Daniela and Alexa are research associates and advanced PhD candidates at the Institute of Media and Communication Studies, Freie Universität Berlin.

Daniela applies computational methods such as network analysis and automated content analysis to study online communication, public spheres, and space. Together with colleagues, she has published studies on issue spatiality, community detection, translocal social media audiences, and many more.

Alexa works with mixed methods, especially network analysis and interviews, to investigate space-related mediatized practices in a German climate justice discourse. In collaboration with colleagues, she has written articles on relational communication spaces, local public spheres, translocal publics, and more. 

The project Translocal Networks investigates digital urban public spheres, focusing on the Twitterspheres of Berlin and Jerusalem. It is led by Annie Waldherr and Barbara Pfetsch and conducted in cooperation with Neta Kligler-Vilenchik and Maya De Vries Kedem.

During this project, Daniela and Alexa have found that places become integrated into novel, translocal arrangements of public communication but spatial proximity remains critically important, even in digital networks with potentially global reach. Moreover, material conflicts and structures of spatial marginalization often become visible and are reproduced in digital communication.

We wish you good luck and success with advancing the project and have a fruitful and pleasant stay in Vienna!