Visual Communication

The Visual Communication Division of the German Communication Association (DGPuK) provides a lively forum of discussion for researchers seeking to enhance the understanding of the visual, be it still or moving, be it in film, video, TV, print, or digital media. The division particularly focuses on current theoretical and methodological challenges brought forth by the digitization and increasing ubiquity of visuals and networked visual communication.

The manifold forms of visual communication and the respective visualities are focused from a plurality of critical, theoretical, methodological, and empirical perspectives. Thereby, the Visual Communication Division promotes a genuine communication science perspective while striving to support and harness the interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity typical for visual studies.

The overall scope of the division includes theoretical reflections and empirical analyses of visuals in the whole process of production, distribution, selection, and (re)presentation of media content, its usage, reception, selection by recipients, its appropriation into the life worlds of the audience, as well as the various effects of visual media. Therefore a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches is used.

The division promotes the role of Visual Communication Research as an important research sub-field of communication science. Particularly, the division emphasizes that today visual communication touches all fields and areas of communication science. In order to intensify the awareness for the characteristics of visuals, which necessitate certain theoretical and empirical approaches, the division regularly cooperates with other division of the DGPuK.

The division encourages intellectual exchange and cooperation among its members and friends. Therefore the division regularly organizes conferences and workshops and promotes research as well as theoretical and methodological advancements.

Last but not least, the division aspires to an integration of Visual Communication in university curricula and fosters international exchange and international cooperation. Particular emphasis is put on providing support for the field’s emerging scholars. We regularly inform members and friends about the division’s work and provide them with information on activities and events that are of special interest to visual communication researchers. All members and friends are cordially invited to contribute to the division’s development.

Chair: Dr. Seraina Mirjam Tarnutzer | seraina.tarnutzer(at)unifr.ch

Vice Chair: Mag. Dr. Maria Schreiber | maria.schreiber(at)plus.ac.at