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Das WZB will bis Herbst 2011 gemeinsam mit der Humboldt-Universität und der Universität der Künste Berlin ein Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft gründen. Am Institut sollen die vom Internet ausgelösten Veränderungen der Gesellschaft erforscht werden. Das neue Institut wird von Google finanziert, ist aber in seiner wissenschaftlichen Arbeit und Organisation autonom. Weitere Partner und finanzielle Förderer werden gesucht.

North Africa and the Middle East are presently undergoing a series of political earthquakes. Two of the world’s longest seated dictators had to stand down, a third has driven his country to civil war. Even though the autocratic regimes of the region were, until recently, considered stable. When do autocratic regimes collapse? Why does one dictator survive, and the other not? These questions are examined by a team surrounding Prof. Wolfgang Merkel in a new research project.

“Linking Theory and Empirical Research" heißt das Thema der diesjährigen "Berlin Summer School in Social Sciences“, die das WZB vom 17. bis 25. Juli 2011 gemeinsam mit der Humboldt-Universität und der Berlin Graduate School for Social Sciences veranstaltet. Interessierte sind eingeladen zu den Open Lectures über methodologische Grundfragen.

By autumn 2011, the WZB, Humboldt-Universität and the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK Berlin) will establish an Institute for Internet and Society. At the institute, research will be conducted on changes in society caused by the Internet. The new institute will be financed by Google, but is autonomous in its organization and scientific work. Additional partners and financial supporters will be sought. The Internet has been studied at the WZB since the 1990s in various projects and from a broad range of disciplinary perspectives. This research can now be consolidated and strengthened.

Scientists in Germany have few incentives to develop inventive ideas and test them in practice. One reason is that in academic competition, patents bring fewer points than publications. Detours through the world of business are also barely rewarded. Using the example of biotechnology, the authors of the current WZB Letter on Education show what impedes the transfer of knowledge from research into practice.