Prof. Dr. Patrick Donges

Prof. Dr. Patrick Donges

Professor

Communication Studies
Zeppelinhaus
Nikolaistraße 27-29, Room 3.07
04109 Leipzig

Phone: +49 341 97 - 35711

Prof. Dr. Patrick Donges

Prof. Dr. Patrick Donges

Vice-Dean

Faculty of Social Sciences and Philosophy
Zeppelinhaus
Nikolaistraße 27-29
04109 Leipzig

Abstract

Patrick Donges is professor for Communication Studies at the Department of Communication and Media Studies at Leipzig University since April 2016. His work focuses on political communication, media structures and media policy, theories of communication science and organizational communication. After studying political science and journalism at the University of Hamburg, Donges worked at various scientific institutions and for various projects, e.g. in Zurich, Salzburg, Vienna and Berlin. He spent time abroad, for example, at the Institute of Journalism at Zurich University or as a visiting professor at the Institute for Journalism and Communication Science at the University of Vienna. Before starting his work as professor in Leipzig two years ago, Donges worked as professor at the University of Greifswald.

Professional career

  • since 10/2019
    Vice Dean Faculty of Social Sciences and Philosophy
  • 04/2019 - 04/2021
    Executive Director Institute of Communication and Media Studies
  • since 04/2016
    Chair for Communication Studies, Institute of Communication and Media Studies, Leipzig University
  • 10/2009 - 03/2016
    Chair for Communication Studies, Institute of Political Science and Communication Studies, University of Greifswald
  • 09/2008 - 09/2009
    Assistant Professor (Political Communication), Department of Communication and Media Research, University of Zurich
  • 04/2008 - 07/2008
    Substitute Professor, Institute for Media and Communication Studies, Freie Universität Berlin
  • 03/2005 - 09/2005
    Visiting Professor, Institute for Media and Communication Studies, University of Vienna
  • 10/2004 - 02/2005
    Visiting lecturer, Department of Communication Studies, University of Vienna
  • 04/1998 - 08/2008
    Assistant / Senior Assistent (since 2001), Institute for Media and Communikation Studies, University of Zurich
  • 04/1996 - 03/1998
    Research Assistant, Hans-Bredow-Institut. University of Hamburg
  • 05/1995 - 03/1996
    Research Assistant, Institute for Journalism Studies, University of Hamburg

Education

  • 10/1990 - 05/1995
    Diploma in Political Science and Journalism, University of Hamburg
  • 09/2001
    Ph.D. in Communication Studies, University of Zurich
  • 10/2007
    Habilitation in Communication Studies, University of Zurich

In my research, I work on the focus of the institute - change in communication, media and society - from a structural and process-related perspective. Issues in research are the structural conditions, institutional rules and social consequences of communication with varying degrees of publicity and by means of various media. The main research interests are political communication, media structures and their political design, as well as the communication of and in groups and organizations.


  • Specialized Media and Publics in Political Communication
    Donges, Patrick
    Duration: 10/2015 – 10/2019
    Funded by: DFG Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
    Involved organisational units of Leipzig University: Kommunikationswissenschaft
    show details
  • Establishment of the research field "development communication" in communication studies and journalism
    Hamidi, Kefa
    Duration: 12/2018 – 11/2021
    Involved organisational units of Leipzig University: Kommunikationswissenschaft
    show details
  • Handbook series on corporate communications
    Zerfaß, Ansgar
    Duration: 06/2017 – 03/2022
    Involved organisational units of Leipzig University: Strategische Kommunikation; Kommunikationswissenschaft; Kommunikationsmanagement
    show details

more projects

  • Donges, P.; Jarren, O.
    Politische Kommunikation in der Mediengesellschaft. Eine Einführung (5. Auflage)
    Wiesbaden: Springer VS. 2022.
    show details
  • Donges, P.; Hoffmann, C. P.; Pentzold, C.
    Modes of Recognition and the Persistence of Center-Periphery Constellations in the Digital Public Sphere
    International Journal of Communication. 2024.
    show details
  • Donges, P.
    Digitalisierung der politischen Kommunikation. Folgen der automatisiert algorithmischen Vermittlung auf die Sichtbarkeit und Zurechenbarkeit des Politischen
    Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie. 2022. 74 (Suppl 1). pp. 209–230.
    show details
  • Donges, P.
    Fachjournalismus, -medien und -öffentlichkeiten: von der Selbstbeobachtung zur Selbstorganisation
    Communicatio Socialis. 2021. pp. 23–32.
    show details

more publications

For a research-based career orientation, as the Institute for Communication and Media Science offers in teaching, the sentence attributed to Kurt Lewin is still relevant "nothing is as practical as a good theory". Good theories make things that appear familiar strange, create new perspectives and help to differentiate hives from lasting changes. Only those who know (institutionalized) rules of communication can successfully try to shape them.

 

Courses are offered on the topics

  • Introduction to the theories of communication science with a focus on basic concepts, actors, structures and processes
  • Theories of the public
  • Communication and media structures in Germany and other countries
  • Group and organizational communication
  • Political communication
  • Communication and media ethics
  • Lecture Theories of Communication Studies

  • Lecture The Media System in Germany

  • Seminar Communication and Media Ethics

  • Seminar Group and Organizational Communication

  • Seminar Theories of the Public Sphere

  • Seminar Political Organizations

Research fields

Communication and media studies

Specializations

  • Political Communication

  • Media systems and media policy

  • Organizational communication

  • Theories and models of communication

Contact for media inquiries

Phone: +49 341 97-35711