Humboldt University Berlin

This course enables students to reflect on the role of information in shaping today’s society and information professions by learning about relevant social, societal, and ethical trends and perspectives, and to consider what information professionals and scholars can therefore do to affect, and hopefully improve, society. Possible course topics include core concepts values in library and information science, information and data ethics, fake news and censorship, surveillance and cybercrime, artificial intelligence, globalization, digital sovereignty and regulation, sustainability, and equity and diversity. Seminars consist of student presentations, discussion activities, and writing tutorials.

This course explores the contemporary utilization of typical Berlin discourses in the context of tourism and city marketing, such as Berlin-specific subcultures, economic developments a la Smart City, political activism, and environmental concerns for tourism. By testing different approaches to experiencing and sensing the city, the course examines the basis of diverse ways of “knowing Berlin.” The course discusses questions including: what makes the tourist perspective so intriguing and specific? Who profits from this way of experiencing a city? How is cultural diversity and complexity practically channeled into profitable tourism sites and activities? In small groups and workshop-based, the course develops and analyzes contents and methods of explorative walking performances based on specific contemporary Berlin discourses and urban projects. In an application of the seminar's findings and self-produced material, students go on tours of Berlin addressing contemporary urban discourses centering on smart city, participation, touristification, and urban activism.