Visibility, Access, Power: Why research data infrastructure matters

We live in an age where data seems to be everywhere. As citizens
and consumers we leave data traces, as scientists we have more and
more data to analyse. At the same time, access to data is becoming
more restricted. While authoritarian countries rely on data for
surveillance, they are also making it harder for outsiders to
access data in and about their countries. Not to mention that data,
especially false data can be used as a tool for propaganda. But
there is hope: research data infrastructure can help to connect,
interpret and contextualise data and even make available local
information that contradicts the narratives of authoritarian state
propaganda. Kerstin Bischl speaks with Felix Herrmann from Discuss
Data and Ivaylo Dinev from the KonKoop Datalab about objectives,
chances and challenges that come with researching Eastern Europe
and Central Asia.