Fellowship: A Week with Tim Vos

From September 14 to 17, we were pleased to welcome Prof. Tim Vos to Münster together with the Journalism Research group, headed by Prof. Nina Springer. Vos is a professor at the School of Journalism at Michigan State University, an ICA Fellow, and, on the U.S. side, is involved in the Worlds of Journalism Study. He joined us for a week of academic exchange, discussions, and personal conversations.

 

 

At the beginning of his visit, Tim Vos got to know the University of Münster, the Department of Communication, and, in particular, the Online Communication Lab and our current research projects. At the same time, Vos shared insights into his own research and his longstanding work in the fields of journalism, media, and communication. There was also plenty of time for exchange beyond the academic program: over shared dinners and a tour of Münster, we continued our conversations in a more relaxed atmosphere.

A highlight of the week was Vos’s presentation on Tuesday, titled “Rethinking Research on Journalistic Roles.” In his talk, Vos critically examined existing research on journalistic roles, ranging from theoretical conceptualizations to empirical operationalizations. The presentation was followed by a discussion, which gave our colleagues and other attendees the opportunity to engage intensively with Vos and the topics he presented.

Between group meetings and official appointments, Tim Vos also made time for individual consultations and discussions, particularly with PhD researchers from the OCL and the Journalism Research group. These conversations focused specifically on dissertation projects, academic papers, and career planning. The many areas of overlap – including journalistic norms and boundary work, media and anti-media, and journalists as actors in processes of social change – provided numerous starting points for further discussion and exchange.

We would like to thank Tim Vos for his visit and the many inspiring conversations, and we look forward to staying in touch.