Welcome to the Department of Communication (IfK) at the University of Münster.

What is hidden in the dark? 14 IfK students asked themselves this question as part of the ‘Magazine Journalism’ seminar in the 2024 summer semester. They spoke to people about the Münster crime scene, depression, stalking and long party nights. The result is the magazine DUNKEL.

There is growing pressure on companies to speak out and position themselves on socio-political issues and events. Stakeholders such as customers, politicians and investors expect companies to take a stance on issues and events that are the subject of critical and often polarised debate in society. A new research project by the two departments Strategic Communication I (Prof. Dr Ulrike Röttger) and II (Prof. Dr Helena Stehle) at the Department of Communication Studies is exploring the significance, design and challenges of attitude communication.

IfK graduate Anke Oßwald's dissertation entitled ‘Public Relations and Decision. On the communicative form of PR in the digital age’ has been awarded the dissertation prize of the PR and Organisational Communication section of the German Society for Journalism and Communication Studies. The award ceremony took place as part of the specialist group conference on 31 October 2024 in Berlin.
 

Dr Marianne Ravenstein, former Academic Director of the IfK, passed away on 26 October at the age of 67. As Vice-Rector for Studies and Teaching and Equal Opportunities Officer at the University of Münster, Marianne Ravenstein rendered great services to the university. However, the IfK was also significantly characterised by her knowledge, her ideas and her commitment for over twenty years.

The new Fellow of the Centre for the Study of Digitised Public Spheres comes to Münsterland from the far north: Prof. Dr Cornelia Brantner from Karlstad University (Sweden) is currently a guest at the IfK.