Virtual Colloquium: Digital Colonialism — The Dark Side of Fortschritt

In this colloquium, we will explore procedures of data extraction, neo-colonialism and power struggles related to the digital Fortschritt. Scholars, artists and activists are invited to engage in the discourse on the material side of the cloud, on invisible labor, and the re-invention of colonial practices towards the global south. 

We will visit the exhibition „Poetics of Encryption“ in the KW Berlin, hear different, international speakers with their views and insights, and engage in our own practical experiments.

Co-chairs: Prof. Dr. Gesche Joost and Žarko Dumičić

Start date: 25.04.2024 on Zoom

Time: 09:30 – 11:00 a.m. (CEST/MESZ) on Thursdays

Venue: Zoom (online classes) & Berlin Open Lab at UdK (physical classes)

The Zoom link to join, which will be the same for all online sessions: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82954605489?pwd=VP3XBDzVogeuQtLWaXbWEFpm9ObxiQ.1
Meeting-ID: 829 5460 5489
Kenncode: 079532

If you would like to join, please send an email to Žarko Dumičić (Zarko Dumicic) at  to receive weekly emails about the sessions.

Details of the Virtual Colloquium Format:

Virtual Colloquium is organized at the Berlin University of the Arts. As part of the Colloquium, we invite international speakers from the fields of design, art, activism and science to explore together a respective semester topic. Typically, the guest are asked to prepare a lecture connected to the semester’s theme. Following the lecture, which can also contain interactive elements, we continue with a discussion and Q&A with the students.

Each session is then reflected upon by a group of students, with them presenting their reflections at the beginning of the next session. Since the format is communicated openly, in addition to the students, guests and other interested parties are also invited to join the colloquium.

The Virtual Colloquium this semester will be organized in a hybrid mode – in addition to online lectures on Zoom, it will also include practical design work as part of physical classes at the Berlin Open Lab on the UdK Einsteinufer campus in Berlin, with students developing their own designs and prototypes that reflect on semester themes.

Schedule this semester: