News

Governments across the globe have introduced digital ID systems, in an attempt to make populations more legible to the state. A new study asks whether these systems reduce or exacerbate political inequalities.

Farewell and a new beginning: On September 4, Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln was inaugurated as the new president of the WZB, succeeding Jutta Allmendinger.

Today, the United States is confronted with a crisis of democracy due to a profound ideological and affective polarization. A recent by researchers at SCRIPTS Berlin published publication addresses this issue thoroughly. In his contribution to the book, WZB Director Michael Zürn analyses the economic, cultural, and political conditions of authoritarian populism.

On the World Day Against Trafficking In Persons, Tamara Bogatzki and Jérôme Dolling published an article for the blog of the London School of Economics to analyze the complexities of human trafficking. Based on a study in Edo state, Nigeria, they reveal a stark reality: many are willing to risk trafficking to migrate internationally. Despite understanding the potential risk of exploitation, the promise of better opportunities abroad remains a powerful motivator.

We are happy to announce that Anna Skarpelis has won a veritable round of awards. The WZB researcher will be honored with the Roger Gould Prize of the American Journal of Sociology and with three awards by the American Sociological Association for her article “Horror Vacui. Racial Misalignment, Symbolic Repair, and Imperial Legitimation in German National Socialist Portrait Photography”.

Diverging national patterns of EU politicization make joint agreements more difficult. However, recent externally triggered crises can break this vicious circle, a study shows.

The memory of the Holocaust has shaped national constitutions and international law. In a new online symposium co-edited by WZB research professors Mattias Kumm and Liav Orgad, participants discuss how the maxim “Never Again” has influenced legal thought. Follow the debate on verfassungsblog.de.