Dr. Edda Humprecht
comparative research on digital political communication
About
I am a Professor of Communication Research at the University of Jena in Germany, and I am the head of a research group focused on Digitalization and the Public Sphere. Before my current position, I worked as an Associate Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim and as a Senior Research and Teaching Associate at the University of Zurich (UZH) in Switzerland, where I also earned my PhD.
My research explores the impact of digital political communication across different national contexts, with a particular emphasis on how artificial intelligence (AI) influences online discourse. I study the interaction between media environments and opportunity structures, analyzing various forms of online communication—including social media posts, news articles, and YouTube videos—to identify patterns of media consumption and the spread of manipulative content such as AI-generated disinformation, conspiracy theories, and hate speech. A central part of my work involves examining how populations navigate and resist these manipulations. Through this research, I contribute to a deeper understanding of the evolving role of AI in media dynamics and public awareness across different countries.
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I have been recognized for my research with several awards, and I serve on the editorial boards of Digital Journalism and Human Communication Research