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To what extent has social media advanced freedom worldwide in the last twenty years but also fostered new forms of un-freedom? That is the topic of a lecture by media anthropologist Prof. Dr Sahana Udupa from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. The event is part of the Ruperto Carola Lecture Series, devoted this winter semester to the topic “Freedom?! The University as a Space for Discourse”. The series, organized by Heidelberg University, takes up the role of universities and research in society and in current political conflicts, examining them from different angles and transcultural perspectives.
Press Release
Heidelberg, 9 January 2025
Lecture: Freedom and Un-Freedom of Social Media
In the Ruperto Carola Lecture Series, media anthropologist Sahana Udupa is speaking on the influence of digital communication in academia and society
To what extent has social media advanced freedom worldwide in the last twenty years but also fostered new forms of un-freedom? That is the topic of a lecture by media anthropologist Prof. Dr Sahana Udupa from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Her remarks will also include a discussion of digital communication in the academic world. The event is part of the Ruperto Carola Lecture Series, devoted this winter semester to the topic “Freedom?! The University as a Space for Discourse”. The series, organized by Heidelberg University, takes up the role of universities and research in society and in current political conflicts, examining them from different angles and transcultural perspectives. The lecture (in English) “Social Media and the Descent to (Un)Freedoms” is taking place on Monday, 13 January 2025, in the Great Hall of the Old University, beginning at 6 p.m.
The lecture will focus on the consequences of two decades of social media expansion, which has recently experienced a renewed technological boost due to communicative artificial intelligence. The opportunities opened by technology have created new freedoms, but at the same time they have also contributed to establishing new forms of un-freedom, undermining divergent opinions and feeding anxiety. This crisis is not due to digital communication alone, the speaker believes. It is also fostered by a global conjuncture of enduring coloniality and novel ways of organizing political activity. In her presentation, Prof. Udupa will moreover reflect on how strongly social media are also pervading academic cultures. As professor for media anthropology at LMU Munich, Sahana Udupa is exploring, in particular, controversial and extreme speech on small social media platforms in Africa, Europe and India. Following her lecture, Prof. Udupa will discuss her reflections with her dialogue partner, Prof. Dr Sebastian Harnisch from the Institute for Political Science at Heidelberg University.
The Ruperto Carola Lecture Series is part of an approach to focal themes such as RIGHT & WRONG. With this series, Heidelberg University seeks to take socially relevant research questions to a broad public twice a year in differing formats. In the present lecture series, researchers from various disciplinary perspectives have been speaking on “Freedom?! The University as a Space for Discourse”. The series was planned with reference to “Science Year 2024 – Freedom” by sinologist Prof. Dr Barbara Mittler and media anthropologist Prof. Dr Christiane Brosius of the Heidelberg Centre for Transcultural Studies.
Following Sahana Udupa’s lecture, the final event will feature Prof. Dr Anne Sliwka from the Institute for Education Studies at Ruperto Carola. She will speak on “Education as Positive Freedom: Competence, Equity of Opportunity and Well-Being”. The event will take place on Monday, 20 January 2025, in the Great Hall of the Old University, starting at 6 p.m. Recordings will subsequently be accessible on heiONLINE, the central portal of Heidelberg University with lectures, panels and events in digital formats.
Contact:
Heidelberg University
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Press Office, phone +49 6221 54-2311
presse@rektorat.uni-heidelberg.de
http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/de/transfer/kommunikation/ruperto-carola-ringvorles... – Ruperto Carola Lecture Series
http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/de/heionline – heiONLINE portal
Criteria of this press release:
Journalists
Cultural sciences, Information technology, Media and communication sciences, Social studies
transregional, national
Transfer of Science or Research
English
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