Skip to content
Sign language Easy Read
DE EN

© AdobeStock/kasto

Humanities and social sciences

New technologies have a profound effect on society, which is why we give social research the same priority as technological research. The humanities and social sciences are essential in tackling social challenges by providing historical and contemporary knowledge for guidance and action and feeding this into social and political discourse. This is especially relevant in addressing current internal and external threats to democratic societies, such as anti-democratic and inhumane ideologies and attitudes, particularly antisemitism. It is also important to monitor from the outset how new technologies affect the organisation and performance of the welfare state, so that social policy needs can be identified early and the necessary measures developed accordingly. At the same time, the humanities and social sciences play a key role in shaping a responsible, human-centred approach to new technologies by analysing their ethical, social, economic and political challenges and opportunities and by examining the conditions for successfully fostering a society that is open to innovation. After all, innovations in key technologies must always be viewed in terms of their social significance. One of the aims is to record changes in human-machine interaction and to document and understand the evolving role of humans in increasingly automated decision-making processes and their effects. At the same time, technological developments are also affecting the humanities and social sciences, fundamentally transforming these disciplines in some cases. The digital transformation of the humanities and social sciences has accelerated. Across the full breadth of the humanities, cultural and social sciences – not only in the digital humanities – new methods and research questions are being advanced through computer-aided processes, for example, in linguistics and cultural heritage research. In the social sciences, these methods can provide new quality and scope to the analysis of social structures, new depth to the understanding of social developments and also help to anticipate social trends. To achieve this, the necessary data skills must also be enhanced within the humanities and social sciences. 

Selected technology-driven projects

  • We are strengthening the humanities and social sciences in a new framework programme to be published in Q1/2026. The knowledge of the humanities and social sciences underpins the protection of the fundamental values of our free and democratic society in times of multiple challenges, helps keep society adaptable and supports and shapes technological innovations, especially in artificial intelligence. 

  • We specifically support the expansion of data skills and infrastructures in the humanities and social sciences, enabling existing data resources to be used for new research questions. This includes creating a data infrastructure for combating extremism from 2026, establishing an academy centre for digital lexicography from 2027 and setting up a European research data infrastructure for comparative democracy research (MEDem). 

  • Under the empirical educational research framework programme, we are generating new knowledge to support a future-oriented education system that equips people with the skills needed to successfully navigate social change and tackle related current and future challenges, such as the digital and socio-ecological transformation. Education is key to advancing research and innovation and to ensuring the long-term development and responsible use of key technologies. 

  • We are strengthening the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society. We place people at the centre of research and innovation in the digital transformation and support the widespread integration of key technologies into society by enhancing understanding of how they interact with social, cultural and political structures. 

  • Other successfully established competence structures in key technologies will also be strengthened, such as the AI and data accelerator KIDA in the agrifood system. 

  • We are strengthening social policy research by funding a centre to monitor the social impact of major societal trends and the effects of new technologies on work, civil society and social security systems. The centre will also help translate these developments into necessary welfare state adjustments. In this way, we are laying the scientific foundations for the sustainable, independent and effective development of the welfare state in a changing society.