Elisabeth Schauermann – Austria

Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz

Elisabeth Schauermann – Austria
Elisabeth Schauermann – Austria

Academic background: In 2013 I completed the bachelor program Transcultural Communication at KFU Graz. The topic of my thesis was how Russian state media portrayed power structures and morality in reports about Pussy Riot. Thereafter, I started the master program Global Studies at KFU Graz. My emphasis is on Human Rights, international law and environmental aspects of globalization. I am currently writing my master?s thesis on the freedoms of expression and assembly on the internet and legal restrictions thereof. In the course of my studies I had internships in Austria, Russia (2012) and Lithuania (2015), and studied abroad in Georgia (2015/16).

Please explain why you are interested to participate at the Euro-SSIG:
As stated above, I am in the process of writing my thesis in the field of Internet Governance, more specifically, on the exercise of freedom of expression and assembly online, which benefits from the Internet’s openness but also becomes more vulnerable as surveillance increases. The decision for this topic was reached during the most recent (and at the same time first) national Internet Governance Forum in Tbilisi, Georgia, that took place in December 2015. I could participate thanks to my now supervising professor, Wolfgang Benedek. I have developed a special interest in new media and its influence on society and legal systems. During IGF Georgia I had the chance to learn a lot about multi-stakeholder processes that shape, develop, but also endanger democracy on the Internet. Being a part of Euro-SSIG 2016 would be a great opportunity to broaden my knowledge in Internet Governance and to get new input from other participants who are active in different fields and therefore contribute diversified insights. At the same time, I believe that I could become a vital part of Euro-SSIG 2016 and I am excited to share my knowledge and findings with people who are as passionate about the topic as me.