Raphaela Tkotzyk

Raphaela Tkotzyk serves as a Researcher at the Institute for Diversity Studies within the Faculty of Cultural Studies at Technical University of Dortmund. Employed since April 2017 (initially as Lehrbeauftragte für besondere Aufgaben with 11 SWS, and since October 2018 as Akademische Rätin auf Zeit with 4 SWS), she focuses on the intersection of media education, political awareness development in early childhood, and German language pedagogy. She holds multiple administrative roles including deputy member of the Institute Board at IDiv and the Faculty Council (2022-2024), and serves as contact person for ERASMUS/International Exchange and field internships (letters T-Z).

Dr. Tkotzyk earned her doctorate from Ruhr-Universität Bochum (2010-2015), researching gender discourse in German TV crime series under Prof. Dr. Natalie Binczek. Her academic journey began with teacher training at Universität zu Köln in 1999, followed by studies in German Studies (with focus on New German Literature) and History at Universität Siegen. She brings extensive teaching experience from German secondary schools (including grade 11) and as a German language instructor at the University of Virginia, where she taught from 2010-2011.

Her research centers on political children's and youth literature/media (particularly with Animal Studies connections), media education in German instruction, and analog/digital literacy development. She examines how young children develop political awareness through media exposure, with special attention to intersectional factors including gender and cultural background. Her work employs innovative visual methods like the 'Picturizing Strategy' to study preschool children's political consciousness. She has conducted research at Fordham University's Graduate School of Education (2019) and is a key member of the PoJoMeC research project funded by the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb).

Analysis of her publication trajectory reveals a consistent focus on early childhood political education, demonstrating how media literacy serves as a foundation for political literacy development. Her research increasingly examines digital media's role in democracy education within teacher training contexts while maintaining strong connections to traditional German literature studies. Recent work emphasizes practical applications of theoretical frameworks, particularly in social media's potential for democracy education in German language classrooms.

Dr. Tkotzyk provides academic advising for basic language skills/German studies but currently cannot supervise term papers, BA, or MA theses as indicated in her announcements. She collaborates extensively on the PoJoMeC project with colleagues including Prof. Dr. Gudrun Marci-Boehncke, Thomas Goll, Eva-Maria Goll, and Michael Steinbrecher.

She maintains active involvement with several professional organizations including the Research Center Youth-Media-Education, Society for Media Pedagogy and Communication Culture (GMK), Symposium German Didactics (SDD), German Studies Association (GSA), International Literacy Association (ILA), Sprachvergnügen Network, and Amerika Haus e.V. NRW (where she serves on the Friends' Circle board). Her interdisciplinary approach connects media studies, political education, and early childhood development through regular presentations at international conferences.