Units

Team:

dr Agnieszka Vetulani-Cęgiel, prof. UAM hab., Head
dr Filip Biały
dr Łukasz Dulęba
 

Aims and area of research of the Unit:

The consequences of the spread of modern computing tools cover all major spheres of human life.

The members of the Unit aim to research the political and social environment of processes related to the digitalisation of the economy and administration at various levels of influence, including legal aspects. In particular, they assume research in the socio-political area influenced by progressive digitisation processes. The innovative nature of the research stems from the increasing contribution of contemporary technologies to the changing socio-political reality through the development of new solutions such as Blockchain, Internet of Things or Artificial Intelligence. The research will focus on the progressive processes of digitisation, directly affecting different aspects of public life: from political participation, through entrepreneurial solutions and e-government, to work automation processes. The subject of the research will be, in particular, state policies undertaken towards these processes in various countries and at the level of the European Union, as well as the formation of appropriate legal solutions, or other solutions in the field of broadly understood management of digitisation processes. In the subject dimension, the research will be concerned with the functioning of both economic entities and administrations taking advantage of the modern digital revolution in the form of data-driven management.

Basic tasks of the Unit:

• carrying out research and development work in the field mentioned above,
• to provide new knowledge on the changes in reality brought about by technological developments,
• to undertake research to describe the socio-political realities of the digital age, and to formulate specific proposals for public policy, national and transnational regulation and governance in relation to emerging digital technologies,
• research into the political implications of new technologies, in particular how they invade the public sphere, changing communication patterns, political participation and the relations between actors,
• inquiries into the ideological and conceptual reconfigurations of contemporary digitised societies, taking a critical look at the processes of digitisation of the economy and the algorithmisation of life,
• conducting research on ethical issues related to the application of technical solutions, concerning, for example, the bias of data and algorithms used and ideologically motivated solutions (e.g. ‘technological soluctionism’),
• organising didactics for the Master of Digital Entrepreneurship course conducted at the European New School of Digital Studies as part of the cooperation between Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan and the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder),
• developing permanent cooperation with partners from the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) within the European New School of Digital Studies.

Team:

dr Jędrzej Krystek, Head
dr Agnieszka Zgrzywa
dr Dominik Pick

Biograhical Studies Unit was officially established in April 2024. It comprises dr Agnieszka Zgrzywa, dr Dominik Pick and dr Jędrzej Krystek, who acts as its director. The core research subjects of the unit include: research into biography and autobiography as literary texts, the usefulness of e-documents as sources of historical cognition, anthropological and sociological conditions of documents of a biographical and autobiographical nature. In addition, the unit aims at interdisciplinary studies of biographies of bi-city and borderland residents, conducted with the use of the Human Fate Archive resource existing at the Collegium Polonicum.

Objective:

To conduct interdisciplinary research of a transnational nature in the field of biography. To popularise research results in the academic world and at regional level through cooperation with local institutions and organisations. To develop an innovative approach to biographical research taking into account not only different scientific disciplines but also different national perspectives. This will be possible by making use of the border location of the Collegium Polonicum and the biographical research experience of the members of the laboratory. Cooperation is also planned with the Institute of Polish Philology and the Faculty of History of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, as well as the Faculty of Cultural Studies of the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder).

Scope of activities:

• research,
• interdisciplinary research colloquia,
• support for young researchers/doctoral students,
• popularisation activities,
• support for teaching at the CP,
• cooperation with scientists affiliated with the CP.