The International Communication Association (ICA) is one of the world’s largest academic conferences in the field of communication and media studies. Each year, around 3,000 researchers from numerous countries participate, presenting their latest findings in panels, lectures, and poster sessions. This year’s conference theme is “Communication and Inequalities in Context.”
At this year’s ICA, researchers from the CAIS research programme “Transformation of Digital Democratic Discourses” will present several papers:
- Justifying Climate (In)Action: The Relationship Between News Media Use Patterns and Knowledge of Political Arguments About Climate Change Mitigation Measures in the United States, Spain, and Germany – Quirin Ryffel (UZH); Mira Warné (HHU); Henri Mütschele (CAIS/HHU); Thomas Zerback (HHU) | Political Communication Division
- “Our Christian View of Humanity has been Burned in the Flirtation with the Zeitgeist” – Communication Styles and Conflict Resolution in German Mainstream Parties – Sarah-Michelle Nienhaus (CAIS/HHU); Christiane Eilders (CAIS) | Political Communication Division
- Uncivil by Definition? A Systematic Literature Review of Incivility Conceptualizations and Effects Research – Anna-Maria Linstaedt (CAIS/HHU); Dennis Frieß (HHU); Marc Ziegele (HHU) | Political Communication Division
- Who is to blame? A longitudinal analysis of blame attribution in German news coverage of polarization – Ahrabhi Kathirgamalingam (GESIS); Hendrik Meyer (UHH); Mike Farjam (UHH); Christiane Eilders (CAIS); Michael Brüggemann (UHH) | Political Communication Division
DGPuK Panel at ICA
In addition, Henri Mütschele, Sarah-Michelle Nienhaus, and Prof. Dr. Christiane Eilders from the CAIS research programme, together with Ahrabhi Kathirgamalingam (GESIS), are organizing a panel titled “Inter- and Intra-Group Polarization Dynamics in the Climate Discourse: A Mixed-Method Perspective.” The panel focuses on different forms of polarization in the German climate discourse, ranging from ideological conflicts and affective distancing to perceived societal divisions. Of the four presentations in the panel, this one comes from the CAIS team:
- Conformity and Distinctiveness in Intra-Group Polarization of Social Movements – Henri Mütschele, Sarah-Michelle Nienhaus, Ahrabhi Kathirgamalingam, Prof. Dr. Christiane Eilders (Center for Advanced Internet Studies & Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf)
The remaining three presentations in the panel are from partner institutions. The panel is moderated by Prof. Axel Bruns (Queensland University of Technology, Australia).
For more information about ICA 2026:
https://www.icahdq.org/mpage/ICA26