Studies show that our ability to empathise has greatly diminished over the last 30 years. It’s due in part to the uptake of smartphones and social media – we’re all too busy thinking about ourselves. But while it might be part of the problem, could technology also be used to make us more empathetic?

Europe is experiencing a refugee crisis, and it’s fuelling some alarmingly hostile responses. But not everyone is freaking out. A group of German citizens have gotten together to design a website that connects asylum seekers with residents offering up temporary accommodation.

Migrants who have arrived in Germany are determined to create new lives for themselves and find employment, but they’re challenged by the language barriers. Language-learning app Duolingo plans to bridge this gap with a specialised German course for Arabic speakers.

Will crowdfunding sites merge into charitable aid? How will people react to social and environmental crises? And will they continue to favour local? As part of our Expert Outlook 2016 series, we speak to three citizenship experts about the relationships people and brands have with broader society.