Berend Barkela

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About

Berend Barkela is an assistant professor at the Institute for Strategic Organizational Communication in the Department of Business Communication at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). Previously, he worked as a research assistant at the Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU) and the University of Koblenz-Landau. In addition to his academic career, he gained practical communications experience in the cultural sector, including as a PR manager at the Sandkorn Theater in Karlsruhe.

Research Interests

Berend Barkela’s research focuses on two interrelated areas. First, he examines strategic science communication and its politicization. He investigates how scientific knowledge is communicated strategically by interest groups in academia, politics, business, and civil society. He is particularly interested in how scientific uncertainty is misrepresented in public debates, for example in the context of sustainability discourses and the acceptance of future technologies.

Second, he researches strategic communication at the intersection of communication studies, cultural studies, and the sociology of art. This includes leadership communication and internal communication within arts organizations, particularly the collaboration between the arts and administration. In addition, Berend Barkela investigates the role and impact of art and cultural practices in sustainability discourses.