Announcement

Dear Researchers and Practitioners in Computational Social Science (CSS),

We invite you to our upcoming workshop on Democracy at Risk? Societal Challenges, Data, and Research Infrastructures in the Age of CSS in Vienna, organized by Complexity Science Hub and Central European University. This two-day, in-person workshop is part of an annual event series that connects Computational Social Science (CSS) scholars from the German-speaking region (Austria, Germany, and Switzerland). As an interdisciplinary event, it addresses researchers from a range of disciplines, including sociology, political science, computer science, communication, economics, digital humanities, and data science. The workshop provides a platform for networking, professional development, and the exchange of ideas in CSS.

This year’s workshop will focus on CSS and threats to democracy. Around the world, democracies are increasingly under pressure from both domestic and foreign actors. CSS offers valuable tools to study these developments — for instance, by enabling access to new data sources to investigate digital disinformation or by identifying anti-authoritarian campaigns through network analysis. However, the field itself also faces challenges, including limited access to critical data and growing dependence on opaque tools and infrastructures controlled by big tech companies.

The workshop will address both methodological and practical questions related to studying (digital) democracy using CSS, including (but not limited to) the following questions:

Using CSS to study (threats to) democracy (e.g., theoretical and empirical work on identifying digital campaigns via network analysis; the role of big tech in shaping public opinion; studying the erosion of and improving the resilience of democratic institutions and discourses; using digital trace data to understand citizens’ exposure to political content)
Obstacles to the analytical potential of CSS (e.g., the impact of insufficient data access and methodological limitations on early-career researchers; risks posed by black-box generative AI tools; legal issues in CSS; disparities in access to computational infrastructure; platform governance and transparency)
Advancing the independence of CSS data access, tools, and infrastructures (e.g., developing tools for accessing new data sources; promoting open-source alternatives; creating infrastructures independent of big tech; implementing regulatory frameworks like the Digital Services Act or the AI Act; tackling legal ambiguities and researcher risks; supporting CSS researchers)

What to expect

Invited Talks: Hear from leading scholars who will share insights on conceptual challenges, methodologies, and empirical applications in CSS.
Panel Discussion: Engage in a discussion with experts and peers on current and future trends related to CSS and democracy.
Early Career Poster Session: Are you an early career CSS researcher? Present your research with a short talk and a poster (details to follow)!
Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow researchers and professionals to build a robust CSS community in the DACH area.

Who Should Attend? This workshop is for academics, researchers, and professionals involved in CSS or interested in applying computational methods in social science research. Whether you are an experienced scholar or a young researcher in this field, your contributions and participation will be highly valued.

Note: As the workshop features invited talks and sessions aimed at academic exchange, you do not have to submit your research to participate (unless you want to present in the early career track).

We look forward to welcoming you to an engaging and inspiring event!