Annett Heft

Annett Heft is a Research Fellow at the Free University of Berlin and the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society in Berlin. She held leadership roles, including Head of the 'Digitalization and the Transnational Public Sphere' research group (2017–2022) and currently leads the 'Dynamics of Digital Mobilization' group. She is also a Principal Investigator in the NEOVEX consortium studying conspiracy theories and right-wing ideologies. During June 2024, she was a Visiting Fellow at Queensland University of Technology's Digital Media Research Centre.

Her research focuses on political communication and mobilization in Europe, particularly analyzing digital strategies of right-wing populist and far-right movements. She employs computational social science methods alongside traditional empirical research. Key themes include anti-democratic movement dynamics and crisis-era ideological patterns.

Her work bridges comparative political analysis with innovative digital methodologies, addressing contemporary challenges in democratic societies. Collaborations include multidisciplinary projects like NEOVEX, which explores crisis-driven ideological shifts.