The idea of the research incubator is to bring together experts in computational social sciences (CSS), experts on a specific research topic, and junior researchers within  summer schools to advance future research using data-driven modeling approaches. The first three schools are about the multiple linkages between social cohesion, migration, and conflicts. As the current refugee crisis illustrates, migration, voluntary or forced, has the potential to destabilize social cohesion in core states of Europe, generating conflicts within a society, while at the same time successful integration requires a strong and supportive network of citizens sharing values and ideas.

The three summer schools focus on one research topic each:

• The CSS summer school on conflict took place 2018 at Jacobs University Bremen (Germany).
• The CSS summer school on migration took place in 2019 in Sardinia (Italy).
• The CSS summer school on social cohesion took place in 2022 in Groningen (Netherlands).
• The CSS summer school on the democratic debate took place in 2023 in Bremen (Germany).

Within each summer school, junior researchers team up with senior experts to work through the whole research process on one specific research topic. Their aim is to prepare a manuscript for scientific publication. Within each team, one expert has a strong methodological expertise in computational social sciences (CSS) and the other a strong topical expertise. The goal is to train the 24 participating junior researchers in CSS methods and to give them hands-on expertise in a cutting-edge research project on conflicts using CSS methods.

Research Incubator

The summer schools are generously financed by the Volkswagen Foundation as part of its program International Research in Computational Social Sciences.