{"id":300,"date":"2025-02-28T15:09:16","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T14:09:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wissenschaft-fuer-demokratie.info\/current\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T16:38:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T15:38:35","slug":"latest","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wissenschaft-fuer-demokratie.info\/en\/latest\/","title":{"rendered":"Current"},"content":{"rendered":"

Current<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/section>
\n

Dear colleagues!<\/p>\n

We would like to draw your attention to a thematically relevant and interesting event at which our member Susanne Hochreiter will be speaking!<\/p>\n

SYMPOSIUM “SCIENCE – ART – DEMOCRACY: UNIVERSITIES IN<\/strong>
\nOF RESPONSIBILITY”, 21 AND 23.4.2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Elfriede Jelinek Inter-University Research Network of the
\nUniversity of Vienna and the Music and Arts Private University of the City of
\nVienna (MUK) is organizing an inter-university
\nsymposium entitled “Science – Art –
\nDemocracy” on 21 and 23 April 2026 with participants from science, art and cultural policy.<\/p>\n

The symposium is dedicated to the role of science and art
\nin the face of the erosion of democratic commitments by
\npopulist policies and authoritarian forces. What
\nchallenges do science and art and
\nart institutions and science and art universities have to face?
\nWhat failures and deficits do they have to admit, what
\nresponsibilities should they assume? And what strategies can they
\ndevelop to counter anti-democratic discourses and rhetoric
\n? <\/p>\n

The symposium is part of the project “Science – Art –
\nDemocracy”, which is currently being carried out by the inter-university research network
\nElfriede Jelinek. democratic liabilities
\nthrough populist policies. <\/p>\n

With: Evelyn Annu\u00df, Manuela Baccarini, Andrea Braidt, Thomas Ballhausen,
\nRosemarie Brucher, Anke Charton, Olga Flor, Susanne Valerie Granzer,
\nClemens Hellsberg, Lisz Hirn, Susanne Hochreiter, Eva-Maria Holzleitner,
\nStefan Krammer, Andreas Mailath-Pokorny, Dieter Mersch, Markus Neuwirth,
\nChristoph Reinprecht, Alex Riener, Martin Rummel, Livia Sellin,
\nElisabeth van Treeck, Eike Wittrock<\/p>\n

Science – Art – Democracy: Universities in the
\nResponsibility<\/p>\n

21.4.2026, 6 pm: MUK.podium, Music and Arts Private University of the
\nCity of Vienna, Johannesgasse 4a<\/p>\n

23.4.2026, 6 pm: Old Chapel, University of Vienna, Campus, 1090,
\nSpitalgasse 2, Courtyard 1, Entrance 2.8<\/p>\n

Admission is free.<\/p>\n

Further information on the detailed program:
\nhttps:\/\/www.ifvjelinek.at\/veranstaltungen\/wissenschaft-kunst-demokratie-universitaeten-in-der-verantwortung\/
\n[3]<\/p>\n

Enclosed is the folder of the symposium as pdf.<\/p>\n

Contact:<\/p>\n

Inter-university research network Elfriede Jelinek<\/p>\n

University of Vienna and the Music and Arts Private University of the
\nCity of Vienna<\/p>\n

Hofburg Palace, Batthyanystiege<\/p>\n

1010 Vienna<\/p>\n

T: +43-1-4277-42238<\/p>\n

jelinek.germanistik@univie.ac.at<\/a><\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Dear colleagues!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Judith Kohlenberger, a renowned migration researcher, has published a new book entitled “Migrationspanik. Wie Abschottungspolitik die autorit\u00e4re Wende bef\u00f6rdert” (Picus). Now the authoritarian right-wing media are inciting hatred against the book and right-wing actors are giving it poor reviews on Amazon and Thalia. Presumably these people haven’t even read the book. But that’s not the point. As committed academics, we must protect and support hostile colleagues – by purchasing the book, giving it away and, above all, rating it. It is a must for understanding (Austrian) politics! <\/p>\n

*****<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dear colleagues and friends,<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the Institute of Contemporary History, an open letter was written by academics and lecturers as a solidarity initiative following a lecture by cultural scientist Tatjana
\nNikoli\u0107 ( https:\/\/www.mdw.ac.at\/ikm\/nikolic\/<\/a> ) on the topic of student protests in Serbia in the format “politically
\nessen”.<\/p>\n

The colleagues are happy to support the initiative with a signature in the
\nCryptopad and to share the link\/letter with colleagues who might be interested in
\n.<\/p>\n

The list remains open for signatures until 30.10.25<\/strong>
\nhttps:\/\/cryptpad.fr\/pad\/#\/2\/pad\/edit\/CknOfNWrpr2KfW4MnjeXcvEZ<\/a> [1]<\/p>\n

*****<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is a similar initiative in Germany with which we have networked:<\/p>\n

“Science for democracy”<\/h1>\n

https:\/\/www.wissenschaftfuerdemokratie.de\/index.php\/de<\/h2>\n

*****<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

The Elise Richter Alumnae Network<\/h2>\n

has published a statement against the anti-gender statement by Rudolf Taschner, member of the Austrian People’s Party and spokesperson for science:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/eliserichter.net\/index.php\/2025\/07\/11\/statement-taschner\/<\/a><\/p>\n

*****<\/h2>\n

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maximilian Fochler<\/h1>\n

Department of Science and Technology Studies, University of Vienna<\/p>\n

has provided us with the slides from his presentation on \u201cUniversities in Democracy. Vulnerability and resilience in increasingly authoritarian contexts\u201d. You can find the slides here: <\/p>\n

Fochler_uni_democracy_06_05_2025<\/a><\/h1>\n

<\/h1>\n

*****<\/h1>\n

<\/h1>\n

A Call for Constructive Engagement<\/h1>\n

https:\/\/www.aacu.org\/newsroom\/a-call-for-constructive-engagement<\/p>\n

*****<\/h3>\n

Historians for a democratic society<\/a><\/h3>\n

https:\/\/hist4dem.de\/<\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

******<\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

Statement on the Importance of Sexuality and Gender Research<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Please Read & Forward<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/00224499.2025.2474343<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Authors:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cynthia Graham<\/p>\n

The Journal of Sex Research<\/p>\n

Phillip Hammack and Liam Wignall<\/p>\n

Psychology & Sexuality<\/p>\n

******<\/p>\n

Sign against the censorship of research by the current U.S. government<\/h3>\n

We would like to draw your attention to an important declaration that is directed against the increasing censorship of research by the current U.S. government. The declaration sends a strong signal for scientific freedom and the protection of critical research. <\/p>\n

We invite you to sign it: https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSenHphuS0QIp1NPpyFNMJo4dd591UEOjHHyIGzNrVco90eYwQ\/viewform<\/a><\/p>\n

Appeal by the International Academic Community in Support of Serbian Students & Professors<\/h3>\n

Dear Colleague,<\/strong><\/p>\n

We write to you as members of the academic community, gravely concerned about the escalating repression targeting participants in peaceful students-led protests<\/a> that have now persisted for four months.<\/p>\n

From the very beginning, students and citizens have faced systematic state intimidation, culminating in a shocking act of violence during a mass protest on March 15 – a moment intended for solemn silence in memory of 15 fellow citizens who tragically lost their lives. In that very moment of commemoration, an unidentified device emitting a powerful sound<\/a> and shock wave was unleashed against peaceful demonstrators without warning.<\/strong> The resulting pressure wave triggered mass panic, causing injuries and widespread distress. This deliberate deployment of such a device constitutes a flagrant violation of the Police Law of the Republic of Serbia. The intentional use of tactics designed to instil fear, panic, and chaos represents a grave breach of fundamental human rights – including the right to life itself. The report from Earshot confirming this is available HERE<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Equally alarming is the campaign of intimidation that followed. Witnesses have been threatened with prosecution under the pretext of “inciting panic and disorder” if they speak out about the incident. This attempt to silence citizens not only deepens the violation of fundamental rights but also exposes a dangerous disregard for the rule of law. The targeted attacks against the rector, who has stood in defense of academic integrity and students’ rights, have escalated into an open campaign led by pro-regime public figures calling for his arrest. <\/p>\n

This tragic event did not occur in isolation. These student-led mass protests were ignited by the tragic collapse of the canopy at the recently renovated Novi Sad railway station – a preventable disaster that claimed 15 lives, including several students. This tragedy has come to symbolize something far greater: decades of negligence, corruption, and systemic mismanagement, where public funds disappear into dubious projects at the cost of citizens’ safety. For many, the canopy collapse stands as a devastating reminder of the human cost of a political system that prioritizes power and profit over accountability and public welfare.<\/p>\n

Outraged by this tragedy and the deeper crisis it exposed, students at universities in Novi Sad, Belgrade, Kragujevac, and Ni\u0161 have organized blockades and demonstrations, demanding transparency in the reconstruction process, accountability for those responsible, and justice for the victims.<\/p>\n

We stand at a critical moment. The repression of peaceful protest and the silencing of those who speak out against injustice threaten the very principles of democracy and human dignity. We therefore call on you to stand in solidarity with Serbia’s students and academic community in their courageous pursuit of truth and accountability.<\/p>\n

Universities have long been spaces of free thought and critical inquiry – and it is our shared responsibility to defend those who peacefully resist repression in the name of justice.<\/p>\n

Please read and sign the appeal here:<\/strong> https:\/\/forms.office.com\/e\/jnVLs00DLW<\/a><\/p>\n

Sincerely,<\/strong>
\nMembers of the Academic Community from Serbian Universities<\/em><\/p>\n

Declaration To #DefendResearch Against US Government Censorship<\/h3>\n

Signatories to the Declaration continue to grow, and now stand at over 3,500, including 91 organizations such as the Association of University Presses (AUP)<\/strong>, the Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP)<\/strong>, the Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB)<\/strong>, and the OAPEN Foundation<\/strong>, as well as numerous publishers and individual journals (see the full list of organizational signatories at the end of this email).<\/p>\n

We have an ambitious goal to reach 10,000 signatures in April, so we need your help gathering more signatories<\/a><\/strong> through your personal contacts and on social media (remember to use the #DefendResearch hashtag so that we can all amplify each other’s posts).<\/p>\n

From the responses to our questionnaire<\/a> (still open) asking which of the four commitments you’ve taken action on, we know that most of you are sharing the Declaration and encouraging others to sign. Thank you and please keep up the good work! Reaching this goal will help us have a powerful impact as we fight back against the U.S. government’s onslaught of censorship orders and actions, by:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Raising awareness of the dangers of censorship and the need to #DefendResearch<\/strong>. A strong, shared voice will be an effective tool in not only stopping, but beginning to roll back this assault on our national research infrastructure. Coverage of the Declaration like these pieces in Nature<\/a>, Scientific American<\/a>, and other media<\/a> will help, and we’re also starting to work on evidence-based toolkits you can use to get the message across in your own communities.<\/li>\n
  2. Connecting people and organizations to generate action<\/strong>. We are talking to a number of like-minded initiatives including Stand Up For Science and the Data Rescue Project about how we can collaborate to maximize the impact of our work. We’re also using our website<\/a> to share information about other efforts to fight back on censorship.<\/li>\n
  3. Influencing change-makers, who can help us get the message out most effectively.<\/strong> By using the leverage of our signatures we will both influence more people to sign the Declaration and mobilize all signatories to take action.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    More on all of this soon. In the meantime, thank you again for your support, and please keep spreading the word and taking actions to help #DefendResearch!<\/p>\n

    Lisa Schiff<\/a> (@lschiff.bsky.social), Alice Meadows<\/a> (@alicemeadows.bsky.social), Catherine Mitchell<\/a>(@camitchell.bsky.social), Sara Rouhi<\/a> (@RouhiRoo.bsky.social), Peter Suber<\/a>(@petersuber@fediscience.org)<\/a>, Suze Kundu<\/a> (@funsizesuze.bsky.social)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":815,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-300","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nCurrent - Wissenschaft f\u00fcr Demokratie<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Here you will find current information on activities, petitions, etc. of the Science for Democracy movement.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wissenschaft-fuer-demokratie.info\/en\/latest\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Current - 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