Renate Fischer joined the Internet & Society Team in July 2024. In September 2024 she defended her PhD thesis with the title „Öffentlichkeit im Umbruch – Chancen und Risiken der digitalen Transformation von Öffentlichkeit für die (lokale) Demokratie“ [Radical Change of the Public Sphere – Opportunities and Risks of the Digital Transformation of the Public Sphere for (Local) Democracy] at the University of Zurich. Before joining Prof. Hargittai‘s team, Renate held positions at the University of Zurich’s Evaluation Office and the Office of the Vice President Education and Student Affairs. Previously, she worked as a Research Assistant with Prof. Otfried Jarren at the IKMZ in a third-party funded project in which they developed a monitoring framework to measure and compare local public spheres. The joint project between the University of Zurich, Freie Universität Berlin and vhw -Bundesverband für Wohnen und Stadtentwicklung was completed in 2021.

From 2012 until 2022 she served as a member of the local parliament of the city of Zurich.

Renate’s research interests focus on the changes within the public sphere, brought about by internet use. What effects has the use of digital media on political communication? What are the effects of digital media use on journalism? How are democratic processes influenced by the digital news consumption? And (how) is the process of democratic backsliding related to the changes in the public sphere?