News

The Impact of Narrative Persuasion

Image
Kai Barron explains Narrative Persuasion
Lena Gatscha

How do narratives shape economic decision-making? In our interview, WZB researcher Kai Barron discusses how narratives influence investors' interpretations of objective information. Barron delves into the complexities of belief formation and the impact one narrative can have on another's perspective. He also explains how everyday language can provide valuable insights for behavioral economists.

Do climate protests matter?

Image
Klimaprotest Brandenburger Tor
querbeet / iStock / Getty Images Plus

In a research brief on the political effects of climate protests, WZB researchers Daniel Saldivia Gonzatti and Swen Hutter show that sustained mobilisation can positively shape public perceptions and policy outcomes. They also challenge claims that confrontational protest tactics reduce public support for progressive climate policies.

A.SK Social Science Awards 2025 - Call for Nominations

Image
ASK Award - die Preisträger  und Stifter
David Ausserhofer

The WZB Berlin Social Science Center invites nominations for the A.SK Social Science Award 2025 and for the A.SK Social Science Bright Mind Award 2025. Endowed with 75,000 euros, the main A.SK award is one of the world’s largest in the social sciences. Past winners include Nobel laureates Daron Acemoglu and Esther Duflo.

How young people thrive

A new policy brief by WZB researchers Carla Hornberg, Heike Solga and Jan-Paul Heisig of the MapIneq project (Mapping inequalities through the life course) discusses how young people's wellbeing can be fostered through facilitating their entry into the labor market. Research has widely demonstrated that this transition phase strongly influences subsequent career paths and success in other life domains, such as family formation.

Migration and climate change

Climate change not only affects the environment, it also exacerbates existing social and political tensions and can lead to displacement, conflict and forced migration - the 10th Migration and Diversity Conference from November 27-29 is dedicated to this topic. On November 27 at 5 pm, a public keynote will be held by conflict and peace researcher Halvard Buhaug.