Sociology of Media and Communication

The Sociology of Media and Communication Division is concerned with the interplay of media change and social change and focuses on the manifold relationships between mediated communication and social relations on the micro-, meso- and macro-level of society.

Our division strives to provide a forum for researchers interested in the wider social, economic and political consequences of the expansion of mediated communication which has become an important institutional and cultural force in modern societies.

A media sociological approach is necessarily interdisciplinary and conceives of the media – and the communication they enable, shape, and convey – as socially embedded, contextual phenomena. Such a perspective widens the scope to include problems and questions that go beyond the confines of traditional media and communication studies. Hence, our division promotes dialogue between various research fields and academic disciplines.

Media sociological research draws on a variety of theoretical and methodological resources from action-theoretical approaches to practice theory, cultural studies and critical theory, as well as systems theory, among others. This multifaceted scope also applies to the methodological plurality of the division’s research, which spans quantitative and qualitative approaches of social research.

Membership is open to everyone in the German Communication Association, and all members are invited to present their research at the division’s annual conference which employs peer review to ensure the quality of its contributions.

Our division works closely with other divisions as well as national and international associations, which is expressed in regular joint conferences and workshops as well as publications. The division actively supports young scholars and provides opportunities for them to present their work, engage with experienced colleagues and network with their peers. Also, in cooperation with Springer VS publishers, the division awards an annual prize for the best dissertation in the field.

Vice Chair: Dr. Johanna E. Möller (johanna.e.moeller@tu-dresden.de)