Networking Event with Catherine D'Ignazio

On 15 May 2025, the day after the Emilie Jäger Lecture, we hosted a full-day workshop with Catherine D’Ignazio, creating a space for the local Bern community to engage more deeply with the ideas she presented. The workshop brought together an unusually diverse group of participants—scholars from across the University of Bern and other universities, technologists, artists, and activists—to discuss her concepts in depth and prototype ideas for more just and inclusive digital futures. During the workshop, participants mapped out shared concerns and began laying the groundwork for ongoing collaborations. Workshop participants explored four main areas of shared interest. Namely how technologies could empower marginalized communities, including a proposal to establish a Digital Justice Clinic in Bern. Conversations also focused on building critical digital literacy in academia, promoting community-driven alternatives to Big Tech, and using art and design to critically engage with data. Across these themes, participants envisioned collaborative, interdisciplinary projects to advance more just and inclusive digital futures. 

Participants also emphasized a strong wish to continue collaborating in the future, a commitment we supported by hosting a follow-up meeting on September 12 to deepen these conversations and explore concrete next steps.