal and ecological impacts of new technologies in the context of human rights. Christina Binder from the Bundeswehr University Munich showed with regard to “Smart Cities”, how they offer solutions for the empowerment of disadvantaged populations and and climate change problems, but that they also run the risk of total surveillance. Klara Trappen from the University of Freiburg addressed the ambivalence of biotechnological developments, which can be used to produce both life-saving medicines and potential bioweapons.

Shareen Hertel, Co-Director of the HRRC and Professor of Political Science at University of Connecticut, was struck by the creativity of participants who collaborated cross-nationally to develop their presentations over more than a year. For example, she and colleagues involved in research on the emancipatory potential of artificial intelligence (AI) for children in marginalized communities met regularly (virtually) with their HRCC counterparts involved in the GenAI & Me project. Together, they carried out hands-on exploration with at risk youth to learn how to engage with AI in safe and empowering ways. “For me, the conference was the culmination of months of anticipatory spade work – hours online, sharing ideas, and finally meeting face to face at such a pivotal time for us as scholars and policy advocates. It was so gratifying to have the opportunity to share our experiences in person, frankly and openly and with the hopes of making an impact on the ground,” says Hertel.

The researchers also had demands for their own discipline. They pointed out that human rights must overcome colonial ways of thinking. More attention should also be paid to the fact that human rights movements often originate in the Global South (Latin America). The fact that the human rights researchers in attendance strive to authentically incorporate different perspectives into their work was highlighted in the presentation “Leaving no one behind: An analysis of the perspectives of people with disabilities in Andean research”. An affected person from South America called in, giving a voice to the people who could not be present.

Discussing Questions in a Collegial Environment

“In view of the latest developments in America, two main questions stood out among the presentations: What forms of ‘resistance’ to restrictions on academic freedom are there? And what can the scientific community do in this regard?” says Prof. Dr. Sebastian Wogenstein, Co-Director of the HRRC and Associate Professor of German Studies at the University of Connecticut. “Although the intentions of the current U.S. administration were apparent early on, I was surprised by the force and speed with which they are being implemented.” The fear of legal consequences was palpable among American HRRC members, adds von den Hoff: “Several speakers withdrew their participation in the conference because they feared they would not be allowed to enter the U.S. upon their return.”

The fact that there was space for these topics in the discussions speaks to the respectful, in some cases even friendly relationship that the HRRC members have with one another, says Wogenstein: “It’s not about who gives the best presentation. It’s more important to us that we can ask questions, shed light on issues and discuss them in a collegial environment.”

Text by Kristin Schwarz, Translation: Lilly Kanthak

Learn More

• Human Rights in the Balance: Safeguarding Social and Environmental Sustainability

  Conference Website

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• Gegenwehr gegen Trump an US-Unis – das Beispiel Connecticut

  Die Badische Zeitung berichtet über die HRRC-Konferenz

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• Baden-Württemberg und die US-Forscher

  Interview mit Wissenschaftlerin Petra Olschowski in der Badischen Zeitung

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• Research on Human Rights: “We can feel that something is shifting”

  Interview with HRRC-Co-Director Sebastian Wogenstein

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