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Henri Mütschele

PhD Student/Research Associate

Henri Mütschele

Henri Mütschele is a research associate in the research program “Social Cohesion in Digital Media Environments,” where he focuses on polarization and social cohesion in the context of climate discourse, particularly with regard to civil society actors. At the same time, he researches and teaches at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, focusing on climate communication and persuasion research.

For his doctoral studies at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, he is investigating the connection between framing and argumentation theory in the public-strategic communication of social movements. Using quantitative content analysis of press releases and tweets, he analyzes how the climate movements Fridays for Future and Last Generation argumentatively support their protest actions and demands. The analysis reveals which persuasive functions are effective in their public communication.

Curriculum vitae

  • Since October 2023: Research Associate at CAIS, research program “Social Cohesion in Digital Media Environments”
  • June – August 2024: Visiting Research Fellow at the Digital Media Research Centre at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia
  • Since October 2023: Research Associate at the Institute for Social Sciences, Chair of Communication Studies IV (Prof. Zerback) at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
  • April 2021 – September 2023: Research Associate at the Institute for Social Sciences, Chair of Communication Studies III (Prof. Eilders) at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
  • October 2019 – March 2021: Research and Teaching Assistant at the Institute for General Rhetoric at the University of Tübingen
  • 2018 – 2019: M.A. Legal & Political Theory, University College London
  • 2018 – 2021: M.A. in General Rhetoric, University of Tübingen
  • 2013 – 2018: B.A. in Sociology, Politics & Economics, Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen
  • 2013 – 2019: Scholarship form Friedrich Ebert Foundation
  • Mütschele, H. (in press). Persuasion within Deliberation: Symbiosis or Parasitism? In Proceedings of the 4th European Conference on Argumentation.
  • Nienhaus, S., & Mütschele, H. (2022). Argumentation und Narration als zentrale Bestandteile deliberativer Diskurse. In F. Gerlach, & C. Eilders (Hrsg.) #meinfernsehen2021. Bürgerbeteiligung: Wahrnehmungen, Erwartungen und Vorschläge zur Zukunft öffentlich-rechtlicher Medienangebote (S. 237–250). Nomos.
  • Mütschele, H. (2022). Strategic Communication in Deliberative Settings. A Linguistic Model of Permissible and Harmful Strategic Speech. In D. Daszko; S. Nienhaus; H.S. Vogel & V.N.E. Warnken (Hrsg.) Deliberation, politischer Wettbewerb und politische Berichterstattung. Beiträge zu 16. Fachtagung des Düsseldorfer Forum Politische Kommunikation (S. 23–41). Shaker Verlag.
  • Mütschele, H. (2019). Bridging Civic Nationalism, Cosmopolitanism and Constitutional Patriotism – In the Defence of Citizenship Tests. Status Quo and Social Change. International Public Policy Review,13(1): 89–95.
  • Eilders, C., & Mütschele, H. (2023). Taking polarisation to the meso-level: An analytical framework for assessing positional changes within the climate movement and political parties. ECREA Political Communication Section Conference, 31. August – 01. September, Berlin.
  • Mütschele, H. (2023). Disagreement as a Factor for Reason-Giving within Deliberation. 8th Rhetoric in Society Conference (RIS), 01.-03. Juni, Tübingen.
  • Mütschele, H. (2023). Persuasion as a Driving Force for Opinion Formation within Deliberation: A Systematic Literature Review. 73rd Annual International Communication Association (ICA), 25.-29. Mai, Toronto.
  • Mütschele, H. (2023). The Role of Argumentative Exchange for Post-Deliberative Opinion (Trans-)formation [Research Escalator]. 73rd Annual International Communication Association (ICA), 25.-29. Mai, Toronto.
  • Mütschele, H. (2022). The Use of Enemy Images in British and German Parliamentary Question Times on Covid-19. 9th European Communication Conference (ECREA), 19.-22. Oktober, Aarhus.
  • Mütschele, H. (2022). Persuasive Modes within Deliberation: Symbiosis or Parasitism? 4th European Conference on Argumentation (ECA), 28.-30. September, Rom.
  • Mütschele, H. (2022). Assessing Interactivity within Online-Deliberation: Argument Structures and their Persuasive Potential [Poster]. Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaftliche Tage 2022, 14.-16. September, Salzburg.
  • Mütschele, H. (2022). Enemy Images as Rhetorical Means for Political Agonism. Politicologenetmaal Conference 2022, 16.-17. Juni, Nijmegen.
  • Mütschele, H. (2020). Strategic Communication in Deliberative Settings. Examining Institutional Incentives Fostering Language Usage in a Deliberative Manner. 16. Düsseldorfer Forum für Politische Kommunikation (DFPK), 03.-05. September, Düsseldorf.
  • Mütschele, H. (2025, March 19-21). When is radical too radical? The media portrayal of Fridays for Future and The Last Generation during the protest winter 2022/23. 70. Jahrestagung der DGPuK, FU Berlin, Germany.

Henri Mütschele

PhD Student/Research Associate

E-Mail:   henri.muetschele@cais-research.de

Bereich: Societal Cohesion in Digital Media Environments
CAIS Team