Deutsch Intern
Institute of Political Science and Sociology

Research project “We in Würzburg – survey on cohesion in the city and district”

For the research project “We in Würzburg – survey on cohesion in the city and district”, the Chair of Social Science Sustainability Research at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, in cooperation with the Smarte Region-Team of the city and district of Würzburg, asked citizens from the city and district about their assessment of social cohesion within the population.

A representative survey of 8,000 people over the age of 15 was conducted in February 2024. The participants were selected from the residents' registers of the city of Würzburg and the municipalities of the district of Würzburg. The people selected by means of a representative sample were contacted by us by post and had the opportunity to take part in the survey by post or online via a link. Participation was voluntary.

The aim of the survey is to gain important insights into different categories of “social cohesion in the city and district” with the help of a specially designed questionnaire. Important areas of the survey include (1) knowledge transfer (How well do the target groups feel they are provided with the information they need to prepare for or respond to a crisis?); (2) community networks (How much do people from the target groups feel part of a community that supports them in the event of a crisis?) and (3) social engagement and political influence (How much influence do the target groups feel they have on political decisions?). From a scientific perspective, the research project thus combines the topics of “(social) resilience” and “smart cities” with a special focus on how society deals with and prepares for crises.

By the end of the field phase, a total of 2,396 people had completed a questionnaire. This results in an adjusted response rate of 30.6%. We would like to thank all participants!

The results have multiple benefits for citizens, society, and science, including …

  • … the identification of successful public measures for the sustainable digital development of the city and district.
  • … insights into the wishes and potential for improvement in the design of public spaces.
  • … insights into local support networks, political influence, and information in the city and district of Würzburg to prepare for and respond to crises.
  • … a better understanding of social cohesion in the city and district of Würzburg.
  • … new scientific findings on the social resilience and attitudes of citizens in smart cities.
  • … the development of a survey methodology for impact measurement in smart cities.
  • … the integration of the topic of “smart cities” and “social resilience” in teaching.

On this website you will find the most important key points of the survey, as well as the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. We are available for further questions via various contact channels.

FAQ

Unfortunately, the survey has already ended. We are currently analyzing the questionnaires received.

The survey is a cooperation project between the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg and the stadt.land.smart.-Team of the city and district of Würzburg. The project is managed by Junior Professor Dr. Ulrike Zeigermann.

The aim of the survey is to use a specially designed questionnaire to gain important insights into different categories of “social cohesion in the city and district”. Important areas of the survey include (1) knowledge transfer (How well do the target groups feel they are provided with the information they need to prepare for or respond to a crisis?); (2) community networks (How much do people from the target groups feel part of a community that supports them in the event of a crisis?) and (3) social engagement and political influence (How much influence do the target groups feel they have on political decisions?). From a scientific perspective, the research project thus combines the topics of “(social) resilience” and “smart cities” with a special focus on how society deals with and prepares for crises.

Your address was randomly selected from the residents’ registers of the city of Würzburg and the municipalities of the district of Würzburg.

Participation in the survey is voluntary. Non-participation has no negative consequences for you.

The data is analyzed using statistical methods and summarized in groups. No conclusions are drawn from the data to individuals. The survey data and the address data are stored separately.

We handle your data with care and adhere to the current data protection guidelines in all respects! Further information can be found on our data protection page.

The results will be published in aggregated form towards the end of the project on this website and by the stadt.land.smart.-Team of the city and district of Würzburg. If you would like to receive the results report separately, please send an e-mail to micha.pastuschka@uni-wuerzburg.de.

If you have any questions about the questionnaire or the project, please use the various ways to contact us.