Introduction
What's the hashtag for this revolution?
From solidarity to occupy, we're seeing the power of Internet-enabled political action all around us. Individuals can organize quickly, they can unify around ideas, they can find and spread information (and misinformation) with lightning speed. It's obvious that virtual platforms can have real-world impact, from the Maghreb to Main Street / Benghazi to Boston / Syria to Wall Street (pick whatever you like best). The use of Internet-based tools as catalysts for political activism is well-established, and its momentum is growing. How can we use these new forces in our global society to productively address the chronic problems of humanity? What are the limitations of these tools and movements? How can these new tools be used by decision-makers and others to cope with our future challenges? Where do the Internet and "real world" communities intersect, sharing real concern about the same issues? And how does this look in countries outside of Europe?
Special guest:
Prof. Franz Josef Radermacher
Prof. Dr. Dr. Franz Josef Radermacher is the head of the Research Institute for Application-oriented Knowledge Processing in Ulm, Germany. He is also president of the Economic Senate e.V. (Bonn), vice president of Eco-Social Forum Europe (Vienna) and a member of the Club of Rome.
For a longer biography (in German), please click here.
