Neighborly utopias –
how do we create cohesion online and offline?
What role do social media play in exchanges between neighbors, and what are the consequences of digital networking in neighborhoods? Prof. Dr. Jan Üblacker (TH Würzburg-Schweinfurt) will discuss these and many other topics at the first Knowledge Roundtable in 2026.
Event has already taken place
19.
February
2026
19. February 2026 – 19. February 2026
18:00 – 19:00
Querenburg Public Library, Querenburger Höhe 270, 44801 Bochum
Free
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Jan Üblacker (TH Würzburg-Schweinfurt, until 2025: EBZ Business School)
Social media has long been part of our everyday lives. This is also true in our neighborhoods. We use WhatsApp neighborhood groups, Facebook neighborhood pages, and other local platforms to exchange information, organize help, and discuss with (or about) our neighbors.
In his lecture, Prof. Dr. Jan Üblacker highlights how social media complements local contacts and facilitates mutual support. As an urban sociologist, he also raises the question of whether digital networking works equally well for everyone or whether it leads to (new) social inequalities.
This event is part of the lecture series “Wissensrunde Utopien” (Knowledge Roundtable Utopias) organized by vhs, the city library, and UniverCity Bochum e.V. on the way to the House of Knowledge.
Registration facilitates planning but is not required for participation.
Knowledge roundtable on utopias: How do we want to live in the future?
The event is part of our event series: Wissensrunde! In order to address current topics, UniverCity
Bochum e.V., vhs Bochum, and the city library have launched the “Wissensrunde” event series. Almost every month,
people from the Bochum scientific community are invited to give insights into their research and engage in conversation with the audience.
In 2026, the answer is: utopias! How do we want to live in the future? Between the climate crisis, AI, and challenges to democracy and cohesion, this question is becoming increasingly urgent. Utopian visions of the future often seem further away than ever before. That’s exactly what we want to change with our lecture series Knowledge Roundtable Utopias!
UCBO_Wissensrunde-2026_1_web_min.pdf
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