معرفی
Prof. Dr. Christiane Eilders serves as Scientific Director of the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) in Bochum since October 2023 and holds a W2 professorship in Communication and Media Studies at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf since 2011. She previously served as spokesperson for the Düsseldorfer Institut für Internet und Demokratie (DIID) from 2019-2023 and was a member of the DFG research group 'Political Communication in the Online World' (2011-2019).
Her research focuses on public discourse mechanisms and opinion formation processes in digital environments, with particular emphasis on online deliberation quality, political participation frameworks, and the interplay between traditional mass media and digital communication platforms. Her work bridges theoretical communication models with empirical analysis of contemporary digital society challenges.
Key research trends across her recent publications reveal sustained investigation into polarization dynamics in digital media ecosystems, cross-cultural comparisons of online discourse patterns, and methodological innovations in studying networked public spheres. Her work consistently examines how digital platforms transform traditional opinion formation processes while maintaining focus on democratic participation quality.
- DGPuK Journal Award for Best Article 2018/2019 (for 'Popularity cues in online media')
Eilders leads major research initiatives including the '#meinfernsehen 2021' public television participation project and the 'Spiral of Silence Networked' research program examining meso-level opinion formation processes. She serves on the editorial board of Publizistik journal and holds advisory roles with the Grimme Research College and Cologne Democracy Foundation.
Her research environment spans CAIS's interdisciplinary teams investigating digital democratic innovations, educational technologies, and trustworthy AI design, while maintaining strong connections to HHU Düsseldorf's communication research infrastructure.