© Susanne Lüdeling

Jun.-Prof. Dr. Annie Waldherr

Department of Communication

Room: E 223
Bispinghof 9-14
D-48143 Münster

Phone: +49 251 83-23000
Fax: +49 251 83-28394

Consultation hours

by individual arrangement via mail

  • Research Interests

    Public Sphere

    • Media effects (agenda-setting, framing, spiral of silence)
    • Dynamics of public communication


    Political Online Communication

    • Agenda-building and political participation online
    • Online protests


    Computational Social Science

    • Agent-based modeling
    • Text-mining
    • Network analysis

  • Short CV

    Since 2017, Dr. Annie Waldherr, *1980, is an Assistant Professor of Communication Science at the University of Muenster.

    From 1999 to 2005 she studied at the University of Hohenheim and graduated with a Diploma in Communication Science. During her studies, she spent a year abroad at the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon. She worked as a Research Associate for the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Hohenheim (2006-2010) and for the Institute of Media and Communication Studies at Freie Universität Berlin (2010-2016). In 2011, she obtained her PhD degree in Media and Communication Studies from Freie Universität Berlin for her work on the dynamics of media attention. In 2016, she was visiting scholar at the Network Science Institute at Northeastern University in Boston.

  •  Memberships

    • International Communication Association (ICA)
    • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Publizistik- und Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK)

  •  Recent Projects

    Working Group "Computational Social Science: Theories, Methodology & Research Ethics"

    With the increasing digitalization of our contemporary societies, «Computational Social Science» (CSS) has become an established field of research over the last couple of years. As a subarea of social science, CSS focuses on computational methods – such as network analysis, text and data mining as well as computer simulation – to examine social phenomena and processes. Due to technological change, these methods have become more and more relevant as they enable to systematically analyze massive digital datasets.

    Translocal Networks: Public Sphere in the Social Web

    The research project is part of the Collaborative Research Center 1265 “Re-Figuration of Spaces” (Coordinating university: TU Berlin). The center investigates changes in experience and constitution of space in light of processes of globalization and digitalization. In this framework, our project examines the spatiality of the “Twitterspheres” in the cities of Berlin and Jerusalem. Asking how virtual urban spaces are constituted through networked communication, we investigate communicative relations among Twitter users, their spatial locations, and the topics they talk about.

    Research Training Group 1712/2 “Trust and Communication in a Digitized World”

    The research training group examines how trust can be developed and maintained under the conditions of new forms of communication. Digitized means of communication change the structure and sustainability of trust because firstly, familiar face-to-face communication is replaced by digitized interactions, secondly, virtual social and office networks emerge and finally, because new forms of relationships between the public, organisations and individuals develop. The postgraduate programme analyses the consequences of these processes for the establishment of trust relationships by the example of four prototypical areas: media, economy, science and sports.

  • Completed Research Projects

    Young Scholars Network: Temporal dynamics and process models in media effects research (2013-2016, funded by the DFG)

    The network of young scholars – funded by the German National Science Foundation (DFG) – collected and discussed concepts and methods of studying temporal dynamics and processes in media effects research. Six selected longitudinal methods were discussed in-depth: physiological measurements, real-time-response, computer simulations, diary methods, dynamic network analysis, and matching. The similarities and differences between these methods were identified and documented with regard to their concepts of time and processes. In this context, Dr. Annie Waldherr and Dr. Martin Wettstein (University of Zurich) contributed expertise on agent-based simulation methods. The network was coordinated by Prof. Dr. Jens Vogelgesang (University of Hohenheim) and Prof. Dr. Michael Scharkow (Zeppelin University).

    Project: Scientific Analysis of Citizen and Online Dialogs on the Quality of Life in Germany (2015-2016, funded by the Federal Chancellery of the Republic of Germany)

    In 2015, the Federal Government initiated more than 200 citizen dialogues on well-being in Germany. Furthermore, citizens could share their ideas on the quality of life in Germany on an online platform or send a postcard. For the scientific analysis of approximately 200 written event records, 2500 online answers and 4500 postcards, a team from the FU Berlin headed by Prof. Dr. Barbara Pfetsch and Dr. Annie Waldherr worked closely together with the company CID GmbH. Team members were Peter Miltner, Sophia Ostner, Lars-Ole Müller and Daniela Stoltenberg. The analysis included qualitative and quantitative content analyses using the text-mining software Topic Analyst (CID GmbH). The results were documented in a scientific report and were included in the report of the Federal Government (2016) on the quality of life in Germany.

    Links:
    Scientific report
    Report of the Federal Government

    Dissertation project: Dynamics of innovation discourses

    Aim of the study was to examine the dynamics of media coverage of new technologies and to contribute to their explanation. In particular, the conditions of the upswing of topics were explored. In this context, the dynamic interactions of events, topics, actors and frames were of specific interest. An agent-based computer model was developed that was able to simulate typical issue-attention cycles by the interactions of social actors and media actors within a virtual media system. The model and its assumptions were empirically examined based on empirical data on the topics “navigation systems” and “RFID” in the German press.

  • Publications

    Books (Monographs)

    • Waldherr A. (). Die Dynamik der Medienaufmerksamkeit: Ein Simulationsmodell. Baden-Baden: Nomos.
    • Waldherr A. (). Kommunikationsstile von Führungskräften: Eine strukturelle Analyse des Kommunikationsverhaltens in Führungssituationen. Marburg: Tectum.

    Articles

    Articles in Journals
    • Schmid-Petri H, Adam S, Reber U, Häussler T, Maier D., Miltner P., Pfetsch B., Waldherr A. (). Homophily and prestige: An assessment of their relative strength to explain link formation in the online climate change debate. Social Networks, 55, 47. doi: 10.1016/j.socnet.2018.05.001.
    • Maier D., Waldherr A., Miltner P., Wiedemann G., Niekler A., Keinert A., Pfetsch B., Heyer G., Reber U., Häussler T., Schmid-Petri H. & Adam S. (). Applying LDA topic modeling in communication research: Toward a valid and reliable methodology. Communication Methods and Measures, 12(2-3), 93. doi: 10.1080/19312458.2018.1430754.
    • Maier D., Waldherr A., Miltner P., Jähnichen P., Pfetsch B. (). Exploring issues in a networked public sphere: Combining hyperlink network analysis and topic modeling. Social Science Computer Review, 36, 3-20. doi: 10.1177/0894439317690337.
    • Strippel C., Bock A., Katzenbach C., Mahrt M., Merten L., Nuernbergk C., Pentzold C., Puschmann C., Waldherr A. (). Die Zukunft der Kommunikationswissenschaft ist schon da, sie ist nur ungleich verteilt: Eine Kollektivreplik auf Beiträge im „Forum“ (Publizistik, Heft 3 und 4, 2016). Publizistik, 63(1). doi: 10.1007/s11616-017-0398-5.
    • Waldherr A., Maier D., Miltner P., Günther E. (). Big data, big noise: The challenge of finding issue networks on the Web. Social Science Computer Review, 35, 427. doi: 10.1177/0894439316643050.
    • Waldherr, Annie. (). Öffentlichkeit als komplexes System: Theoretisches Konzept und methodische Konsequenzen. Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft, 65(3), 534. doi: 10.5771/1615-634X-2017-3-534.
    • Pfetsch B., Maier D., Miltner P., Waldherr A. (). Online networks of challengers in food policy: A comparative study of structures and coalitions in Germany, UK, US, and Switzerland. International Journal of E-Politics, 7(1), 16. doi: 10.4018/IJEP.2016010102.
    • Waldherr A. (). Emergence of news waves: A social simulation approach. Journal of Communication, 64(5), 852-873. doi: 10.1111/jcom.12117.
    • Miltner P., Waldherr A. (). Themenzyklus der Kriegsberichterstattung: Ein Phasenmodell. Publizistik, 58, 267. doi: 10.1007/s11616-013-0180-2.
    • Waldherr A., Wijermans N. (). Communicating social simulation models to sceptical minds. JASSS, 16(4).
    • Miltner P., Maier D., Pfetsch B., Waldherr A. (). Online networks of civil society actors as an indicator for politicization? A hyperlink analysis of the food safety issue in Germany. Catalan Journal of Communication and Cultural Studies, 5(2), 201-220. doi: 10.1386/cjcs.5.2.201_1.
    • Waldherr A., Muck P. (). Towards an integrative approach to communication styles: The interpersonal circumplex and the five-factor theory of personality as frames of reference. Communications, 36(1), 1-27. doi: 10.1515/COMM.2011.001.
    Articles in Edited Books
    • Waldherr A. (). Modelling issue-attention dynamics in a hybrid media system. In Vasterman P. (Ed.), From media hype to Twitter storm: News explosions and their impact on issues, crises, and public opinion, p. 291-311. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.
    • Waldherr A., Wijermans, N. (). Modelling the role of social media at street protests. In Jager W., Verbrugge R., Flache A., de Roo G., Hoogduin L., Hemelrijk C. (Eds.), Advances in Social Simulation 2015. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol. 528, p. 445-449. Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-47253-9_41.
    • Waldherr A., Heyer G., Jähnichen P., Niekler A., Wiedemann G. (). Mining big data with computational methods. In Vowe G., Henn P. (Eds.), Political Communication in the Online World: Theoretical Approaches and Research Designs, p. 201-217. New York: Routledge.
    • Maier D., Waldherr A., Miltner P., Schmid-Petri H., Häussler T., Adam S. (). Stichprobenziehung aus dem Netz – Wie man themenspezifische Online-Inhalte erfassen kann. In Sommer K., Wettstein M., Wirth W., Matthes J. (Hrsg.), Automatisierung in der Inhaltsanalyse, S. 90-110. Köln: von Halem.
    • Waldherr A. (). The mass media as actors in innovation systems: Their relevance for high-tech policy decisions. In Bauer Johannes M., Lang Achim, Schneider Volker (Eds.), Innovation Policy and Governance in High-Tech Industries: The Complexity of Coordination, p. 77-100. Berlin: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-12563-8_4.
    • Waldherr A., Bachl M. (). Simulation gesellschaftlicher Medienwirkungsprozesse am Beispiel der Schweigespirale. In Suckfüll M., Schramm H., Wünsch C. (Hrsg.), Rezeption und Wirkung in zeitlicher Perspektive, S. 203-220. Baden-Baden: Nomos. doi: 10.5771/9783845231310.
    • Thiemens J., Waldherr A. (). Bewertungsdimensionen einer Kanzlerkandidatin – Eine quantitative Inhaltsanalyse der Berichterstattung über Angela Merkel im Bundestagswahlkampf 2005. In Rodoniklis W., Zander D. (Hrsg.), Düsseldorfer Forum Politische Kommunikation 2008. Schriftenreihe DFPK, S. 158-182. Münster: Lit.
    • Waldherr A. (). Innovationsdiskurse in Medien und Politik – Theoretisches Rahmenkonzept für eine vergleichende Analyse von Themenkarrieren. In Aydin E., Begenat M., Michalek C., Schemann J., Stefes I. (Hrsg.), Düsseldorfer Forum Politische Kommunikation 2007. Schriftenreihe DFPK, S. 291-312. Münster: Lit.
    • Waldherr A. (). Gatekeeper, Diskursproduzenten und Agenda-Setter – Medien als Akteure in Innovationsprozessen. In Pfetsch B., Adam S. (Hrsg.), Massenmedien als politische Akteure – Konzepte und Analysen, S. 171-195. Wiesbaden: VS. doi: 10.1007/978-3-531-90843-4_8.

    Reports (Working, Research, Annual Reports)

    • Waldherr A., Ostner S., Müller L.-O., Miltner P., Stoltenberg D., Sona P., Pfetsch B. (). Wissenschaftliche Auswertung von Bürger- und Online-Dialogen zum Thema Lebensqualität in Deutschland. ( ).

    Other Publications (technical specifications, informal publications)

    • Waldherr A. (). AMMA: Agent-based model of the media arena (Version 1). CoMSES Computational Model Library.

  •  Talks

    2017

    • Waldherr, A., Stoltenberg, D., Maier, D. & Pfetsch, B. (2017). Translokalisierung von Öffentlichkeiten in einer digitalisierten Welt: Ein Theoriebeitrag. Vortrag im Rahmen der Jahrestagung der DGPuK-Fachgruppe Digitale Kommunikation, 08.-10. November 2017, Stuttgart.
    • Waldherr, A. (2017). Bringing theory to data with agent-based modeling. Invited presentation at the Hans-Bredow-Institute for Media Research, Hamburg, September 4.
    • Waldherr, A. & Schmid-Petri, H. (2017). Authority, hub, or broker: Structural roles of gatekeeping in online issue networks. Poster presented at the 67th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), May 25-29, San Diego, CA.
    • Maier, D., Waldherr, A., Miltner, P., Wiedemann, G., Niekler, A., Heyer, G., Keinert, A.M.C., Pfetsch, B., Häussler, T., Reber, U., Schmid-Petri, H., & Adam, S. (2017). Applying LDA topic modeling in communication research: Toward a valid and reliable methodology. Paper presented at the 67th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), May 25-29, San Diego, CA.
    • Pfetsch B., Maier, D., Miltner, P., Waldherr, A. (2017). Diffusion models in online agenda-setting: Theoretical models and empirical assessment. Presentation at the 67th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), May 25-29, San Diego, CA.
    • Schmid‐Petri, H., Häussler, T., Adam, S., Reber, U., Maier, D., Miltner, P., Pfetsch, B., & Waldherr, A. (2017). Homophily versus prestige – adding topics to the explanation of link formation on the Web. Paper presented at the 67th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), May 25-29, San Diego, CA.
    • Waldherr, A. (2017). Vernetzung und Themendynamik in digitalen Öffentlichkeiten: Ein agentenbasiertes Simulationsexperiment. Vortrag im Rahmen der Jahrestagung der DGPuK, 30. März - 1. April, Düsseldorf.

    2016

    • Waldherr, A. (2016). Supervise the machine, or not? Approaches to grasping networked issue debates online. Invited presentation at the conference “Big political data: Why and how?” at Warwick Q-Step Centre, University of Warwick, December 2nd, Coventry, UK.
    • Waldherr, A. (2016). Modelling attention dynamics in the networked public sphere. Invited presentation at the Lazer Lab, Network Science Institute, Northeastern University, July 12, Boston, MA.
    • Waldherr, A. (2016). Discussing food safety in online issue networks: Empirical results and methodological prospects. Invited seminar at the Quello Center, Department of Media & Information, Michigan State University, May 4, East Lansing, MI.
    • Waldherr, A. (2016). Discussing food safety in online issue networks: Empirical results and methodological prospects. Invited presentation at the conference „Genes, Germs & GMOs: Social Media Effects on Scientific Controversies“ of the Division of Emerging Media Studies, Boston University, April 20, Boston, MA.
    • Pfetsch, B., Maier, D., Miltner, P., & Waldherr, A. (2016). About frankenfood and salmonella: Framing food safety in US news media and online issue networks. Paper presented at the 66th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), June 9 - 13, Fukuoka, Japan.

    2015

    • Waldherr, A. (2015). Vernetzung, Dynamik, Selbstorganisation. Öffentlichkeit als komplexes, adaptives System. Vortrag im Rahmen der Tagung „Medienkommunikation zwischen Komplexität und Vereinfachung“ der DGPuK-Fachgruppen Digitale Kommunikation und Soziologie der Medienkommunikation, 5. - 7. November, Berlin.
    • Maier, D., Waldherr, A., Miltner, P., Jähnichen, P., & Pfetsch, B. (2015). Exploring issues in a networked public sphere: Combining hyperlink network analysis and topic modeling. Paper presented at the 65th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), May 21 - 25, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
    • Pfetsch, B., Maier, D., Miltner, P., & Waldherr, A. (2015). Connection for salience – Old and new media in agenda building on the Internet. A comparison between German and US American issue networks. Vortrag im Rahmen der Jahrestagung der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaft (SGKM), 13. - 14. März, Bern.
    • Pfetsch, B., Miltner, P. & Waldherr, A. (2015). Alte und neue Dynamiken des Agenda-Building in der Online-Welt – Ein Beitrag zur Theoriebildung der politischen Kommunikationsforschung. Vortrag im Rahmen der Tagung “ Politische Online-Kommunikation“ der DGPuK-Fachgruppe Kommunikation und Politik, 20. - 21. Februar, Düsseldorf.

    2014

    • Pfetsch, B., Maier, D., Miltner, P., & Waldherr, A. (2014). Connection for salience – Old and new media in agenda-building on the Internet. Paper presented at the ECREA 5th European Communication Conference, November 12 - 15, Lisbon, Portugal.
    • Waldherr, A. (2014). Agentenbasierte Modellierung und Computersimulation: Perspektiven für die Kommunikationswissenschaft. Vortrag im Rahmen der Tagung “Methodische Herausforderungen und Innovationen in der Kommunikations- und Medienforschung” der DGPuK-Fachgruppe Methoden, 9. - 11. Oktober, München.
    • Waldherr, A. & Schmid-Petri, H. (2014). Integrieren journalistische Onlinemedien die Netzwerköffentlichkeit? Deutschland und die USA im Vergleich. Vortrag im Rahmen der Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK), 28. - 30. Mai, Passau.
    • Miltner, P., Maier, D., Waldherr, A. & Pfetsch, B. (2014). Wie flüchtig ist digitale Öffentlichkeit? Empirische Befunde zur Stabilität und Dynamik themenspezifischer Öffentlichkeiten im Internet. Vortrag im Rahmen der Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK), 28. - 30. Mai, Passau.
    • Waldherr, A., Maier, D., Miltner, P., & Günther, E. (2014). Big data, big noise: The challenge of extracting issue networks from the Web. Paper presented at the 64th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), May 22 - 26, Seattle, WA.

    2013

    • Pfetsch, B., Maier, D., Miltner, P., & Waldherr, A. (2013). Online networks of challengers in food policy: A comparative study of structures and coalitions in Germany, UK, US and Switzerland. Paper presented at the 7th ECPR General Conference, September 4 - 7, Bordeaux, France.

    2012

    • Schmid-Petri, H., Häussler, T., Adam, S., Waldherr, A., Miltner, P., Pfetsch, B. & Bennett, W. L. (2012). Selecting and framing in a digital age: Is online communication of challengers abandoning mass media´s logic? Paper presented at the ECREA 4th European Communication Conference, October 24 - 27, Istanbul, Turkey.
    • Schmid-Petri, H., Waldherr, A., Häussler, T., Miltner, P. & Adam, S. (2012). Was passiert zu einem Thema im Netz? Die Herausforderung, dynamische Online-Netzwerke und deren Diskurse zu erfassen. Vortrag im Rahmen der Tagung „Fortschritte in der Inhaltsanalyse“ der DGPuK-Fachgruppe Methoden, 27. - 29. September, Zürich.
    • Waldherr, A. (2012). The emergence of issue careers: A social simulation approach. Paper presented at the 62nd Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), May 24 - 28, Phoenix, AZ.
    • Waldherr, A., Häussler, T., Miltner, P., Pfetsch, B., Schmid-Petri, H., Adam, S., Streibl, W. & Bennett, W. L. (2012). Comparing apples and oranges: The challenge of measuring online-offline discourse dynamics. Paper presented at the 62nd Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), May 24 - 28, Phoenix, AZ.
    • Miltner, P. & Waldherr, A. (2012). Themenzyklus der Kriegsberichterstattung – Ein Phasenmodell. Vortrag im Rahmen der Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK), 16. – 18. Mai, Berlin.

    vor 2011

    • Waldherr, A. (2010). Agenda-setting and agenda-hiding in ICT discourses. Poster presented at the 3rd European Communication Conference (ECREA 2010), October 10 - 15, Hamburg.
    • Waldherr, A. & Bachl, M. (2010). Simulation gesellschaftlicher Medienwirkungs-prozesse am Beispiel der Schweigespirale. Vortrag im Rahmen der Tagung „Rezeption und Wirkung in zeitlicher Perspektive“ der DGPuK-Fachgruppe Rezeptions- und Wirkungsforschung, 29. - 30. Januar, Berlin.
    • Waldherr, A. (2009). Media attention dynamics in complex societies: A conceptual framework. Paper presented at the 59th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), May 21-25, Chicago, IL.
    • Waldherr, A. (2009). Komplexität und Dynamik moderner Mediendiskurse: Theoretisches Konzept und methodische Konsequenzen. Vortrag im Rahmen der Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK), 29. April - 1. Mai, Bremen.
    • Waldherr, A. (2008). The complexity of mass mediated risk discourses: A conceptual framework for studying issue attention to science and technology. Paper presented at the 11th International Conference of the International Society for the Study of European Ideas, July 28 - August 2, Helsinki, Finland.
    • Thiemens, J. & Waldherr, A. (2008). Bewertungsdimensionen einer Kanzlerkandidatin – Eine quantitative Inhaltsanalyse der Berichterstattung über Angela Merkel im Bundestagswahlkampf 2005. Vortrag im Rahmen des 4. Düsseldorfer Forums für Politische Kommunikation, 5. - 6. April, Düsseldorf.
    • Waldherr, A. (2007). Innovation policy and the mass media: The relevance of public discourse for high-tech-policy decisions. Vortrag im Rahmen der Frühjahrstagung des Arbeitskreises "Politik und Technik" der Deutschen Vereinigung für Politische Wissenschaft, 22. - 23. Juni, Meersburg.
    • Waldherr, A. (2007). Innovationskarrieren in Medien und Politik: Forschungsdesign für eine vergleichende Untersuchung von Themenkarrieren. Poster im Rahmen des 3. Düsseldorfer Forums für Politische Kommunikation, 13. - 15. April, Düsseldorf.
    • Muck, P. M., Waldherr, A., & Sawatzky, A. (2006). Konsequenzen des Kommunikationsverhaltens von Führungskräften. Poster im Rahmen des 45. Kongresses der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie, 17. - 21. September, Nürnberg.
    • Muck, P. M., Waldherr, A., & Sawatzky, A. (2006). A structural analysis of leaders' communication behavior. Paper presented at the 13th European Conference on Personality, July 22 - 26, Athens, Greece.
    • Muck, P. M. & Waldherr, A. (2006). Is managerial communication consistent across leadership tasks? Paper presented at the 26th International Congress of Applied Psychology, July 16 - 21, Athens, Greece.