The establishment of the German Data Institute, which is part of the 2021 coalition agreement, is intended to promote data availability and standardisation and establish data trustee models and licences. The new institution is positioned in a data landscape that is characterised by social and technological upheaval and the establishment of the NFDI. Precisely because the institutional landscape is developing rapidly, the ad hoc project is analysing the political and social framework conditions and decision-making processes that led to the founding of the German Data Institute (DDI). Under the direction of Prof. Dr Isabelle Borucki from the Philipps University of Marburg, two Master’s graduates are working on this one-year project, which begins on 1 September 2024.
Methodologically, the project relies on integrated multi-method approaches, including the analysis of political documents, semi-structured interviews with key actors from politics, administration, business and civil society as well as network analyses to investigate cooperation between the parties involved. These approaches make it possible to understand the formal and informal regulations and dynamics of political decision-making processes and obtain a comprehensive picture of the network structures. The collected data will then be analysed using process tracing to identify causal chains and mechanisms within the decision-making process.
The project aims to scientifically analyse the policy process and establish a cartographic, website-based visualisation of data governance in the area of data infrastructure and data economy around the Data Institute. In addition, talks at scientific conferences, workshops, and publications are planned to disseminate the project results. An interactive dashboard, blog posts, and podcasts with stakeholders will support science communication and knowledge transfer and promote engagement with the broader public.
Project responsibility
Prof. Dr. Isabelle Borucki, Philipps-Universität Marburg | mehr Information
Research assistants
Marlon-Benedikt George, Philipps-Universität Marburg
Jan Borcherding, Philipps-Universität Marburg
