Energy projects in the Münsterland

Strategies of legitimation communication adn their impact

Welcome to the website of the research project “Energy projects in the Münsterland: Strategies of legitimacy communication and their effects”.

The project, which is based at the University of Münster, explores the extent to which strategic communication influences the attribution of legitimacy to renewable energy projects. It is funded by the Universitätsgesellschaft Münster e. V. from May 2023 to February 2025.

Focus on energy communication

The production of and access to affordable and clean energy is one of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (2021). However, the transition from fossil to renewable energy sources is not only a technical issue, but also a socio-political one. In Münster and the Münsterland region, for example, the use of public land for photovoltaic systems, geothermal energy or the cogeneration of electricity and heat from renewable energy sources is the subject of intense debate.

Public discussions on infrastructure projects for the production or transmission of renewable energy (e.g. in the form of biogas, solar or district heating plants or power lines) — hereafter referred to as energy projects — are among the most intense (Bräuer, 2017; Schweizer et al., 2016). They are often characterised, for example, by conflicts over the perceived risks of a technology, the “not in my backyard” phenomenon, conflicts of interest among project and decision-makers, and extensive media coverage.

Design and approach

The research project examines how the organisations involved communicate about energy projects with the aim of legitimising them and themselves, how this communication is perceived and what expectations are attached to this communication. To answer these questions, the project is based on a mixed-methods design. Two empirical sub-studies build on each other: A content analysis will be used to examine how project and decision makers communicate about energy projects. Subsequently, the Q-method will be used to capture the perceptions of affected and interested citizens.

Knowledge transfer

The aim of the project is to make a scientific contribution to the discourse on energy projects in research and teaching as well as for project and decision makers and society and the population in Münster and the Münsterland. To this end, the project results will be presented in scientific journals and conferences as well as in journalistic media. This website will also present current findings, e.g., for use in research and teaching or in communication practice.

  • Activities

    Project findings accepted for presentation at ICA Annual Conference 2025

    Findings of the research project “Energy Projects in the Münsterland Region” have been accepted for presentation at this year’s annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) and will be presented there. The conference will take place from June 12 to 16, 2025, in Denver. Under the title “Communicating the Energy Transition in Germany—Enablers and Barriers at Local and National Level,” the results of the Q-sort survey conducted as part of the project will be presented and discussed during the presentation.

    The presentation will be given in cooperation with Sigrid Kannengießer’s research group (University of Münster), which will present a media discourse analysis of the energy transition in media reporting. The presentation is part of the panel “What, So What, What Now?! Consolidating Local Energy Discourses With a Global Vision of Transformation” chaired by Franzisca Weder (Vienna University of Economics and Business).

     

    Project results presented at the 2025 DGPuK Annual Conference

    Findings of the research project “Energy Projects in the Münsterland Region” were presented at this year’s annual conference of the German Communication Association (DGPuK). The conference took place from March 19 to 21 in Berlin. Under the title “Communication Science Perspectives on Actors in the Energy Transition,” the project team presented findings from its content analysis of communication materials from organizations responsible for specific energy projects. The content analysis examined, among other things, what types of legitimacy are sought through strategic energy project communication and what legitimation strategies are used by the organizations responsible for such projects. The project team collaborated with Sigrid Kannengießer and Heike Hausmann (University of Münster) on the presentation. The presentation was part of the panel “The Energy Transition as a Magnifying Glass for Public Value Negotiations,” which was moderated by Stephan Görland (University of Münster).

     

    February 2025: Participants wanted for interviews in our reserach project

    The next step in our research project ‘Energy projects in Münsterland’ has begun! We are currently conducting interviews with citizens to understand how communication around regional energy projects is perceived and what expectations there are. The approximately 35-minute interviews are usually conducted online as video calls.

    We are currently still looking for participants who live near the Herkentrup wind farm near Havixbeck or near the planned Corridor B power line in Münsterland. Would you like to take part? Please get in touch at kontakt@communicating-energy.de. We look forward to hearing your opinions and thank you for your support!

     

    November 2024: Peer-reviewed book chapter on strategic energy communication

    A book chapter entitled ‘Striving for legitimacy: Strategic energy project communication and its characteristics’ by Prof. Dr. Helena Stehle, Julia Lührmann, M. A., and Dr. Bernadette Uth will soon be published in a volume on strategic sustainability communication. The handbook ‘Strategic Sustainability Communication: Principles, Perspectives, and Potential’ is edited by Prof. Dr. Franzisca Weder, Institute for Communication Management and Media at the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

    The peer-reviewed chapter deals with corporate energy communication as a specific subfield of strategic sustainability communication. Based on the project’s literature review, characteristics such as stakeholders, goals, and implementation issues are examined. The concept of legitimacy is discussed as a key goal of strategic energy communication. The chapter also considers which discursive legitimation strategies are used to achieve this goal.

     

    November 2024: Welcoming new team members

    Two new student assistants have joined the research project team this year. Ante Leutloff is currently completing her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Science and Economics at the University of Münster and joined the team in March. Paula Fröhlich is pursuing her Master’s degree in Communication Science at the University of Münster and joined the project in July. We are very happy about the growth of our team and look forward to continuing our work together!

     

    November 2024: Research project presented at ECREA 2024

    The research project ‘Energy Projects in Münsterland’ was represented at this year’s European Communication Conference (ECC) of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA). The conference took place from 24 to 27 September in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

    Our presentation, which focused on the first results of the project’s content analysis, was entitled ‘How do organizations responsible for green energy projects employ strategic communication to legitimize such projects? A quantitative content analysis’. Among other things, we showed which types of legitimacy are sought through strategic communication for energy projects and which legitimation strategies are used by the organizations responsible for such projects.

     

    September 2024: Project team presents results at ECREA Annual Conference 2024

    The research team “Energy projects in Münsterland” will be represented at this year’s European Communication Conference of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA) in Slovenia, where they will present the results of their project work. The presentation “How do organizations responsible for green energy projects employ strategic communication to legitimize such projects?” will address, among other things, the types of legitimacy that organizations seek through strategic energy project communication and the legitimation strategies that are used.

    The team is looking forward to the presentation and the exchange in Ljubljana!

     

    October 2023: New member in the project team

    The research team “Energy Projects in Münsterland” welcomes a new employee: Katharina Lemper supports our project as a student assistant starting in October. She is currently completing her master studies in strategic communication at the University of Münster. We are looking forward to working together!

     

    September 2023: The team behind the research project

    In May of this year, the research project “Energy Projects in Münsterland: Strategies of Legitimacy Communication and their Impact” was launched. In this blog post we would like to introduce you to the team behind the project.

    The project is being carried out in the Department of Strategic Communication II under the direction of Prof. Dr. Helena Stehle. Her research focuses on strategic communication, organisational communication, and sustainability and energy communication, and she has been researching communication related to energy and infrastructure projects for more than ten years.

    Dr. Bernadette Uth completed her doctorate in 2021 on the topic of trust building in journalism and contributes her expertise to the project as a postdoctoral researcher, particularly in the area of trust research. Julia Lührmann has been working as a research assistant at the department since October 2021. She brings expertise from the research areas of organisational communication, media use and media effects. Johanna Heckert and Isabell Klawitter are Master students in strategic communication at the University of Münster and support the project as student assistants.

  • Publications & Presentations

    Publications

    Kannengießer, S., Rettler, L., Röttger, U., & Stehle, H. (in print). Public relations and sustainability: Points of friction in a complex relationship. In F. Weder (Hrsg.), Strategic sustainability communication: Principles, perspectives and potential of communication for transformation. Wiesbaden: Springer.

    Stehle, H., Lührmann, J., & Uth, B. (in print). Striving for legitimacy: Strategic energy project communication and its characteristics. In F. Weder (Hrsg.), Strategic sustainability communication: Principles, perspectives and potential of communication for transformation. Wiesbaden: Springer.

    Walke, S., & Stehle, H. (in print). How civil society actors employ strategic communication to delegitimate corporations in public debates on sustainability. In F. Weder (Hrsg.), Strategic sustainability communication: Principles, perspectives and potential of communication for transformation. Wiesbaden: Springer.

    Stehle, H. (2024). Merton (1949): Patterns of influence. In O. Hoffjann, & S. Sandhu (eds.), Schlüsselwerke für die Strategische Kommunikationsforschung (pp. 443-453). Wiesbaden: Springer VS. doi:10.1007/978-3-658-45292-6_39

    Stehle, H., Bock, A., Wilhelm, C., Springer, N., Mahrt, M., Lobinger, K., Linke, C., Engelmann, I., Detel, H., Brantner, C. (2024). In/visibility in the digital age: A literature review from a communication studies perspective. International Journal of Communication, 18(2024), 5471-5493. PDF

    Stehle, H., & Ulrich, A. (2022). Rhetorische Situationen als nützliche Gelegenheiten für die PR. Eine Analyse von Kommunikatorglaubwürdigkeit an der Schnittstelle von PR-Forschung und Rhetorik [Rhetorical situations as useful PR opportunities: An analysis of communicator credibility at the interface of PR research and rhetoric]. In K. Hassenstein, C. Ritz, & S. Sandhu (eds.), Wicked Problems?! Herausforderungen für PR und Organisationskommunikation (pp. 75-94). Wiesbaden: Springer VS. doi:10.1007/978-3-658-37793-9_5

    Stehle, H. (2021). Change Communication. In P. Szyszka, R. Fröhlich,  & U. Röttger (eds.), Handbuch der Public Relations. Wiesbaden: Springer VS. Online first. doi:10.1007/978-3-658-28149-6_44-1 

    Mast, C., & Stehle, H. (2016). Energieprojekte im öffentlichen Diskurs. Erwartungen und Themeninteressen der Bevölkerung [Energy projects in public discourse: Expectations and thematic interests of the general public]. Wiesbaden: Springer VS. doi:10.1007/978-3-658-12711-4 

    Mast, C., Stehle, H., & Krüger, F. (2011). Kommunikationsfeld Strom, Gas und Wasser – brisante Zukunftsthemen in der öffentlichen Diskussion [Electricity, gas, and water as a field of communication – controversial issues in public discussion]. Berlin: LIT.

    Mast, C., & Stehle, H. (2009). Corporate Social Responsibility – Modeerscheinung oder mehr [Corporate social responsibility – a fad or more]? In S. J. Schmidt, & J. Tropp (eds.), Die Moral der Unternehmenskommunikation. Lohnt es sich, gut zu sein? (pp. 170-187). Köln: Halem.

    Conference Talks

    Stehle, H., Kannengießer, S., Lührmann, J., Uth, B., & Görland, S. (2025, June). Communicating the energy transition in Germany—Enablers and barriers at local and national level. ICA 2025 Annual Congress, Denver. (accepted)

    Kannengießer, S., Stehle, H., Uth, B., Hausmann, H., & Lührmann, J. (2025, March). Kommunikationswissenschaftliche Perspektiven auf Akteur*innen der Energiewende [Communication science perspectives on actors in the German energy transition]. Annual Conference, German Communication Association (DGPuK), Berlin.

    Uth, B., Lührmann, J., & Stehle, H. (2024, Sept.). How do organizations responsible for green energy projects employ strategic communication to legitimate such projects? ECREA 2024 Conference, Ljubljana.

    Stehle, H. (2022, Sept.). Citizens’ Perceptions of Dialogue: A Q-study on the Communication of Energy Projects. EUPRERA 2022 Annual Congress, Vienna.

    Stehle, H. (2021, Dec.). Communicating Energy Projects Dialogically: A Qualitative Analysis of the Perceptions and Expectations of Citizens in Germany. International Online Scientific Conference “Sustainable Recovery in Post-Pandemic Era: Green Economy Challenges”, online.

    Stehle, H., & Ulrich, A. (2018, Nov.). Glaubwürdigkeit und das Problem ihrer situativen Realisierung. Erkenntnisse aus der Rhetorik zur glaubwürdigen Kommunikation von Organisationen [Credibility and the challenge of its situational realization: Findings from rhetoric on the credible communication of organizations]. 25th Annual Conference, Public Relations and Organizational Communications Division, German Communication Association (DGPuK), Stuttgart.

    Invited Presentations

    Stehle, H. (2024, Nov.). Wahrnehmung und Wirkung von strategischer Kommunikation bei Energiewende-Projekten [Perception and impact of strategic communication in energy transition projects]. Online expert forum, KNE Kompetenzzentrum Naturschutz und Energiewende, online.

    Stehle, H. (2022, Sept.), Q-Methodologie und Q-Methodik und ihr Einsatz im Rahmen kommunikations- und medienwissenschaftlicher Forschung [Q methodology and Q method and its application in communication and media studies]. Kommunikations- und medienwissenschaftliche Tage 2022, Department of Communication Science (University of Salzburg), DGPuK, ÖGK, SGKM, Salzburg/online.

    Stehle, H. (2020, Dec.). Kommunikation in kommunalen Konflikten [Communication in communal conflicts]. University of Tübingen/Evangelische Akademie Bad Boll, online.

    Stehle, H. (2015, June). Kommunikation mit externen Stakeholdern [Communication with external stakeholder]. Keynote, Summer Academy, Federal Association of German Press Spokepersons (Bundesverband deutscher Pressesprecher, BdP), Stuttgart.

    Stehle, H. (2014, Apr.). Vorsprung durch Nachhaltigkeit. Nachhaltig handeln und kommunizieren [A head start due to sustainability: Sustainable actions and communication]. Kresse & Discher GmbH, Stuttgart.

    Stehle, H. (2013, Sept.). Vorsprung durch Nachhaltigkeit. Nachhaltig handeln und kommunizieren [A head start due to sustainability: Sustainable actions and communication]. Kresse & Discher GmbH, Offenburg.

    Stehle, H. (2012, Sept.). Nachhaltigkeit in der Unternehmenskommunikation. Nachhaltig handeln und kommunizieren [Sustainability in corporate communications: Acting and communicating sustainably]. Ansel & Möllers GmbH, Stuttgart.

    Stehle, H., & Krüger F. (2010, Sept.). Erfolgreich über Energie und Wasser kommunizieren. Die Wahrnehmung von Stadtwerken in der öffentlichen Diskussion [Communicating successfully about energy and water: The image of municipal energy companies in the public discussion]. 5th Forum for small and medium-sized municipal energy companies, Ludwigsburg.

    Stehle, H. (2010, June). Corporate Social Responsibility – Modeerscheinung oder mehr [Corporate social responsibility – fad or more]? Frankfurter Networking Night, DPRG/JP KOM, Frankfurt a. M.

    Stehle, H. (2009, March). Corporate Social Responsibility in Public Relations. Seminar „Current Trends in Organizational Communication and Public Relations“, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä.

     

    For a complete overview of our research: “Strategic Communication II”

  • Team

    Lead

    © IfK

    Prof. Dr. Helena Stehle

    Coordinator of the Project

    Professor of Communication Studies, esp. Strategic Communication

    University of Münster, Department of Communication

    E-Mail: helena.stehle@uni-muenster.de

     

     

    Scientific Associates

    © IfK

    Dr. Bernadette Uth

    Researcher

    E-Mail: bernadette.uth@univie.ac.at

    © IfK

    Julia Lührmann M. A. 

    Research assistent

    E-Mail: julia.luehrmann@uni-muenster.de

     

     

     

     

     

    Student Assistants

    © IfK

    Paula Fröhlich

    Master student at the University of Münster

    © IfK

    Katharina Lemper

    Master student at the University of Münster

    © IfK

    Ante Leutloff

    Bachelor student at the University of Münster