The Digital Democracy Camp WS 26/27

Between shitstorm and barstool politics: Communicating safely and responding confidently

How do you react when a discussion suddenly gets heated, someone makes a provocative remark, or you can’t find the right words at a crucial moment? How do you handle disrespectful comments, controversial opinions, or a heated atmosphere in digital discussions? And how can you communicate clearly, confidently, and constructively even in difficult situations? 

Whether on social media, in group chats, during discussions at college, or in everyday life: communication can be challenging. Misunderstandings, personal attacks, and provocative statements make respectful dialogue difficult. At the same time, a vibrant democracy requires us to tolerate different positions, advocate for our own viewpoints, and remain in dialogue with one another even when we disagree.

The Digital Democracy Camp therefore focuses on the question of how we can remain capable of taking action in difficult conversational situations and facilitate constructive dialogue—both online and offline.

In various workshop sessions, we combine academic insights with practical exercises and group discussions. Among other topics, we’ll explore how to handle online backlashes and provocative comments, establish rules for respectful digital dialogue, and examine how moderation can contribute to a constructive culture of conversation. We’ll also explore the impact of emojis and other forms of linguistic or visual expression in digital discussions, as well as how to handle anonymous and non-anonymous posts. Examples from research and real-world practice will offer insights to help us better understand communication situations and learn about different ways to respond.

The practical portion will focus on taking action ourselves: Through exercises, role-plays, and interactive training scenarios, we’ll explore how to respond to provocative statements, how to deal with bar-talk-style rhetoric, and how to find the right words even in spontaneous everyday conversations. The goal is not to always have the perfect answer ready or to convince others at any cost. Rather, we want to explore how we can clearly articulate our own viewpoints, set boundaries, respond confidently, and continue conversations constructively.

Take this opportunity to learn new strategies, try out different ways of responding, and gain experience that you can apply to your daily student life, your community involvement, and your personal conversations.

When? 29.01.27, 9-18 Uhr 

Where? SPARK Kronenplatz 

 Sign up here.

Students who actively participate in the one-day workshop and complete a transfer assignment have the opportunity to earn 1 ECTS credit.