Persuasive Modes within Online Deliberative Opinion Formation

The doctoral project is concerned with the investigation of existing forms of reasoning and their effects on internet users’ opinion formation in the context of online deliberation on climate politics. The mechanisms behind post-deliberative opinion formation still represent a gap in the research landscape on online deliberation. According to normative deliberative theory, opinions ought to be formed by the force of the better argument. But other factors such as manipulation, allurement or even coercion arguably influence the opinion formation process as well. In an empirical analysis, real-world online communication on climate politics within homogenously and heterogeneously structured user groups will be assessed through an argument analysis. Subsequently, the persuasive force of identified argument types on internet users’ opinion formation will be analysed in online experiments. So, the project will contribute to a theoretical refinement and empirical assessment of deliberative reasoning and persuasion for internet communication research.

Voraussichtliche Fertigstellung: Ende 2024

H. Mütschele (2022). Strategic Communication in Deliberative Settings. A Linguistic Model of Permissible and Harmful Strategic Speech. In: D. Daszko; S. Nienhaus; H.S. Vogel & V.N. Warnken (Hrsg.) Deliberation, politischer Wettbewerb und politische Berichterstattung. Beiträge zu 16. Fachtagung des Düsseldorfer Forum Politische Kommunikation (S. 23–41). Shaker Verlag.

H. Mütschele (2019). Bridging Civic Nationalism, Cosmopolitanism and Constitutional Patriotism – In the Defence of Citizenship Tests. Status Quo and Social Change. International Public Policy Review, 13(1): 89–95.

A. Burton, E. Aversa, A. Facchin, I.E. Skoro, H. Mütschele, S. Quing & M. Reuver (2019). Streams of the Deep Web: Rebel Media, YouTube and the algorithmic shaping of media ecosystems. Research report (not peer-reviewed). Digital Methods Wiki, University of Amsterdam Summer School.

Strategic Communication in Deliberative Settings. Examining Institutional Incentives Fostering Language Usage in a Deliberative Manner. 16. Düsseldorfer Forum für Politische Kommunikation. 03.-05.09.2020, Düsseldorf.

Digitale Demokratie (für den Arbeitskreis Politische Theorie der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung). 22.-24.11.2019, Berlin.

Politische Metatheorie (für den Arbeitskreis Politische Theorie der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung). 14.-16.06.2019, München.

• Düsseldorfer Institut für Internet und Demokratie (DIID)

• Nachwuchsnetzwerk politische Kommunikation (NapoKo)

• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Ehemalige e.V.

Sommersemester 2022:
Einführung in die Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaft (Basisübung)

Wintersemester 2021/22:
Das Mediensystem in Deutschland (Basisübung)
Klimakommunikation (Hybrid-Vertiefungsseminar)

Sommersemester 2021:
Einführung in die Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaft (Online-Basisübung)
Konsens oder Konflikt? Deliberative Entscheidungsprozesse (Online-Aufbauseminar)

2019 bis 2021:
Einführung in die rhetorische Praxis I & II: wissenschaftliches Schreiben und Präsentieren (am Seminar für Allgemeine Rhetorik an der Universität Tübingen)