Two postdocs from our research network "Coping with Affective Polarization" were shortlisted for the German Study Prize by the Körber Foundation: Clara van den Berg and Larissa Knöchelmann each submitted an essay about their dissertation projects to the foundation for the €25,000 research prize. Their work paid off—they were invited by the foundation from among 687 applicants and were able to present their work together with eight other doctoral candidates.

Clara van den Berg submitted an essay on her doctoral thesis at the Department of Political and Social Sciences at FU Berlin on "What remains after the crisis? How volunteer communities emerge and remain sustainable."

Larissa Knöchelmann wrote about her doctoral thesis at the Department of Psychology at Philipps-Universität Marburg on "Democracy needs Humility: How acknowledging gaps in knowledge can help overcome political divisions."

This is a brief summary of Larissa's essay: Mandatory coronavirus vaccination, immigration, gender-neutral language—some political issues cause tension in society. How can constructive dialogue on such controversial issues be achieved? A promising approach lies in recognizing the limits of one's own knowledge—intellectual humility. Correlational and experimental studies with over 3,800 participants showed that intellectual humility is important for both conversation partners in order for people in Germany to approach each other and be open to other points of view. It can therefore serve as a basis for political exchange on an equal footing despite ideological differences. At the same time, my research shows that although it is difficult, it is possible to promote intellectual humility in short training sessions. This opens up promising opportunities for political education programs to strengthen democratic discourse and overcome social divisions.

Click here for the entire essay by Larissa Knöchelmann.

Here you can find more information about the German Thesis Award.