Prof. Dr. Michelle Cummings-Koether

core competencies

Core competencies encompass the analysis of transformation processes, intercultural competence, and the role of values and expectations in shaping social, institutional, and communicative practices. This includes the study of how cultural frameworks influence interpretation, decision making, and interaction in both individual and collective contexts.

A further area of expertise is political communication, with a focus on the production, circulation, and reception of messages within contemporary media environments. This involves examining how information structures affect public discourse, legitimacy, and democratic participation.

Research also addresses culture and artificial intelligence, concentrating on the identification and evaluation of bias related to gender, culture, misinformation, and disinformation. This includes critical assessment of algorithmic systems, sociotechnical conditions, and the cultural assumptions embedded in data and model design.

Competencies extend to group dynamics and systems thinking, with attention to the structural and relational mechanisms that shape collective behaviour, coordination, and institutional outcomes. Analytical methods include qualitative and quantitative approaches, visual analysis, and comparative cultural inquiry.

Across these domains, the work prioritizes conceptual clarity, methodological rigor, and systematic examination of structural inequities, with the aim of generating academically robust insights applicable to research, policy, and practice.