Manuel S. Hubacher

Dr. Manuel S. Hubacher is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Democracy Studies Aarau (ZDA) at the University of Zurich and a Postdoctoral Collaborator at the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy at the Geneva Graduate Institute. He also serves as a Research Associate at the Center for Political Education and History Didactics within the Institute for Research and Development at PH FHNW (School of Education of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland).

His academic background includes a doctorate in political philosophy from the University of Bern (2015-2023), a Master of Arts in Political, Legal, and Economic Philosophy from the University of Bern (2011-2014), and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Bern (2007-2011).

Dr. Hubacher's research centers on digital citizenship education, exploring how citizens can develop critical competencies to navigate digital spaces. His work examines the theoretical foundations of digital citizenship, the role of argumentation and judgment in civic education, and practical approaches to implementing civic education across school curricula. He investigates how political education can address the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and digital technologies to democratic processes.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on AI literacy in political education, with particular emphasis on how generative AI systems can be used as educational tools. His research demonstrates how narrative foresight methods enable youth to explore future scenarios with AI, developing positive visions while critically examining technology's political dimensions. His work bridges political philosophy, educational theory, and digital technology studies.

Dr. Hubacher has been leading the "Stories of the Future" project, which investigates how to build AI competence through generative AI systems. This innovative workshop format, inspired by participatory youth action research, design fiction, and narrative foresight, enables young people across Switzerland to develop critical understanding of AI systems while exploring their political implications and shaping future democratic possibilities.