13 September was a special day for NEWSFLOWS: Mónika Simon defended her thesis “What happens on the fringes, stays on the fringes? Information flows in the contemporary media system. In her thesis, she studied how and under which circumstances information flows from the fringes of the mainstream. As the summary on the back of her thesis says:

The increasingly fragmented but at the same time interwoven nature of the contemporary information landscape poses new challenges to existing theory and methodology in understanding the information flows that shape public debate.

Through three empirical chapters, this dissertation seeks to unravel the intricate role of dark platforms in the contemporary media system. It not only sheds light on their multifaceted impact but also provides methodological and theoretical insights that can advance our understanding of information flows within the ever-evolving, multilayered information ecosystem.

Congratulations, Dr. Simon! We are incredibly proud of you!