The profile area examines how public negotiation processes - from popularity rankings to populist movements - shape and challenge the social, political and cultural order. Whether in political debates, media discourses or institutional structures, who gains influence and which values dominate is part of a complex interplay of social dynamics. The profile area analyzes these mechanisms and their interactions with institutions, particularly against the background of global interdependencies and mobility processes.

By combining literary, cultural and social science perspectives, the profile area offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of contemporary society. The aim is to make the structures, mechanisms and conflict potentials of public negotiation processes visible - and thus contribute to a better understanding of social transformation processes.