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ClaimSov at IAMCR 2026 in Galway
From June 28 to July 2, ClaimSov members presented their research at the 2026 conference of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR), hosted by the University of Galway under the theme « Peripheries and Connections: Media, Communication, and Transformation. » As part of a joint panel titled « Policy Imaginaries and Infrastructural Realities: Navigating Digital…
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Shaping Future Pathways for EU Digital Sovereignty: Policy Lab at the JRC
On June 10th, ClaimSov members Julia Pohle and Samuele Fratini took part in the Policy Lab on « Future Pathways for EU Digital Sovereignty, » organized by the JRC Digital and Data Sovereignty Unit (T4) in collaboration with the EU Policy Lab. The workshop brought together researchers and policymakers to discuss how the EU can strengthen its…
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Beyond the Buzzword: Marielle Düh on Digital Sovereignty
Digital sovereignty was arguably one of the most discussed topic at this year’s re:publica, yet for many, the term remains elusive. In an interview with WDR 5, Marielle-Sophie Düh, Fellow for International Digital Policy at the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs, researcher at the WZB and Hertie School and part of ClaimSov, breaks down why…
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re:publica 2026: Cut Me Loose – How the EU Can Achieve a Digital Liberation
At re:publica 2026, the panel « Cut me loose: Wie der EU der digitale Befreiungsschlag gelingt » (How the EU succeeds in its digital liberation) tackled one of the most pressing questions of our time: How can Europe break free from its deep-seated dependencies on global tech giants? Moderated by Daniel Leisegang (Co-Editor-in-Chief at netzpolitik.org), the discussion…
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re:publica 2026: Digital Sovereignty – The Bullshit Bingo
At this year’s re:publica, ClaimSov members Marielle Düh and Dr. Julia Pohle unpacked the term “digital sovereignty,” arguably one of the most hyped yet most misunderstood concepts in current digital policy. By conducting a « reality check » on five common myths, they reveal how the term is frequently used to justify contradictory political goals. Their talk…
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Switzerland by Design: The Co-Shaping of Secure Messaging and National Identity Among Geopolitical Controversies
In a new article published online in Geopolitics (Taylor & Francis, 2026), Samuele Fratini and Francesca Musiani (both CIS-CNRS) examine how Threema, the Swiss secure messaging platform, participates in the co-production of Swiss national identity amid rising digital geopolitics. Combining document analysis and semi-structured interviews, the authors show how Threema’s technical architecture, randomised user IDs,…
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Digital Sovereignty as a Geopolitical Strategy
In a new Science for Policy Brief from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), Samuele Fratini, Dr. Julia Pohle, Diletta Di Marco, Sara Thabit Gonzalez, and Gianluca Sgueo examine digital sovereignty as a geopolitical strategy for the EU in an era of weaponised interdependence and rising strategic competition over technological control. The brief develops…
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Exporting the “European Third Way”: Strategic Narratives for a Value-Based Digital Order
In a newly published article in European Politics and Society, Leo Thüer, Dr. Julia Pohle, Milan Schröder, and Alissa Steer (WZB Berlin Social Science Center) examine the European Commission’s strategic push to define a distinct « European Third Way » in the global digital landscape. This narrative serves as a normative alternative to the dominant digital models…
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Mastering Digital Sovereignty: Julia Pohle at SWING 2026
This April, the School on Internet Governance (SWING) 2026 convened in Bruges, Belgium, to tackle one of the most complex and fast-evolving concepts in modern tech policy: Digital Sovereignty. Hosted by the United Nations University (UNU-CRIS), the program brought together graduate students, ICT professionals, and policymakers to explore the intersection of geopolitics, economics, and fundamental…
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Alternative Internet(s): Breaking free from the dominant internet?
At a time when the mainstream internet is largely shaped by the centralisation of platforms, data extractivism and the concentration of technological power, this issue offers a critical and multifaceted perspective on attempts to break free from these constraints. It examines the true scope of this drive for emancipation: what does it actually mean to…
