Nicola Peters, M.A.

• Digital communication
• Science communication
• Hate Speech & Incivility
• Public Sphere(s)

Uncivil communication and norm violations in online discourses around socio-scientific issues

Incivility is a growing concern as it has become a common feature of public online discourses, especially around politicians and political topics e.g. in the comment sections of news websites (e.g. Coe et al. 2015, Papacharissi 2004). Studies have shown increasing polarization effects towards a topic when perceiving topics in the context of observing uncivil discussions (Anderson et al. 2014). Also, discussants who use uncivil language are perceived as less credible (Ng & Detenber, 2005). This may negatively affect deliberative discourses. In her dissertation, Nicola Peters examines online discussions around socio-scientific issues such as the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change with regard to uncivil forms of communication. In doing so, she also addresses the question of how socio-scientific issues are discussed and negotiated.

• Peters, N. (2024). Uncivil communication and epistemic trustworthiness concerns in public online discussions in response to scientists during the Covid-19 pandemic. JCOM, 23(06), A03. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.23060203
• Peters, N., Peter, E., & Biermann, K. (2023). Kann Wissenschaftskommunikation einen Beitrag dazu leisten, Wissenschaftsskepsis und Wissenschaftsleugnung in Deutschland zu reduzieren? Ein Forschungsüberblick (Report). Transfer Unit Wissenschaftskommunikation, Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften. https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b4-opus4-47016
• Biermann, K., Peters, N., & Taddicken, M. (2023). "You can do better than that!": Tweeting Scientists Addressing Politics on Climate Change and Covid-19. Media and Communication, 11(01), 217-227. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v11i1.5961

• Peters, N., Hendriks, F., & Taddicken, M. (2026, September 23-25). Self-Disclosure and Evidence Presentation in Digital Science Communication: Effects on Credibility and Trustworthiness [Accepted Presentation]. Annual Conference of the Science Communication Division of the German Communication Association (DGPuK), Münster, Germany. 

  Peters, N., & Taddicken, M. (2026, September 23-25). Evidenzpraktiken in agonistischen und antagonistischen Konflikten in klimawandelskeptischen Gegenöffentlichkeiten auf Telegram [Accepted Presentation]. Annual Conference of the Science Communication Division of the German Communication Association (DGPuK), Münster, Germany. 

• Peters, N., & Taddicken, M. (2026, May 26). Evidence Practices in Agonistic and Antagonistic Conflicts in Climate-Skeptical Counterpublics on Telegram [Presentation]. 1st International Workshop on Science-Related Discourse on the Web (collocated with ACM Web Science Conference 2026), Braunschweig, Germany. 

• Peters, N., & Gerecht, M. (2026, January 22). Agonistische Dynamiken in rechten Telegram-Kanälen zum Thema Klimawandel [Presentation]. Annual Conference of the Reception and Effects Research Division of the German Communication Association (DGPuK), Klagenfurt, Austria. 

• Peters, N., & Gerecht, M. (2025, March 20). Die Rolle demokratischer Werte in alternativen Medien: Eine automatisierte Analyse der Prävalenz demokratischer Werte-Begriffe im Telegram-Kanal des COMPACT-Magazins [Posterpresentation]. 70^th Annual Conference of the German Communication Association (DGPuK), Berlin, Germany.

• Peters, N., Jonas, E., & Biermann, K. (2024, September 12). Skepsis, Misstrauen, Leugnung – Wie die Forschung negative Einstellungen gegenüber Wissenschaft definiert und wie die Wissenschaftskommunikation ihr begegnen kann [Presentation]. WissKomm Connected Conference of the Transfer Unit Science Communication, Berlin, Germany.

• Peters, N. (2024, June). Uncivil communication and epistemic trustworthiness concerns in public online discussions around scientists during the Covid-19 pandemic [Presentation]. 74^th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Gold Coast, Australia.

• Peters, N., Biermann, K., & Taddicken, M. (2023, April 5). "You can do better than that!"- Climate and Covid-19 Experts Addressing Politics on Twitter [Presentation]. Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) Conference, Rotterdam, Netherlands, virtual.

• Peters, N., & Taddicken, M. (2022, October). Uncivil communication toward German virologists on Twitter during the Covid-19 pandemic. [Presentation]. Conference of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA), Aarhus, Denmark.