Digitalisation and the Global South

The digital transformation underway globally is changing how we live and work, as well as how states relate to each other. Our researchers analyse related opportunities and challenges in the Global South as well as emerging instruments of foreign policy, such as digital diplomacy and cyber sanctions.

Digitalisation and the Global South

  • Policy Paper | 07/2024

    Regulation or Repression?: Government Influence on Political Content Moderation in India and Thailand

    Governments and tech companies worldwide periodically clash over what content is acceptable to post online and who gets to decide. As states exert legal, economic, and political pressure on social media platforms and users to control online conversations, the platforms frequently seek to push back.


    Research Project | 01/02/2024 - 31/12/2025

    Digital Transformation Lab (DigiTraL), Phase II: Digitalisation as Chance for Cooperation with Global Partners

    GIGA‘s Digital Transformation Lab (DigiTraL), funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, analyses the political drivers and real-world consequences of the digital transformation taking place around the world. The Global South in particular is an important actor in and shaper of this transformation.
    FFO, 2024-2025

    Research Project | 01/01/2021 - 31/01/2024

    Digital Transformation Lab (DigiTraL): Digital Diplomacy and Statecraft

    The Digital Transformation Lab (DigiTraL) is funded by the Federal Foreign Office. Its first phase “Digital Diplomacy and Statecraft” focuses on how digitalisation offers new opportunities, challenges, and instruments for foreign policy. It will identify the options and (security) threats of digitalisation to develop timely responses of (digital) diplomacy.
    FFO, 2021-2024

    Research Project | 01/03/2019 - 01/12/2023

    Mediating Islam in the Digital Age (MIDA), Work Package "Contested Authority and Knowledge Production"

    Work Package 4 ‘Contested Authority and Knowledge Production’ deals with the construction and transformation of religious authority and religious knowledge production in changing circumstances. It addresses questions of legitimacy, power and discipline. The Work Package is part of the Marie Curie Initial Training Network ‘Mediating Islam in the Digital Age’ (MIDA), coordinated by the ‘Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique’ (CNRS).
    EC. Horizon 2020, 2019-2023

    Mayte Penelas

    Gerard Wiegers

    Ahmet Alibasic

    Albrecht Fuess

    Konrad Hirschler

    Montaser Marai

    Mifjam Shatanawi


    Policy Paper | 07/2024

    Regulation or Repression?: Government Influence on Political Content Moderation in India and Thailand

    Governments and tech companies worldwide periodically clash over what content is acceptable to post online and who gets to decide. As states exert legal, economic, and political pressure on social media platforms and users to control online conversations, the platforms frequently seek to push back.

    GIGA Focus Global | 1/2024

    Repression by Legal Means: Governments’ Anti-Fake News Lawfare

    Anti-fake news lawfare is deepening government control over civil society, undermining information integrity and civil society’s democratic rights. Patterns to this legal repression and related pushback strategies in South and Southeast Asia are examined, as the forerunners of global developments.

    GIGA Focus Africa | 1/2024

    Ten Things to Watch in Africa in 2024

    Democracy will remain strained in Africa, with crucial elections in 2024. Conflict risks may arise alongside the further waning of Western influence. Economic growth will continue, but also structural socio-economic challenges too. Western policymakers should address migration and decarbonisation.

    Video Forum Wissenschaftskooperation China Indien
    Video Forum Wissenschaftskooperation China Indien

    GIGA Forum | 26/06/2024

    Scientific Cooperation with China and India: Opportunities and Challenges for German Research Institutions

    China and India are among Germany’s most important partners when it comes to scientific and technological cooperation with Asia. This discussion outlines the similarities and differences between the two Asian countries, decisive for our assessment of the opportunities and risks regarding cooperation with them.

    Workshop | 03/06/2024

    Capacity-Building Workshop on Anti-Fake News Lawfare, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 3 June 2024

    The interactive sessions of this workshop focused on knowledge sharing, discussions on cross-regional trends and collaboration, and strategies for countering anti-fake news lawfare.

    Workshop | 23/05/2024

    Capacity-Building Workshop on Anti-Fake News Lawfare, Penang, Malaysia, 23 May 2024

    At this workshop, participants discussed patterns and trends of anti-fake news laws, digital/social media platforms and anti-fake news measures, ways of regulating mis/disinformation, and civil society pushback strategies.

    Federal Foreign Office | 25/04/2024

    DigiTraL Roundtable

    Organiser: Federal Foreign Office Dr. Iris Wieczorek (Organiser)

    The roundtable provides an opportunity to discuss three GIGA studies currently in preparation on Asia, the Gulf region, and Africa. It is part of the project Digital Transformation Lab (DigiTraL), Phase II: Digitalisation as Chance for Cooperation with Global Partners.

    President (ad interim)

    Prof. Dr. Sabine Kurtenbach is President (ad interim) of the GIGA.

    Prof. Dr. Sabine Kurtenbach

    Regional Institutes

    Africa|Asia|Latin America|Middle East

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