Merle Willenberg is a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the University of Basel. She earned her PhD from Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, with a research project centred on a linguistic analysis of censorship and self-censorship on YouTube commentary channels. This study investigates how linguistic norms are negotiated in connection with digital communities and algorithmically driven content moderation. 

Her research interests include sociopragmatics, (digitally) mediated communication,  self-/censorship and taboo language, multimodality and humour studies.

Her current research project explores the co-construction of epistemic authority and kayfabe in televised professional wrestling. 

ORCID: 0009-0005-5214-369X

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Merle-Willenberg?ev=hdr_xprf

Memberships:

• Anglistikverband e.V.
• Association of Internet Researchers
• Gesellschaft für Angewandte Linguistik (GAL e.V.)
• International Pragmatics Association
• MeReDiaN (Medienkultur und Recht in Dialog Netwerk)