Bodies in Digital Contexts Kick-Off

Digital technologies are transforming how our own bodies, and the bodies of others, are represented, perceived and experienced. This encompasses social media, digital health applications, smart city technologies, wearables, virtual reality and various forms of artificial intelligence; these tools shape not only our daily lives but also societal conceptions of identity, health, corporeality and participation. At the same time, digital technologies themselves are increasingly becoming "embodied"—for instance, when the design of chatbots or robots leads us to attribute human characteristics to these artifacts. Consequently, these technological developments raise critical questions regarding gender equity, diversity and accessibility, as well as data privacy and broader societal responsibility.

At the heart of this cross-institutional educational format is the practical exploration of such issues from an interdisciplinary and critical-feminist perspective. Students from seven Berlin universities and a variety of academic disciplines work in mixed teams on projects that critically examine the intersection of digitalization and the body, or that develop new technical, design-oriented, or societal solutions. Depending on the field of study, the focus may lie on empirical research, data analysis, software development, design processes, artistic work, or conceptual contributions. 

The kick-off event serves as an opportunity for participants to get to know one another and provides an introduction to the topic of the body within digital contexts. Brief expert insights from various disciplines offer an overview of potential perspectives. Furthermore, participants will be introduced to the ECDF infrastructure, with a particular focus on the Makerspace.

Students, as well as faculty members and external partners, will present project ideas, research questions, datasets, or technological challenges. Based on these, interdisciplinary teams will be formed, bringing together students from different universities and fields of study (team size: 4–6 students; at least two universities must be represented).

This is not a public event. Registration is only possible via the course directories of the participating academic institutions and universities.