Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung

Challenges to the International Order: Causes and Consequences

Impression of the 2nd Annual Interdisciplinary WZB Conference

A review of the 2nd Annual Interdisciplinary WZB Conference with pictures and talking points.

Impressions from the public dialogue and opening of the 2nd Annual Interdisciplinary WZB Conference 2026 at the Akademie der Künste on Pariser Platz, Berlin.

Congratulations, Robert Gorwa! The WZB researcher has been awarded a grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for his research project “ALIGNING AI.” This is the second consecutive Starting Grant awarded to WZB research.

Democracy enjoys broad support in surveys. However, as a new study shows, support for democratic rights and procedures becomes unstable in times of crisis.

Globalisierungs- und Kommunikationskonzept. Erde und Leuchtstrahlen. 3D-Rendering - Stock-Fotografie

What will the world look like in a few years' time? How are the decline of global governance, the rise of new conflict lines and the fading of the liberal international order affecting international organizations? An analysis by Michael Zürn.

Work can make people sick, both physically and mentally. For women, this risk begins even with shorter weekly work hours. This is shown by a German-Australian study by Jianghong Li and colleagues.

A review of the 2nd Annual Interdisciplinary WZB Conference with pictures and talking points.

Impressions from the public dialogue and opening of the 2nd Annual Interdisciplinary WZB Conference 2026 at the Akademie der Künste on Pariser Platz, Berlin.

Democracy enjoys broad support in surveys. However, as a new study shows, support for democratic rights and procedures becomes unstable in times of crisis.

Work can make people sick, both physically and mentally. For women, this risk begins even with shorter weekly work hours. This is shown by a German-Australian study by Jianghong Li and colleagues.

The WZB

The WZB Berlin Social Science Center investigates fundamental societal issues. Our focus is on education and work, markets and choice, migration, democracy and autocracy, international politics and law. At the WZB researchers from various disciplines work together – mainly from sociology, political science, and economics.

Working at the WZB

The WZB offers a modern working environment, where both equal opportunities and the compatibility of work and family are highly valued. Find out more about it here.

WZB-Mitteilungen

AI

When it comes to artificial intelligence, attitudes range from euphoria to sheer fear. We take a middle ground. The September issue of our quarterly magazine „WZB-Mitteilungen” explores the potential of the new technologies and how rules and standards are negotiated.

Analyses of AI’s use in the workplace and of educational disparities in access are presented alongside reflections on containment and control. Insights into the platform economy, medicine, and knowledge-based professions bring into sharp focus the question of how AI is changing our lives and the economy.

Doppelfoto von Christine Gerber und Ann-Kathrin Katzinski

WZB und Jana Schuessler

Christine Gerber and Ann-Kathrin Katzinski from the WZB Research Group on Globalization, Labor, and Production have taken a close look at five fields where generative AI is making inroads: journalism, programming, marketing, human resources management, and administration. In an interview with Gabriele Kammerer, they discuss how the new tools are being introduced and adopted, what reservations and hopes exist, and what the negotiation processes look like. The interview is in German.

David Ausserhofer

„Das knappe Arbeit” is the title of Florian Butollo’s new book. According to the longtime WZB researcher, now a visiting scholar in the Globalization, Work, and Production research group, not work is the scarce resource, but workforce. Butollo predicts that there will be too much work for too few workers; and AI is contributing to this trend. He explains this provocative thesis in a conversation with Gabriele Kammerer (in German).

News

More news

Daniel Ziblatt Appointed as Transatlantic Bridge Professor

29 Oct 2026

Annette Hornischer

We are pleased to announce that Daniel Ziblatt will continue his collaboration with the WZB as a Transatlantic Bridge Visiting Professor. Having served as Director of the WZB Department Transformations of Democracy from 2020 to 2026, Professor Ziblatt now joins the “WZB Center for Civil Society Research” through a fellowship funded by the Volkswagen Foundation.

Kohli Price to Raewyn Connell

26 Oct 2026

She did not invent the concept of “hegemonic masculinity,” but she did name it. Australian sociologist Raewyn Connell, a leading figure in the field of critical men’s studies, will receive this year’s Kohli Prize. The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday, November 3, starting at 5 p.m. at the WZB; the laudatory address will be delivered by sociologist Aeneas Zi Wang from Nanjing University.

Representation and Compromise

11 Aug 2026

David Ausserhofer

Dissent and compromise are essential to democracy. Political parties must debate and fight over the future direction of policy and the best solutions to societal issues. But they must also be able to reach compromises in parliament and within a coalition: on shared policies, on new laws or on amendments to existing legislation. ‘Representation & Compromise. Bringing Voters’ Preferences to the Floor’ is the title of Pola Lehmann’s new book.