The next Leibniz Media Lecture will be hosted by the Hamburg Section of the
Research Institute Social Cohesion.
Dr. Jing Zeng, Utrecht University, will critically discuss the role played by digital communication technologies in manufacturing, propagating and combatting conspiracy theories.
PD Dr. Jan-Hinrik Schmidt will provide the introduction. The event will be held in English.
Time
4 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Registration
The event will take place online on Zoom. After the
registration you will receive the dial-in data by mail shortly before the event starts.
About the Lecture
Conspiracy theorising, once perceived as a harmless peripheral phenomenon, has embroiled researchers and policymakers alike. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, the term ‘conspiracy theory’ permeated public life and became a buzzword across news media and daily conversations. Factors contributing to a growing prevalence of conspiracy theories are manifold, ranging from the rise of populist politics to societal upheaval. As a media and communication researcher, Jing Zeng will critically discuss the role played by digital communication technologies in manufacturing, propagating and combatting conspiracy theories. Based on her ongoing research on the topic, Jing Zeng will share her first-hand research insights into conspiracy theories on a variety of social media platforms.
About the Speaker
Dr. Jing Zeng is Assistant Professor of Digital Methods and Critical Data Studies at Utrecht University. Her research concerns the sociocultural implications of digital technologies, with a particular focus on developing innovative digital methods for empirical research. Jing has written extensively on digital media platforms, around topics of misinformation, youth culture and online activism. Before joining Utrecht University, she was Senior research and teaching associate at the University of Zurich. She received her PhD from the Digital Media Research Center (DMRC) at the Queensland University of Technology, and her MSc from the Oxford Internet Insitute. She is also an affiliated researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Germany.
