"Power vs. violence" – Discussion about the role of journalism
The Hannah Arendt Days 2025 are dedicated to the mechanisms of abuse of power and the consequences of a public sphere that has lost its balance.
On October 10, heise is hosting a panel discussion at its headquarters on fake news, fact checks, and the responsibility of the media in the digital society—and is thus hosting the Hannah Arendt Days for the fifth time. heise online is a partner of the event series. Under the motto “Power vs. Violence,” this year's HAT is dedicated to the mechanisms of abuse of power and the consequences of an unbalanced public sphere.
Moderator Milena Neumes expects “an open discussion with various impulses on how journalism can reassert its democratic role in times of social media, fake news, and a digital society.”
The guests include renowned journalists and media researchers. Dr. Justus von Daniels, Editor-in-Chief of the CORRECTIV research center, says: “Hannah Arendt's Vita activa made an early impression on me—especially her idea of how dialogue can arise from research.” Ann-Katrin Müller, political editor at SPIEGEL's capital city office, emphasizes: “Arendt was an excellent analyst of the causes of totalitarian systems. We can learn from her that the loss of empathy is the harbinger of barbarism.” Dr. Pablo Jost, communication scientist at the University of Mainz, adds: “I associate Arendt with the insight that democracy thrives on a lively public sphere—and is threatened where people retreat into fear or thoughtlessness.”
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For Beate Gerold, Managing Director of heise medien, the evening shows how closely Arendt's thinking is linked to the challenges of our time: “The digital transformation presents journalism with enormous tasks. We have to find ways to ensure quality and fact-checking in a world in which anyone can become an information disseminator.”
With this discussion, heise is continuing its long-standing support of the Hannah Arendt Days—a commitment that reminds us of how topical Hannah Arendt's call to take responsibility and include the perspectives of others remains.
The program includes a whole week of readings, lectures, and debates. All events of the Hannah Arendt Days 2025 are open to the public but require prior registration. The full program is available online. The event series is sponsored by the Volkswagen Foundation and heise online.
(kbe)
