Krisen-Dialog-Zukunft: Our project

© KDZ

How can effective dialog be established in times of crisis?

Our purpose

Time and again, there are strained and blocked decision-making processes that weaken social cohesion and where finding solutions to problems stagnates. For this reason, innovative methods are needed to transform conflicts into solutions. Dialogs between political leaders and citizens are the central means for this. The Chair of Political Systems and Comparative Politics at TU Dresden and Aktion Zivilcourage e.V. Pirna are cooperating in the "Crisis-Dialogue-Future" project for the first systematic impact research on conflict dialogues.

In the first funding period of the project (BMBF), we also worked together with the Department of Social Work at Münster University of Applied Sciences.

Our research agenda

Extensive data material is collected, primarily by means of (partially) standardized expert interviews, group discussions and participant surveys. Individual cases will be analyzed and compared in depth. The differences between East and West Germany are of particular interest. Depending on the empirical Advisor, appropriate methods of content analysis as well as object-based theory building are used. Theoretically, the research is based on ethnomethodology and social science discourse analysis.

Utilization of the findings

At the same time, the project partners are jointly developing existing dialog formats, combining their instruments in new ways and developing innovative methods of conflict communication. By combining several tried-and-tested partners, the research alliance unites preventative approaches with those aimed at acute problem-solving. As part of this, political leaders, multipliers and citizens are trained to constructively shape the pluralistic, democratic basic consensus of our society, even in times of crisis.

Funding

© RBSt

The project was funded for three years, starting on 1 May 2021, by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and since 1 October 2021 by the Demokratiezentrum Sachsen as part of the federal program "Demokratie leben!". The funding amount goes proportionally to the TUD Dresden University of Technology and Aktion Zivilcourage.

© BMBF

The first project phase 2018-2021 was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the "Social cohesion in times of crisis and upheaval" call for proposals. Here you can find the final report on the first project phase.