Dr. Zhe Xu

Computational and comparative research on digital crisis communication

Hello! I am a DFG-funded Walter Benjamin Fellow at the Department of Media and Communication at LMU Munich, Germany. My primary research areas encompass Crisis and Conflict Communication and Computational Social Science. Empirically, I focus on studying the (de)politicization, platformization, datafication, and algorithmization of the mediation of global humanitarian crises through the comparative perspective of media systems. I also examine the societal impacts of these trends, including the proliferation of mis/disinformation, the emergence of data/technological colonialism, and the rise of neoliberalism in public decision-making. Methodologically, I am interested in the application of mathematical modeling and complex networks in empirical journalism studies, particularly in using Bayesian statistics, machine learning, and network science to optimize news framing analysis methods.

My research has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as the International Journal of Communication, International Communication Gazette, Media, Culture & Society, Journalism, and the European Journal of Communication. I have participated in computational methodology training programs, including at the Data and Simulation Science Center at the University of Cologne and the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute. In terms of academic service, I serve as a reviewer for several journals and international conferences, as well as for the Czech Science Foundation (GACR) and the United Nations Migration Network.

Before joining LMU Munich, I earned my Ph.D. from the University of Cologne in Germany, a master’s degree in media studies in the UK, and bachelor’s degrees in media technology engineering in China.

More information coming soon!