Research

We also deal with the role of digital media in politics and political communication. We investigate how political actors and organizations use digital media to disseminate information, stimulate discussion and mobilize citizens. We also explore the impact of these changes on the political landscape and democratic processes. Retooling Politics: How Digital Media are Shaping Democracy (Cambridge University Press, 2020)

We examine the use of digital media by political parties and activists.  In our work, we have examined and answered various questions, including:

• What specific functions do digital media fulfil in political campaigns?  Four Functions of Digital Tools in Election Campaigns: The German Case
• How does the use of Twitter influence election campaigns?  Twitter Use in Election Campaigns: A Systematic Literature Review
• How do parties use data-driven practices to optimize their campaigns?  Datengestützte Verfahren im Wahlkampf

We also examine the use of digital media by citizens for political exchange and political participation. Our research focuses on the following questions:

• How do political activists use digital media to organize and mobilize political protest? Through a glass, darkly: tactical support and symbolic association in Twitter messages commenting on Stuttgart 21
• How is Twitter used by citizens to discuss politics in election campaigns?  The Use of Twitter During the 2009 German National Election
• Are there differences in the use of digital media between supporters of populist parties and supporters of other political groups?  Populist Supporters on Reddit: A Comparison of Content and Behavioral Patterns Within Publics of Supporters of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton

Another focus of our research is the investigation of the impact of information and persuasion campaigns. We examined the following questions:

• How effective are information letters from interest groups and political parties in persuading citizens?  A source like any other? Field and survey experiment evidence on how interest groups shape public opinion
• What effects do offers for greater political participation in parties have on party members? More than opinion expression: Secondary effects of intraparty referendums on party members
• What effect do warnings about the dangers of disinformation have in digital communication environments?  Negative downstream effects of disinformation discourse: Evidence from the US

To answer these questions, we use a variety of methods, including experiments and surveys. We want to contribute to developing a better understanding of how we can improve political communication and strengthen democratic practices.

Important topics are discussed and negotiated in the public arena. Digital media create new structures hosting the public arena while weakening others, such as traditional mass media. At the same time, they change information flows, the form and tone of discussion, and influence the success of selected actors. We investigate this new digitally transformed public arena. Digital Transformations of the Public Arena (Cambridge University Press, 2022)

Digital media have changed the flow of information in the public arena. While traditional mass media continue to play an important role in disseminating information, they have lost influence. Whereas in the past they could decide on their own which information or which actors gained access to a broad public, today they compete with new digital media. These provide a stage for actors who have so far been excluded from traditional news media. This development can have positive effects on the public and democracy by making unjustly excluded voices heard. At the same time, however, they can also have negative effects by giving actors who seek division, doubt and uncertainty, and exclusion of others from political discourse access to the public.

We discuss the tensions that arise in the digital public arena, examining several questions, such as:

• How do digital media change the distribution of power in traditional and new media via discourse in a systematic and sustainable way?  Discursive Power in Contemporary Media Systems: A Comparative Framework
• Do digital media lead to the strengthening of political outsiders who challenge existing political power relations and structures? Digital Media and the Surge of Political Outsiders: Explaining the Success of Political Challengers in the US, Germany and China
• What role does misinformation play  in digital media and what is its influence on politics and political discourse?  Disinformation and the Structural Transformations of the Public Arena: Addressing the Actual Challenges to Democracy
• What are new structures of the public arena and how can they be better understood? The Extended Reach of Game Engine Companies: How Companies Like Epic Games and Unity Technologies Provide Platforms for Extended Reality Applications and the Metaverse

Digital media open new opportunities for people to exchange ideas about politics. Social networking sites, microblogging services, and forums provide a platform for sharing information, discussing political issues, and commenting on current events. We explore the nature and form of these digital interactions in different media and platforms to better understand how they influence political discourse and public opinion-formation:

• The logic of political coverage on Twitter: Temporal dynamics and content
• Political discussions in homogeneous and cross-cutting communication spaces: Interaction patterns and linguistic strategies on Reddit
• The Political Click: Political Participation through E-Petitions in Germany

Artificial intelligence (AI) has attracted a lot of attention recently due to its economic, social, and political impact. However, discussions about their influence are often dominated by unfocused fears. We investigate how the use of AI affects democracy and the public arena and present pragmatic and empirically sound explanations.