معرفی
Cato Waeterloos is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Media Studies (IMS) of KU Leuven, focusing on the intersection of new media and democratic participation. Her work examines how social media reshapes political engagement, news consumption, and citizenship literacy.
Education:
- Master's in Communication Sciences (2018, Ghent University)
- PhD in Communication Sciences (2022, Ghent University)
Research Interests:
Waeterloos investigates political socialization in digital environments, analyzing how social media platforms influence civic literacy, news consumption patterns, and non-traditional participation forms. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with empirical studies on youth political engagement.
Project Involvement:
She led a 4-year BOF-funded project on social media's role in political participation and contributed to Ghent University's 'Municipality Without a Town Hall' initiative. Currently, she explores influencer-driven political knowledge development in the iBOF POLKNOW project.
Key Trends in Publications:
Her recent work spans political knowledge acquisition, fact-checking dynamics, and platform-specific participation mechanisms. Collaborative studies with Ghent University teams emphasize cross-generational and cross-platform analysis, particularly focusing on digital-native youth.
Labs & Collaborations:
Based at the Lab for Media, Information & Influence, she collaborates with Prof. Dr. Michaël Opgenhaffen and Prof. Dr. Desiree Schmuck on EU-funded research, integrating digital tools for enhanced civic participation.
