Civics and Cynics

As we get ready for the US Presidential inauguration, in this special episode, Professor Dr. Estariol de la Paz, Professor and Principal Investigator of the Hasso-Plattner Institute’s Digital Technology, Governance, and Politics research group, and Dr. Jamie Ranger, Postdoctoral Researcher in the same research group, come together to explore the nuanced question: Is the United States a democracy?
The hosts unpack the historical, political, and structural factors that have shaped America's democratic identity-or lack thereof. From the nation’s foundational inequalities, such as slavery and disenfranchisement, to its modern-day challenges, including wealth inequality, gerrymandering, and the influence of money in politics,...

In this episode of Civics and Cynics, hosts Dr. Juan Gomez Cruces and Dr. Umer Jan are in conversation with Dr. Rocío Galarza Molina and Francisco Gonzalez Lopez. The episode explores the complexities of misinformation, hate speech, and gender bias in Mexico's 2024 elections. Set against the historic backdrop of Mexico's largest elections, where leading presidential candidates Claudia Sheinbaum and Xóchitl Gálvez, both women, faced off, the episode examines how digital misinformation and social media vitriol shaped public perception and electoral integrity.

Guests Dr. Rocio Galarza Molina, a specialist in political communication based at Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL),...

This episode is hosted by Dr. Umer Jan and Dr Jamie Ranger, in conversation with Dr. Niloufer Siddiqui and Dr. Kiran Garimella. In the episode we discuss how misinformation and disinformation intersect with political violence and electoral behaviour in South Asia, particularly Pakistan and India. The discussion also uncovers the unique challenges of misinformation in private, encrypted networks such as WhatsApp and the evolution of political parties’ digital strategies, especially around pivotal elections and Artificial Intelligence. Addressing case studies of vigilante violence driven by rumours, the experts provide insights into how misinformation and hate speech escalate ethnic and religious tensions....

In this special collaborative episode of Civics and Cynics, our team of international experts from the Hasso-Plattner Institute’s Governance, Technology, and Policy Research Group come together to explore how the 2024 U.S. election might shape the world beyond America’s borders. Together, Ewan Thomas-Colquhoun, Dr. Juan S. Gómez Cruces, Dr. Jamie Ranger, and Dr. Umer Jan examine the impacts of a potential Trump or Harris presidency on diverse regions—from Latin America to Central Asia, Africa to South Asia.

Ewan Thomas-Colquhoun brings insights into Eastern Europe and Central Asia, weighing how shifting U.S. support could affect the conflict in Ukraine and regional...