Profile

We focus on the construction and appropriation of digitally networked media technologies and forms of communication, cross-media discourses and types of media practice. To this end, we combine communication and media theories with concepts from cultural studies, sociology, and science & technology.

Research at the Chair of Media and Communication Studies is clustered in the following fields: (1) Media culture, in particular the theorization and analysis of media-related forms of practice in their cultural, social, temporal and spatial relationships; (2) Digital communication, primarily the formation and appropriation of digital networked media technologies and sorts of communication; (3) Media analysis, i.e., the reconstruction of media content, its modes of representation and discourse formations in a comparison of different forms of communication and media systems; (4) Method development with a focus on the combination of interpretative and computer-aided empirical procedures; (5) Media education with regard to knowledge and learning in user-generated media. With these fields of work, the Chair follows on from the research profile of the Leipzig Institute.

In teaching, the Chair is primarily involved in the following areas: (1) Media culture research with a focus on media convergence, transmediality, multimodality, sociology of media communication, cultural studies, practical theories and media culture, mediatization; (2) Theory and practice of digital media, especially the history and culture of the Internet, design, appropriation and reception of digital networked forms of communication, user-generated content, peer production; (3) Empirical media and communication research with a focus on qualitative media (product) analysis; Discourse analysis methods; Interview methods; Participant observation / ethnography; Grounded theory; (4) Communication and media theories with a focus on media systems and media change; Technology theories of the media; Sign theories of the media; Cultural theories of the media.

Team

People from various professional backgrounds form part of the team. Current researchers working at the Chair come from communication and media studies, German studies, sociology and political science as well as phonetics.

Research

In essence, the research projects of the Chair of Media and Communication Studies focus on communication and interaction with new media.

Digital Media and Society Fellowship

Contact & Directions

Office

Default Avatar

Katrin Goldmann

Secretary

Media and Communications
Nikolaistraße 27-29, Room 5.03
04109 Leipzig

Phone: +49 341 97 - 35730
Fax: +49 341 97 - 35749

Directions

This could also interest you

Professorships at the Institute

Read more

Resesarch at the Institute

Read more

Structure at the Institute

Read more