The department offers introductory courses in the research field of science communication , an interdisciplinary field that discusses the process of communication at the interface to politics and publics, as well as the various role models and principles of science in public spheres.
Climate communication and sustainability communication are major objectives in teaching. Climate communication is a global challenge that requires both local commitment around the world and transnational cooperation. Research shows that climate debates differ greatly, depending on journalistic, cultural and political contexts, as do their mechanisms of action. The significance, patterns, logics and modes of action of climate communication are presented and discussed in the relevant courses. Main focus are audiences - how do different audiences perceive and interpret media coverage, how does it affect their attitudes, their knowledge, their behavioral responses?
Science and climate communication are also a very good field for teaching-research projects, at best with practice partners and/or with links to research projects of the other teaching and research units of the Department of Geography and the Faculty of Geosciences.
We contribute to the teaching of empirical methods , in particular quantitative methods (surveys, content analysis, experimental designs). Knowledge and skills in empirical methods are not only a central competence for conducting one's own research, but also important for correctly understanding and classifying relevant results from neighboring and related research areas. Especially in an interdisciplinary research and professional field such as geography, empirical methods can be considered a central basic competence.