Registration for the 4th CoSR
Registration for the 4th CoSR
The 4th CoSR
4. CoSR "Democracy is unpromptable!"
Date: October 9, 2026
Location: Gesellschaft Casino, Betenstraße 18, 44137 Dortmund / The entrance is through the lobby of the Mercure Hotel.
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Program to follow)
Theme of CoSR 2026: "Democracy Can't Be Censored!"
How can democracy be strengthened in times of social polarization, growing pressure on civil society actors, and rapid technological developments? And what role do universities, academia, and NGOs play in this?
The 4th Conference on Social Responsibility addresses these questions
A special focus is placed on two central themes:
- AI and civic engagement:
How is artificial intelligence changing the work of NGOs? What opportunities arise for participation, communication, and organization—and what risks do they pose to democratic processes, visibility, and civic engagement?
- Strengthening Democracy Through Exchange and Networking:
How can academia and civil society respond jointly to increasing political pressure? What forms of collaboration are needed to actively defend democratic values and promote social cohesion?
Democracy remains irreplaceable—because it thrives on participation.
Program
9:00 – 9:30 Arrival, welcome with coffee
9:30 – 9:45 Welcome remarks by Svenja Stepper(Opens in a new tab) , Chancellor of Fachhochschule Dortmund, and Gesellschaft Casino e.V., represented by Günther Ziethoff, Board Member
9:45 – 10:15 Sneak preview of the volunteer matching platform EngagementDO, Karola Jaschewski, Dortmund Volunteer Agency
10:15 – 10:55 Enduring the Century of Upheavals: On the Relationship Between Politics and Academia —A Political Perspective, Markus Kurth, former Member of the German Bundestag
11:00 – 11:40 Is Democracy on the Brink? Academic Insights into Processes of Strengthening Democracy in the East and West, Prof. Dr. Dierk Borstel(Opens in a new tab) , Faculty of Applied Social Studies at Fachhochschule Dortmund
11:40 – 12:10 Discussion – How can we work together to strengthen democracy in Dortmund?
12:10 – 1:10 p.m. Lunch break
1:10 – 3:10 PM Rage Against the Machine Learning? — AI Between Myth and Fable: Keynote and Workshop — Civic Data Lab(Opens in a new tab) , Jonas Stettner and Angela Berger
If you have the opportunity, please take the Civic Data Lab’s online AI course to prepare for the workshop
(Course: AI Basic Skills—An Introduction(Opens in a new tab) )
3:10 PM – 3:30 PM Get-together and closing remarks
Introduction to the EngagementDO Matching Platform
EngagementDO(Opens in a new tab) is a digital platform for matching volunteer opportunities between companies and public-interest organizations in Dortmund.
EngagementDO is a matching platform designed to expand the social engagement of Dortmund-based companies. Many companies already support sports, cultural, and social projects through sponsorship, thereby contributing to a vibrant, livable city. The platform aims to link this corporate action more specifically to social cohesion and local development. Starting in the fall of 2026, non-profit organizations will be able to post their opportunities, and interested companies will be able to see where support is particularly needed and sign up directly for these opportunities. EngagementDO will be presented as a sneak preview at CoSR.
Presenter
Karola Jaschewski, Executive Director of the Dortmund Volunteer Agency
Eva Wascher, Project Manager, Innovation Team, Dortmund Economic Development Agency
Lecture by Markus Kurth, former Member of the Bundestag
Enduring a Century of Upheaval: On the Dynamic Between Politics and Science
The state of emergency has become the new normal—and the familiar “world of yesterday” is not coming back. Traditional security promises made by the state are reaching their limits; they must be replaced by the ability to endure uncertainty and strengthen societal resilience. Markus Kurth asks what key role science plays in this—and whether it can translate its findings into society and politics.
Markus Kurth served as a Green Party member of the Bundestag from 2002 to 2025 and was a member of the Committee on Labor and Social Affairs. He served as spokesperson for social and disability policy (2002–2013) and as spokesperson for pension policy (2013–2025).
Lecture by Prof. Dr. Dierk Borstel
Is Democracy on the Brink?
Academic Insights into Processes of Democratic Consolidation in the East and West
Far-right takeovers have become conceivable, at least at the state level. Democracy and the liberal constitutional state are therefore under particular pressure. What do these processes mean for committed democrats, for civil society, businesses, and universities? What strategies are currently emerging, and what is the interim assessment of their effectiveness?
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For nearly thirty years, Prof. Dr. Dierk Borstel has been conducting research at (Opens in a new tab) the intersection of academia and practice on issues related to threats to democracy in East and West Germany. He develops municipal analyses for active local communities, provides counseling to civil society actors and businesses on these issues, and uses his academic expertise to support partners in the field in developing concrete courses of action—most recently, for example, the so-called “Nordstadtliga” in Dortmund. Since 2012, he has been aat (Opens in a new tab) the intersection of academia and practice on issues related to threats to democracy in East and West Germany. He develops municipal analyses for active local communities, provides counseling to civil society actors and businesses on these issues, and uses his academic expertise to support partners in the field in developing concrete courses of action—most recently, for example, the so-called “Nordstadtliga” in Dortmund. Since 2012, he has been a professor of practice-oriented political science at Fachhochschule Dortmund.
Presentation: Civic Data Lab - Rage Against the Machine Learning?
AI: Between Myth and Legend
Keynote: A Report on the Use of AI in Civil Society (and the Demand for It) and What We at the Civic Data Lab Have Learned from This for Practical Application. Beginning with an assessment of the impact of increased AI use on civil society, we will weigh the opportunities, risks, and alternatives associated with civil society’s use of AI from strategic, economic, and ethical perspectives.
Introductory AI Workshop / Link to the preparatory course
Preparation for the Workshop “Rage Against the Machine Learning?”—AI Between Myth and Fable
In the workshop, we’ll apply what we learned from the keynote to your own practice and discuss possible next steps.
Our e-learning module on basic AI skills will help you get started. We recommend completing it beforehand (duration: approx. 2 hours): Basic AI Skills for the Common Good(Opens in a new tab)
Your commitment counts. The platform for your commitment
"Our aim with the "Dein Engagement" platform is to address students as potential volunteers and to create low-threshold access to volunteering opportunities in Dortmund."