The Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG)

We explore new ways of thinking and acting Modern societies are based on changing norms, procedures and structures that are intended to enable free, democratic coexistence. In times of fundamental social, economic and technical transformation, however, some of these institutions reach the limits of their ability to change and something that we call "broken concepts" emerges. It is about ways of thinking, patterns of action or explanatory models that are so stuck in their previous context that they seem outdated today and need to be reformulated. We would like to research broken concepts, such as the once meaningful distinction between the online and offline world, and help to overcome them through new models of thought and action.

In this way, we participate in shaping the society of the future. Based on the scientific competencies bundled at the institute and the practiced interdisciplinarity , we take up current topics such as the "platformization" of economy and society or the use of artificial intelligence and question the underlying concepts, structures and norms.