Founded in June 2024, RE-CARE is a young research collaboration exploring the intersections of crises, health, and technology. We see crises as both acute and enduring phenomena, embedded in social contexts shaped by culture and history. To explore their impacts and technological possibilities, we focus our interdisciplinary exchanges on five key areas.
Theoretical Approaches to Crises and Technologies
Theories provide valuable insights that broaden our understanding of crises, highlighting their social and cultural dimensions. One of the RE-CARE network’s central aims is to foster interdisciplinary dialogue on theoretical approaches that investigate the role and potential of technologies in various crises. Through this exchange, we seek to explore how technologies and crises influence individual experiences and how people respond to new technological developments. In addition, we aim to examine the underlying logics of both crises and technologies, acknowledging the distinct cultural histories of technology and crisis in Japan and Germany.
Recent publications
- Bartl G (2024) Social and Ethical Implications of Digital Crisis Technologies: Case Study of Pandemic Simulation Models During the COVID-19 Pandemic. In: Journal of Medical Internet Research 26:e45723. DOI: 10.2196/45723
- Bartl G (2023) Governance between ignorance and evidence. TA in the context of pandemic crisis management. In: Journal for Technology Assessment in Theory and Practice 32(2). DOI: 10.14512/tatup.32.2.30
- Haltaufderheide J, Krämer D, D’Angelo I, Brachem E, Vollmann J (2023) Solidarity as an Empirial-Ethical Framework for the Analysis of Contact Tracing Apps – A Novell Approach. Philosophy & Technology 36(44). DOI: 10.1007/s13347-023-00648-1
- Bohlmann M (2022) Technologien der Krise im Distanzunterricht. Perspektiven der Critical Theory of Technology und Postphenomenology. In: Krämer D, Haltaufderheide J, Vollmann J (Eds.): Technologien der Krise. Die Covid-19-Pandemie als Katalysator neuer Formen der Vernetzung. Bielefeld: transcript, pp 21-44. DOI: 10.14361/9783839459249
- Brucksch S, Wiggert K (2021) Theoretical Reflections on Medical Devices and the Sociocultural Context in the Locale of Japan. In: Brucksch S, Sasaki K (Eds.): Humans and Devices in Medical Contexts. Case Studies from Japan. Basingstoke, Palgrave, pp 21-51. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-33-6280-2_2
Emerging Technologies
Technology has an inherently dual nature, capable of both mitigating and exacerbating crises. Rapid advancements in AI, the expanding use of drones for reconnaissance and medical supply delivery, and the growing presence of autonomous and interactive machines are driving a significant wave of technological transformation. Our aim is to critically examine these developments, investigate their specific fields of application and evaluate the potential of these technologies to strengthen both individual and societal resilience.
Recent publications
- Bohlmann M, Wilmer M (2025) Equipping Tablets. An In-Depth Interview Study on Technology Relations of Early Adopters in German Schools. In: Bohlmann M, Breil P (Eds.) Postphenomenology and Technologies within Educational Settings. Lexington Books, pp. 85-104.
- Haltaufderheide J, Ranisch R (2025) Rapid integration of LLMs in Healthcare Raises Ethical Concerns: An Investigation into Deceptive Patterns in Social Robots. In: Digital Society 4(7). DOI: 10.1007/s44206-025-00161-2.
- Haltaufderheide J, Ranisch R (2024) The ethics of ChatGPT in medicine and healthcare: A systematic review on Large Language Models (LLMs). In: Npj Digital Medicine 7(183). DOI: 10.1038/s41746-024-01157-x
- Müller R, Ranisch R et al (2024) “That’s just Future Medicine”—A qualitative study on users’ experiences of symptom checker apps. In: BMC Medical Ethics 25(17). DOI: 10.1186/s12910-024-01011-5
- Krämer D, Haltaufderheide J, Vollmann J (2023) The Present and Future of Pandemic Technologies (Special Issue). In: Journal of medical Internet research.
- Krämer D, Brachem E, Schneider-Reuter L, D’Angelo I, Vollmann J, Haltaufderheide J (2023) Smartphone Apps for Containing the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany: Qualitative Interview Study with Experts Based on Grounded Theory. In: Journal of medical Internet research 25:e45549. DOI: 10.2196/45549
- Bushuven S, Ranisch R et al. (2023) “ChatGPT, Can You Help Me Save My Child’s Life?”—Diagnostic Accuracy and Supportive Capabilities to Lay Rescuers by ChatGPT in Prehospital Basic Life Support and Paediatric Advanced Life Support Cases – An In-silico Analysis. In: Journal of Medical Systems 47(123). DOI: 10.1007/s10916-023-02019-x
- Brucksch S (2020) Sustaining Healthcare in Japan’s Regions: The Introduction of Telehealth Networks. In: Manzenreiter W, Lützeler R, Polak-Rottmann S (Eds.): Japan’s New Ruralities: Coping with Decline in the Periphery. London: Routledge.
Gender in Crises
Crises not only introduce new gender-specific challenges but also intensify pre-existing inequalities. Worldwide, women and girls are disproportionately affected by poverty, violence, and limited access to healthcare and education, exacerbating their vulnerability in times of crisis. They often bear primary responsibility for caregiving and household management. Meanwhile, men are frequently expected to engage in armed conflicts, often leaving their families behind and, in the most tragic cases, sacrificing their lives. Our objective is to examine these dynamics through a transcultural gender lens, highlighting both divergences and commonalities.
Recent publications
- Zwar L, König HH, Hajek A (2023) Gender Differences in Mental Health, Quality of Life, and Caregiver Burden among Informal Caregivers during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany: A Representative, Population-Based Study. In: Gerontology 69(2):149-162. DOI: 10.1159/000523846
Psychosocial Impact of Crises
In crisis scenarios such as pandemics, famines, wars, and earthquakes, individuals encounter various emotional challenges, including fear, grief, loneliness, and stress. These conditions can destabilize the social fabric, leading to increased aggression, isolation, and stigmatization. At the same time, the availability of support services, consistent communication, opportunities for physical activity, and robust social networks can foster and reinforce resilience. This research area focuses on the psychosocial dimensions of crises and investigates how technology can enhance resilience at both individual and collective levels.
Recent publications
- Kohake K, Henning L, Dahl S, Neuber N, Dreiskämper D (2024) Associations between Physical Activity and Health-Related Factors in Childhood and Adolescence During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review. Journal of Sport Science (forthcoming).
- Dreiskämper D, Burrmann U, Kehne M, Neuber N, Rulofs B, Süßenbach J, Voigts G, Henning L (2023) Sport und mentale Gesundheit von Kindern und Jugendlichen – Ausgewählte Ergebnisse aus dem Move For Health Projekt. DOSB.
- Wettstein M, Nowossadeck S, Vogel C (2022) Well-Being Trajectories of Middle-Aged and Older Adults and the Corona Pandemic: No “COVID-19 Effect” on Life Satisfaction, But Increase in Depressive Symptoms. In: Psychology and Aging 37(2):175–189. DOI: 10.1037/pag0000664
- Wahl HW, Wettstein M, Tseng HY, Schlomann A, Schmidt L, Diehl M (2022) Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Older Adults’ Personal and General Views on Aging? Evidence for Losses and Gains. In: Developmental Psychology 58(6):1188–1205. DOI: 10.1037/dev0001348
- Wettstein M, Wahl HW, Schlomann A (2022) The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Trajectories of Well-Being of Middle-Aged and older Adults: A Multidimensional and Multidirectional Perspective. In: Journal of Happiness Studies 23:3577-3604. DOI: 10.1007/s10902-022-00552-z
- Wettstein M, Spuling SM, Wünsche J, Henning G (2023) Middle-Aged and Older Adults’ Psychosocial Functioning Trajectories Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence for Multidirectional Trends. In: Psychology and Aging. Advanced online publication 38(7):627-643. DOI: 10.1037/pag0000760
- Hajek A et al. (2022) Depression and anxiety in later COVID-19 waves across Europe: New evidence from the European COvid Survey (ECOS). Psychiatry Res. 2022 Nov;317:114902,. DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114902
Impact of Crises on Society and Healthcare
During economic, political, or health crises, social inequalities often become more pronounced. Low-income and marginalized populations are disproportionately affected, as they typically have limited access to resources and consequently experience the most severe repercussions. In the health sector, crises frequently overburden infrastructure due to an intensified demand for medical services, while shortages of personnel and equipment can exacerbate these pressures and compromise the quality of care. Simultaneously, crises can spur innovation and reform, necessitating new solutions to address emerging challenges. This research area aims to investigate the complex developments associated with such crises.
Recent publications
- Bartl G et al. (2024) Rethinking Governance in Times of Multiple Crises. 2023 (5), pp.36, 2024. ffhalshs-04881691f Online: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-04881691v1/document
- Krämer D et al. (2024) The Role of Transparency in Digital Contact Tracing during COVID-19: Insights from an Expert Survey. In: Health Care Analysis 2024. DOI: 10.1007/s10728-024-00485-z
- Ehlen S, Henning L, Rehaag R, Dreiskämper D (2023) Kindergesundheit in sozioökonomisch benachteiligten Stadtquartieren–eine Strukturgleichungsmodellierung. In: Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung 18:576-588 (2023). DOI: 10.1007/s11553-022-00992-8
- Hajek A et al. (2023) Neighbourhood cohesion, loneliness and perceived social isolation prior and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Longitudinal evidence from the German Ageing Survey. In: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2023 Sep;58(9):1411-1420. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-023-02447-7.
This project is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The information contained on this website does not necessarily reflect the official position of the DFG.