The DFG research network Interdisciplinary Pornography Research, initiated by Dr. Leonie Zilch (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz) launched in 2026, will work until the end of 2028 and develop a roadmap for the future of pornography research in the German-speaking region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland).
The network brings together 20 researchers from a range of academic disciplines, including Prof. Nicola Döring from the Media Psychology and Media Design Group at Technische Universität Ilmenau. For many years, the Media Psychology and Media Design Group has conducted research on the content, uses, and effects of different forms of pornography.
As part of the DFG network, Prof. Döring will contribute the following:
Research
Research contributions to the development of the roadmap, particularly with regard to new technologies (digital platforms, virtual reality, artificial intelligence) in the field of pornography as well as depictions of sexuality in entertainment literature (e.g., erotic romance, dark romance).
Workshops
Organization of an in-person workshop of the network from June 17 to 19, 2027 at TU Ilmenau.
In addition, organization of online workshops on current topics of the network from 2026 to 2028.
Publications
Publications on the activities and discussions within the network.
- Döring, N., Zilch, L., Boll, T., Briken, P., Busse, E., Fitsch, H., Lewandowski, S., Härtel, I., Horntrich, P. M., Huber, S., Markert, C., Nastold, F., Oeming, M., Rehberg, P., Schumacher, N., Schmidt, A., Siegel, M., Stark, R., Thuswald, M., & Wehrlin, R. (2026). Interdisziplinäre Pornografie-Forschung im deutschsprachigen Raum: Erfahrungsbericht zur Vernetzung [Interdisciplinary pornography research in the German-speaking world: experience report on networking]. Zeitschrift für Sexualforschung, 39(2), 99-108. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2865-0907
- Döring, N. (in Vorbereitung). Bildbasierte sexuelle Gewalt ist kein Porno: Zur konsensorientierten Definition und Operationalisierung von Pornografie [Image-based sexual violence is not porn: On the consent-oriented definition and operationalization of pornography]
