Technology & Society
How technology, people, and society interact and how this determines our future – that is the topic, research question, and task of the Technology and Society division. The approach is fundamentally transdisciplinary, bringing together research, business, and society, theory and practice.
On the one hand, we work on fundamental research questions regarding the role of technologies in social change, and on the other hand, we bring new ideas into practice and onto the market. Our strength lies in being able to carry out and support innovation projects from start to finish. Through our interdisciplinary connectivity and our broad network of excellent partners, we can map the entire process: from the initial idea and consortium formation to coordination and implementation, to sustainable dissemination and market launch.
Your contact person
Christoph Henseler
(he/him) The division is headed by difgl Managing Director Christoph Henseler, a computer scientist and historian with 15 years of experience in knowledge and research management.
Communication, Media & Collaboration
Our goal is to understand and optimize the processes of knowledge transfer in a networked world. We consider not only the technologies and infrastructures that enable these processes, but also the social practices and cultural contexts in which they take place.
The Media, Communication and Networks division of our research institute therefore deals with the dynamic interactions at the interface between science and communication.
Our focus is on the analysis and further development of traditional and digital media. We develop communication strategies that facilitate exchange between different target groups. We also link social and technical networks to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration.
We work in a practice-oriented manner in media from TV, print and social media. Relevant findings from media studies, sociology and computer science, as well as new technologies such as AI and VR, are incorporated into this practice.
Your contact person
Katja Anclam
(she/her) Katja Anclam is the Managing Director of Difgl. She is a TV producer and media scientist with many years of experience at home and abroad.
Mobility & Sustainability
Mobility is the nervous system of modern societies. At the same time, transport is one of the sectors with the highest greenhouse gas emissions. How can we enable a good and mobile life – sustainably? The Mobility and Sustainability division addresses this question.
We look not only at technical aspects, but also at new organizational and social approaches for people-oriented mobility of the future.
Methodologically, we bring together the methods of social science mobility research with planning approaches and mathematical modeling.
Your contact person
Dr. Frank Geraets
(he/him) The division is headed by Dr. Frank Gerraets, mathematician, mobility researcher and former strategist at Deutsche Bahn.
Cultural Heritage
Lived cultural heritage of religious and ethnic communities anchors culture in the course of history. Tradition not only reveals the past – it also allows us to develop alternative paths into the future.
The Cultural Heritage division is dedicated to the questions of lived culture and belief. The focus is not only on written sources but also on the material artifacts that mark cultural traces and paths.
Historical artifacts serve not only as input and the subject of our research and reports, but are also themselves a means of communication and knowledge transfer: with the conception, design and implementation of exhibitions and interactive forms of education, we use historical artifacts for active and locally anchored knowledge transfer.
Your contact person
Dr. Hartmuth Kühne
(he/him) Dr. Hartmut Kühne studied Protestant Theology at the Kirchliche Hochschule Berlin (East) and the Faculty of Theology at Humboldt University Berlin.
History & Narrative
Stories order, structure, and shape the reality that surrounds us. They give meaning to events. You can be enchanted by stories, immerse yourself in them, believe them, or expose them: recognize the motives behind them, the purpose of the narrative.
As a shortened narrative, story telling is now part of every marketing strategy. Through narratives, we control who we are and where we want to go.
Therefore, narratives form the core of any good public relations. But they are also an instrument to create clarity internally, with a view to the set goals, and to make good decisions – they are therefore also ideally suited for the development of strategies. Difgl regularly works with narratives in its processes for the ideation, planning and implementation of projects. In addition, difgl offers workshops to help you analyze and develop narratives. The division is headed by Dr. Kerstin Lücker, author, sound director and head of the Technology and Participation division in the ArTe department at TU Berlin.
Your contact person
Dr. Kerstin Lücker
(she/her) Author, editor and translator, has a doctorate in music theory, the emergence of perceptual psychology and the history of science of the 19th century on Franz Brentano, Edmund Husserl and others.
Body & Mind
The keywords “Embodiment” and “Embodied Cognition” describe a change of mind coming from science (neuroscience, biology, medicine, psychology, philosophy), which has become increasingly well-known since the pandemic:
Instead of looking at body and mind separately, we are beginning to understand ourselves and our intelligence as embodied and in constant exchange with our environment. We are “Bodyminds” in interaction with the world. Although this idea is more present in mainstream discourse and is supported by science from many disciplines, it is still new to many people struggling with the stress of our increasingly uncertain world. It is something that we are (still) not taught in school. Techniques of embodiment – embodied perception and embodied learning – hold enormous potential for learning and for adapting to constantly changing living conditions.
To find new paths, we need to become better and more flexible learners who are able to try out and apply new opportunities in a healthy and collaborative way. By combining basic embodiment practices with solid research, we can gradually create a common language and greater legitimacy for an integrated and embodied approach in work and learning environments, support our cognitive functions and well-being, and find a healthier way of dealing with the complexity of our world today.
See also: Kerstin Lücker/Emily Poel: “Anchoring learning in experience: Embodiment in work and further education”, Bulletin des ABWF, June 2023, https://www.abwf.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ABWF_Bulletin2023_3Juli23.pdf
Your contact person
Emily Poel
(she/her) The division is headed by Emily Poel, body practitioner and founder of Embodiment at Work. She is currently writing a book with Prof. Guy Claxton, GB, on embodiment and education.
Nature & Innovation
Our nature trained innovations over millions of years. Many of these innovations (such as the beading of dirt from the lotus plant or penicillins as antibiotics) are now used medically or industrially. However, the various realms of nature also offer innovative solutions for our society.
Your contact person
Martin Schlecht
(he/him) Martin Schlecht is a research assistant, lecturer and consultant. His areas of expertise include urban development and mobility, education and mycology.
Production & Events
We use our many years of experience in the event and show sector to implement scientific content with state-of-the-art production resources in order to make it accessible. By combining media production, film and event management with direct reference to scientific findings, we create experiences that promote understanding and enthusiasm for scientific topics.
Our media formats include audiovisual productions, digital platforms, social media and interactive applications. We create documentaries, short films and video formats that communicate scientific topics in a simple way. We integrate different media as well as interactive technologies.
We also have a great deal of experience in the planning and implementation of scientific events, conferences, workshops and exhibitions.
Your contact person
Sina Heider
(she/her) Sina Heider is a TV project manager who brings many years of experience in the production of TV and show formats as well as from event management.
