CAISzeit – The Podcast
What kind of digital society do we actually want to live in? CAISzeit is dedicated to this very question. In the podcast of the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS), we discuss with researchers from various disciplines how the digital transformation is changing our society.
What dangers are there in the digital space and what potential does it open up? Which digital innovations will determine the future? How are digital technologies already changing the way we work, inform ourselves and form our opinions? Against the backdrop of scientific research, we look with our guests at multifaceted phenomena of digitalization. Digital transformation is more than a purely technological phenomenon. As a socio-technical process, it is already shaping politics, the economy, the media, culture and our entire social life.
In CAISzeit, we talk to researchers about the phenomena of digitization. In addition to addressing the risks, we focus on looking constructively into the future and finding possible solutions.
Dr. Matthias Begenat, Head of Science Communication
Credits
Intro/Outro Music: ccbysa4.0 tastenspieler
intro/outro narrator: Laura Habke
Editing: Heiner Kunkel
Current episode
Audible Impact? How Podcasts Bring Research to the World. Guests – Dr. Charmaine Voigt and Birte Kuhle
Podcasts have long been an essential part of science communication. But what makes a science podcast successful? How can content be effectively and sustainably shared with the public? And which […]
Podcasts have long been an essential part of science communication. But what makes a science podcast successful? How can content be effectively and sustainably shared with the public? And which topics are particularly well-suited to this medium? In this episode of CAISzeit, we explore how podcasts not only convey knowledge but also embed it into broader societal discourse.
Dr. Charmaine Voigt and Birte Kuhle from GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences in Cologne provide insights into their research within the Wi4impact project, which examines the impact and dissemination of science podcasts from German universities and research institutions. They discuss the key strategies for podcast success – from social media and detailed show notes to active audience engagement. Along with host Dr. Matthias Begenat, they also explore how science podcasts have evolved over time and the role AI tools now play in podcasting.
Recommended Resources on the Topic
More about the Wi4impact project:
Studies:
- Derrick, G. E., Faria, R., Benneworth, P., Pedersen, D. B., & Sivertsen, G. (2018). Towards characterising negative impact: Introducing Grimpact. Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Science and Technology Indicators, 1199–1213. Read more
- MacKenzie, L. E. (2019). Science podcasts: Analysis of global production and output from 2004 to 2018. Royal Society Open Science, 6(1), 1–18. Read more
- Holland, T. A. (2024). Palaeo podcasting: A practice-led extended-mixed methods case study. Media International Australia, 1329878X241265824. Read more
All episodes
Audible Impact? How Podcasts Bring Research to the World. Guests – Dr. Charmaine Voigt and Birte Kuhle
Podcasts have long been an essential part of science communication. But what makes a science podcast successful? How can content be effectively and sustainably shared with the public? And which […]
Voting Under Time Pressure: Challenges of the 2025 Snap Bundestag Election – Guests: Anne Goldmann and Aryan Shooshtari
In this episode of CAISzeit, host Matthias Begenat discusses with political scientists Anne Goldmann and Aryan Shooshtari the impact of time pressure, digital innovations in the election process, and the challenges for municipalities in the context of the early 2025...
Can justice be programmed? Fairness and transparency in algorithms. Guest: Miriam Fahimi
Algorithms determine our lives: From the content we see on social media to the loans we are granted.
Facts or fakes: How do I recognize trustworthy content on news sites? – Guest: Prof. Dr. Hendrik Heuer
Reliable information is incredibly important for all of us.
Between Clicks and Content: How Do People Work on Digital Platforms? – Guests: Dr. Sophie Rosenbohm and Dr. Fabian Hoose
Today on CAISzeit, it’s all about digital work: How do people work on digital platforms?
Beats, Bits, and Algorithms: How Digitalization is Changing (or Has Changed) the Music Industry – Guest: Dr. Mario Anastasiadis
Today on CAISzeit, it’s all about music. Digitalization has completely turned the music industry upside down in recent decades.
Hearts, Hashtags, Hate Speech: How to Research with Social Media Data? – Guests: Dr. Katrin Weller and Dr. Johannes Breuer
In the new CAISzeit, we talk with Dr. Katrin Weller and Dr. Johannes Breuer about why it is necessary to research social media platforms and how this research is conducted.
What is AI doing in the classroom? From research on educational technologies – Guest: Prof. Dr Nikol Rummel and Dr Sebastian Strauß
ChatGPT is on everyone’s lips. Even at schools and universities, there is hardly a topic that is being discussed more controversially. Generative artificial intelligence is sometimes viewed very pessimistically or – on the other hand – praised as a technology...
Data for the smart city and you’re up and running: Is it really that simple? – Guests: Dr. Thomas Bartoschek, Marlene Damerau, Prof. Dr. Christoph Bieber
The idea sounds tempting: data is collected, evaluated and used for urban development. Whether it’s traffic routing, noise pollution or improving the climate – by collecting and evaluating data, many things seem controllable and better designed.