Developing Explanations Together

Algorithm-based approaches, such as machine learning, are becoming increasingly complex. This lack of transparency only makes it more difficult for human users to understand and accept the decisions proposed by artificial intelligence (AI). In the Transregional Collaborative Research Center 318 “Constructing Explainability”, researchers are developing ways to involve users in the explanation process and thus create co-constructive explanations. Therefore, the interdisciplinary research team investigates the principles, mechanisms, and social practices of explaining and how these can be taken into account in the design of AI systems. The goal of the project is to make explanatory processes comprehensible and to create understandable assistance systems.

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News

The new brochure is here! Its 72 pages present the research profile, current projects, and interviews with TRR members who provide insights into their work. The brochure is available in English.

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From left: Dr. Nils Klowait, Dr. Josephine Beryl Fisher, Dr. Fabian Fumagalli, Dr. Olesja Lammert, Dr. Jaroslaw Kornowicz, Dr. Stefan Lazarov

Topics range from economics and computer science to sociology and psycholinguistics. The first TRR 318 doctoral candidates have successfully completed their dissertations and provide insights into their research.

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Since July 2021, around 70 researchers from seven disciplines have been conducting research in 20 projects and six synthesis groups within the TRR 318. At the end of the first funding phase by the German Research Foundation (DFG), the TRR speakers take a look back and a look ahead.

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The current issue of the TRR 318 newsletter focuses on writing and publishing.

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Events

29.10.2025 - 29.10.2025

Activ­ity Af­ter­noon

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21.11.2025 - 21.11.2025

Writ­ing Day in Pader­born led by Dr. An­drea Karsten

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22.11.2025 - 22.11.2025

TRR 318 at GEN­IALE 2025

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More events

Projects

Projects

The areas of research included in TRR 318 are divided into three categories. These three areas in turn are subdivided into interdisciplinary subprojects. Project INF provides an overarching research structure; Project Ö facilitates public relations and outreach; Project Z addresses administrative, organizational, and financial matters; and the RTG Project provides a framework for educating doctoral and post-doctoral researchers.

Alle Projekte

Area A - Explaining

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Area B - Social practice

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Area C - Representing and computing explanations

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Intersecting projects

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Pub­lic­a­tions

All TRR 318 publications at a glance: specialist articles, conference papers, and conference abstracts.

Mem­bers

The co-construction of explanations is investigated by a total of 22 project leaders with about 40 research assistants from computer science, economics, linguistics, media science, philosophy, psychology and sociology at the Bielefeld and Paderborn universities.

Re­search Train­ing Group

Net­work­ing op­por­tun­it­ies

The Integrated Research Training Group structures the further education of PhD students and postdocs. We warmly invite external PhD students to express their interest in a visiting fellowship in our Collaborative Research Center!

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AI For­um

In­sights in­to the world of ar­ti­fi­cial in­tel­li­gence

The website offers a collection of information from research, contextualizes current trends, and provides the opportunity to pose questions to the researchers in TRR 318.

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Media

News­let­ter

Subscribe to our Newsletter to keep updated about research and recent events of TRR 318.

Speak­er

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Prof. Dr. Katharina Rohlfing

Transregional Collaborative Research Centre 318

Project Leader A01, A05, Z

Write email +49 5251 60-5717

Deputy Speak­er

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Prof. Dr. Philipp Cimiano

Transregional Collaborative Research Centre 318

Project Leader B01, C05, INF

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