How can science and society engage in dialogue? The Days of Democracy, held from June 23 to 28, 2026, provided the perfect setting for just that. Together with TRIANGEL Transfer | Culture | Space, the KIT Humans and Technology Center (MuT) organized a diverse program that sparked thought, encouraged dialogue, and demonstrated how democracy can be lived out in everyday life.

A key feature of the program was the daily MuT2Go lunchtime talks. In the compact format of “Coffee Lectures,” they addressed a wide range of facets of democracy: from the search for a final repository as a democratic process (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Smeddinck) to academic freedom (Oliver Häußler) and international news on democracy (Christian Röwekamp), as well as values in science communication (Dr. des. Anna Rifat Klassen) and navigating digital spaces (Dr. Dana Mahr). You can read all past MuT2Go posts here.

To coincide with the first lecture, the exhibition “Who Decides These Things? Final Repositories and Democracy” was opened. It was developed in collaboration between MuT, the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), the Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal at KIT, and Kerntechnische Entsorgung Karlsruhe GmbH (KTE). From Thursday through Saturday, the exhibition “… Tell Me—Trust in Science” also complemented the program. It was organized by ITAS as part of the EU research project IANUS: Inspiring and Anchoring Trust in Science.

During the “How are you, Democracy?” conference, participants and interested visitors used Christian Röwekamp’s MuT2Go for an in-depth exchange: They discussed the effects of polarizing reporting and how the Democracy News Alliance (DNA) is finding ways to counteract this. You can also watch the entire MuT2Go session in the video.

MuT Topic Announcement

Attendees raised a glass – whether with sparkling wine, non-alcoholic, or otherwise – to celebrate the new MuT Topic, “Resilient and Digital Democracy.” Well into the late evening, interested guests had the opportunity to learn about the new research topic and engage directly with the center’s speakers. Link

A Sandwich for Everyone

The scientific and entertaining finale on Friday evening was the LATE-NIGHT SHOW “Stulle – Scientifically Proven.” Together with his guests, the host put together a “scientific Stulle” – filled with ideas, perspectives, and anecdotes that they tailored for the audience. MuT spokesperson Christof Weinhardt provided a special chuckle when he mentioned that in his hometown, a sandwich is also called a “Brötlich.”

Hot days, hot nights – democracy is also about solidarity

🔥Despite record-breaking summer temperatures, we were delighted by the many visitors and the numerous in-depth conversations. Especially at a time when societal challenges are becoming increasingly complex, democracy needs spaces for exchange – places where people listen, discuss, and reflect together. A heartfelt thank you to all the participants and guests who enriched these days with their questions, perspectives, and contributions! 🙏🌏