Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISIIncreasing Resilience in Surveillance Societies (IRISS)
IRISS will reconstruct the spread of surveillance systems and technologies in public and private sectors from the perspective of their impact on the fabric of democratic society. The project will focus on the observable effects and everyday understanding of surveillance in contemporary Europe, analysing differences within and between individual societies and matching the observable effects against the situation in other parts of the world.
The project will pursue a strategy of in-depth analysis of a broad range of carefully selected cases, applying a mix of methods to produce a comprehensive account of the effects that surveillance can have on public discourse, perceived security and citizens' fears. IRISS will analyse citizens' interpretations with regards to the effects they can have on different policies in the fight against crime and terrorism.
This empirical research will inform an analysis designed to explore options for increasing social, economic and institutional resilience. IRISS will produce a comprehensive account of resilience options, focussing on strenghening democratic processes and public discourse about appropriate reactions towards threats against open democratic societies.
Stakeholder engagement is key to the success of IRISS and the consortium will involve stakeholders in expert workshops, an international adisory board as well as by other direct contacts.