As this newsletter’s exclusive interview, we asked Dennis Redeker, a lead of one of our content work packages, to tell us all a bit more about their work. Dennis, who day-to-day works at the University of Bremen, is leading a WP that’s focus area is defined as “Normative construction of technology governance”. What are they doing? Who’s involved? What do they want to achieve? Let Dennis tell you all about it below!
What are the themes of your work package, and what outputs are we looking to achieve – both big and small? Who are working with you, and what are their main contributions?
REMIT’s Work Package 3 on the “Normative Construction of Technology Governance” explores how the EU can shape multilateral global technology governance focusing on its core values and norms. At its heart, our work is about understanding the complex interplay of ideas, beliefs, and practices that determine how civilian and military technology is governed worldwide. We aim to capture and analyze the beliefs and values of diverse stakeholders: from EU policymakers and global civil society organizations to corporate actors and everyday citizens across twelve countries in the Global South and the European neighborhood. Our goal is ambitious yet clear: we want to map out the current normative landscape – using state of the art scientific research – and propose pathways for stronger European leadership in global technology governance.
As part of our work, we are producing comprehensive empirical research, including public opinion surveys, reviews of regulative approaches, extensive quantitative analyses of so-called Digital Bills of Rights, and interviews with various stakeholders in technology governance. Outputs of Work Package 3 range from detailed reports and scholarly articles and chapters to actionable policy recommendations, addressing everything from Internet governance to ethical AI regulation. In all this, collaboration is key. Researchers from Maastricht University, KU Leuven, the University of Tartu, Virtual Routes, the Finnish Institute for International Affairs (FIIA), and the University of Bremen engage in the activities of the Work Package. Each institution brings unique expertise – from legal analysis and empirical research to regional insights and stakeholder engagement – creating a rich, interdisciplinary approach to our work.
If and how has the ever-changing global politics changed the topics within your work package so far, and what do you foresee for the future?
The fluid and sometimes turbulent global political landscape significantly impacts our research, not only since the re-election of Donald Trump in the US. Ongoing geopolitical tensions, especially the rivalry with China and Russia’s increasingly authoritarian use of technology, underscore the urgency of the EU to act in global technology governance. However, particularly the changes in US rhetorics and practice In global tech policy now highlight Europe’s unique position in rule-based multilateralism and reinforced the need for strong, clearly articulated European norms in global technology governance.
In the past months, we witnessed emerging topics like digital sovereignty, privacy, and freedom of speech become more central to global debates. In addition, the increasing assertiveness of Global South actors has prompted us to reconsider and expand our analytical frameworks: what initially started as a three-paradigm analysis – focusing on the EU, US, and China – now recognizes a potential fourth paradigm, emphasizing developmental and inclusion-focused perspectives from the Global South. Looking ahead, we anticipate further complexities driven by technological advancements, rising inequalities, and persistent or even exacerbated geopolitical divisions. Obviously, Work Package 3 remains adaptive, prepared to incorporate these emerging realities into our research and recommendations.
What would, at the end of the 4 years of our project, the work of your WP look like for you to call it a complete success?
For us, complete success means having firmly established knowledge and recommendations that support the EU as a global normative leader in multilateral and multistakeholder technology governance. Success would be evident in a well-articulated and influential European voice actively shaping global conversations about norms-based digital governance and security. We envision a scenario where our research has tangibly informed EU policies and policy practices, where our insights are recognized and utilized by policymakers internationally, and where our (contributions to) scenario-testing workshops have led to meaningful dialogues and collaborations. Academically, success also means contributing significantly to scholarly debates through widely cited publications.