From April 24 to 26, the Social Media Observatory will host an international symposium on Indicators of Social Cohesion in Social Media and Online Media. Registrations are now open.

Register now!

With our initial period currently nearing its end and a subsequent five-year funding period in sight, we are honored to host this event for our fellow social media researchers from all over the world. We are fortunate to welcome a group of internationally renowned speakers who will share with us their contributions on indicators of social cohesion.

The Symposium will kick off on the evening of April 24 with a Context Collapse, an alternative keynote format that encourages networking and sparks discussion amongst the audience.

Context Collapse

My War is Your Special Operation: How Social Media Reinforce and Undermine Social Cohesion Regarding Russia’s War in Ukraine

Dr. Mykola Makhortykh, University of Bern

Dr. Aleksandra Urman, University of Zurich

Activism and Polarization within the Chinese Digital Diaspora

Dr. Meg Jing Zeng, Utrecht University

Moderation: Jan Rau, RISC Section Hamburg

Keynote Presentations

Dynamics of Destructive Polarization in Mainstream and Social Media

Prof. Dr. Axel Bruns, Queensland University of Technology

Online-Communication and Challenges for Social Cohesion. Alternative (Social) Media and the Dissemination of Distrust and Conspiracy Theories

Prof. Dr. Lena Frischlich, University of Southern Denmark

Social Media and Polarization: From Opinions to Identity

Prof. Dr. Petter Törnberg, University of Amsterdam

For more information on the program, check out the HBI website. The event will be held in English.

Image source: betahaus