Ongoing Projects
Citizen's dialogues
In order to strengthen democracy, we need a new discussion culture. To this end, we are creating public spaces where citizens can meet regularly to discuss social issues over coffee and cake and get to know each other better. In 2026, we will organize Citizens’ Dialogues in Hennigsdorf. Support we receive from the Partnerschaft für Demokratie Oberhavel.
There are no longer enough platforms in our societies where citizens can meet to discuss social issues. As a result, democratic practice is limited: we have too few opportunities to exchange information and views and are therefore unable to develop informed preferences, which are essential for a democracy. We are learning less and less how to deal with complexity and opposing points of view.
Furthermore, a rift is opening up between knowledge holders and citizens. Academics, for example, hide in ivory towers and citizens in the bubbles of their Facebook and Instagram streams. In order to re-establish the connection between knowledge holders – representatives of companies, universities, research institutes, civil society, professional groups, the press, politics and administration – and citizens and to strengthen the competition for well-founded ideas, we need platforms again where knowledge holders share their knowledge and invite people to exchange this knowledge with each other.
Participants are asked what topics they would like to talk about. In addition to local topics, general topics such as loneliness, climate change, work-life balance, migration and integration, alternative energies, social media algorithms, political radicalization, social inequality, etc. are possible. We prepare the topics in such a way that they are easy to understand and so that everyone can join in the discussion.
An impression (in German) of the dialogues in Paulinenaue can be find here.
Populism Rocking the World
In recent years, Social Science Works has published a large and growing number of analyzes of populist movements in a wide range of countries. These studies have examined developments in, among others, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Algeria, and Bolivia, exploring the different forms populism takes, its underlying causes, and its future prospects.
These articles are here available on a dedicated page of our website.
Cooking and Gardening with Refugee Children
From February to November 2025, we carried out a project at a refugee accommodation centre in Brandenburg, supported by the IKEA Foundation. The initiative was aimed at children aged 6 to 12 and provided them with hands-on experiences in cooking, gardening, and sustainable living.
During regular sessions, the children learned how to prepare simple, nutritious meals while developing an understanding of healthy eating. They also built and planted raised garden beds with herbs and vegetables, gaining practical insight into sustainable food production. Creative workshops and excursions, including visits to a local farm and the forest, complemented the programme and provided engaging learning experiences.
Beyond the practical skills they acquired, the project fostered a sense of community within the refugee accommodation by encouraging teamwork and shared experiences. Over the course of the year, the children developed new skills, built friendships, and gained a greater awareness of nutrition and sustainability.
For a report on the project (in German), please click here.
Values Dialogue with Newcomers
The project “Values Dialogue with Newcomers” brought together refugees to discuss the ideas and values that are considered fundamental to European culture and identity. Running from 2025 to May 2026, the project took place primarily in Mittenwalde, Brandenburg, and was supported by the Mittelbrandenburgische Sparkasse and the Partnership for Democracy Dahme-Spreewald.
The programme addressed a wide range of topics, including ethical, cultural, and political pluralism; democracy; freedom of religion, expression, and association; individual autonomy; emancipation; tolerance; identity; racism; gender equality; and (homo)sexuality.
Special attention was also given to volunteering. Participants explored what volunteering means, why it could further integration into German society, and how they can become actively involved in voluntary work themselves.