David Schieferdecker

Dr. David Schieferdecker is a Researcher at the Institute for Media and Communication Studies within the Department of Political and Social Sciences at Freie Universität Berlin. Since October 2023, he has served as project lead for the Volkswagen Foundation-funded "WealthTalks" project examining wealth inequality in everyday talk. Previously, since April 2018, he has been a researcher at the Division Communication Theory and Media Effects, with research stays at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Dr. Schieferdecker earned his PhD in Media and Communication Studies from the University of Mannheim (2012-2018), where he was part of the graduate program "Formations of the Global" supported by a doctoral scholarship from the Landesgraduiertenförderung Baden-Württemberg. His master's degree in Media and Communication Studies, Economics, and Anglistics/American Studies was completed at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg (2004-2011), where he also worked as a tutor and research intern.

Dr. Schieferdecker's research focuses on the conditions and consequences of political and intergroup communication, particularly examining how communicative behavior, social identities, political attitudes, and pro-social behavior interact in contexts of economic inequality, political polarization, and racism. His work often combines qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate how media exposure influences intergroup relations and political discourse in increasingly polarized societies.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on contemporary societal challenges, particularly examining how crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine reshape public opinion, political polarization, and social solidarity. His work frequently addresses economic inequality discourse, affective polarization beyond traditional partisan lines, and the role of media in shaping responses to distant suffering and humanitarian crises.

Dr. Schieferdecker has received research funding for his work, most notably as project lead for the Volkswagen Foundation-funded "WealthTalks" project since 2023. His research has been supported by various third-party funding sources that have enabled his investigations into political communication, media effects, and social inequality.

Dr. Schieferdecker actively contributes to several collaborative research initiatives including the SFB/Collaborative Research Center: "Re-Figuration of Spaces," the Weizenbaum-Institute research group "Dynamics of Digital Mobilization," and the Analysis National Dialogue project. His work frequently involves international collaborations with researchers across Europe, Africa, and North America.