Interdisciplinary Group ‚Das Leben als Datum‘

If the early 20th century was still the age of industrial production, diesel engines, steaming machines, and factory floors, the early 21st century is undoubtedly that of Big Data, networking, and automation
- in short: the age of data.

Our lives are increasingly translated into data - datafication. Consequently, digital data is central to all areas of life. The permanent stream of data we generate determines how we inform ourselves, learn, and work. Further, data influences how we find and maintain relationships, helps us keep track of our health, optimizes how we exercise and eat, decides which products we buy, and which restaurants we visit.

At the same time, increasing datafication also gives rise to new forms and contexts of social communication, room for automation and optimization processes of our lifestyles, and opportunities for commercialization as well as state surveillance.

Inevitably, the question arises to what extent we control our lives ourselves or are directed by our self-generated data streams.

The interdisciplinary group "Leben als Datum" exploratively addresses various related questions:

  • How is the increasing datafication of social life perceived by different groups of the population?
  • What impact does datafication have on different areas of life such as health, sports, mobility, consumption, sustainability, communication, and work?
  • What transformational potential do data and a datafication of social life have?
  • What social and legal challenges arise from the increasing datafication of life - keyword: "transparent individual"?
  • How self-determined do citizens perceive the datafication of their lives?
  • At what point, if any, is government regulation perceived to make sense?

 

Members of the interdisciplinary group 'Leben als Datum'

Alphabetical list of namesFieldInstitution / CompanyInterdisciplinary Group (AG)
Fadeeva, YuliyaFaculty of Humanities
Department of Philosophy
University of Duisburg-EssenAG Das Leben als Datum
Hoch, Veronica R. S.Law Faculty
Institute of Private Law
Ruhr-University BochumAG Das Leben als Datum
Kindermann, BastianDepartment of Business and Economics
Technology management
Technical University DortmundAG Das Leben als Datum
Köchling, Gerrit
Department of Business and Economics
Finance
Technical University DortmundAG Das Leben als Datum
Krämer, DennisDepartment of Medicine
Institute of Medical Ethics and History
Ruhr-University BochumAG Das Leben als Datum
Lauer, SabineCenter for Higher Education
Department of Continuing Education
Technical University DortmundAG Das Leben als Datum
Loepp, Benedikt
Faculty of Engineering
Department of Computer Science and Applied Cognitive Science (INKO)
University of Duisburg-EssenAG Das Leben als Datum
Warner, Wiebke
Faculty of Geosciences
Institute for Geology, Mineralogy and Geophysics
Ruhr-University BochumAG Das Leben als Datum
Weissova, BarboraFaculty of History
Institute of Archaeological Sciences
Ruhr-University Bochum
AG Das Leben als Datum
Ziller, Conrad
Faculty of Social Sciences
Institute for Political Science
University of Duisburg-Essen
AG Das Leben als Datum