Carola Richter

Prof. Dr. Carola Richter is a Professor of International Communication at the Institute for Media and Communication Studies, part of the Department of Political and Social Sciences at Free University of Berlin since 2017. Her work focuses on media systems and communication cultures in the Middle East and North Africa, foreign and war reporting, public diplomacy, and media and migration studies. She directs the DFG-funded network Kosmopolitische Kommunikationswissenschaft and serves as editor of the Global Media Journal - German Edition.

Academic Background:

• M.A. in Arabic Studies, Journalism, and Political Science (University of Leipzig, 1997-2004)
• PhD on Egyptian Islamist media strategies (University of Erfurt, 2011)
• Scholarship from Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (1999-2004)

Research Trends: Richter’s research spans media systems in authoritarian and post-conflict contexts, digital media’s role in migration, discursive othering in global crises, and cosmopolitan communication frameworks. Her work bridges Arab-European research networks and examines media literacy, gender diversity, and hybrid media in West Africa.

Scientific Awards and Memberships:

• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Scholarship (1999-2004)
• Coordinator of AREACORE network (Arab-European Association for Media and Communication Researchers, since 2013)
• Member of the Rundfunkrat der Deutschen Welle (since 2024)

Academic Leadership: Richter has supervised numerous PhD candidates, raised €2.1 million in third-party funding, and organized workshops on media literacy and conflict reporting. She actively promotes cosmopolitan communication studies and deep internationalization in academia.