Institute of Rhetoric

Dr Markus Gottschling

Ein Bild von Markus Gottschling.

Contact
Institute of Rhetoric
Neuphilologicum, Room 551
+49 7071 2973321
markus.gottschlingspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

Consultation hours
by arrangement via email

 

 

Bio

Markus Gottschling researches and teaches literature, rhetoric and science communication – particularly where generative AI is shifting these fields.

He is Scientific Director of the RHET AI Center and has led its "Communicative Competence" unit as Principal Investigator since 2021. Since 2025 he has been Co-Director of the RHET AI Coalition, an international research network at the intersection of rhetoric and artificial intelligence, and since 2026 a Distinguished Fellow at the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science. He has taught at the Institute of Rhetoric, University of Tübingen, since 2022 and has directed the certificate programme "Science Communication and Media Competence" since 2020.

His research addresses the interplay of rhetoric and generative AI – particularly co-creative writing and the acquisition of rhetorical AI literacy – alongside the recontextualization of scientific knowledge and the uses of fictionalization in science communication. Building on this work, he designs training formats on communicative competence and on generative AI as a communicative agent, for graduate academies, research institutes and adult education alike.

Recent publications include "Towards Rhetorical AI Literacy" (Argumentation et Analyse du Discours, 2025) and "Persuasive Surfaces and Calculating Machines" (with Olaf Kramer, Global Philosophy, 2025). The Bloomsbury Handbook of Rhetoric and Artificial Intelligence (ed. with Jim Ridolfo) is forthcoming. Earlier books include Recontextualized Knowledge. Rhetoric – Situation – Science Communication (ed. with Olaf Kramer, De Gruyter 2021) and his doctoral thesis Verloren Gehen in den Polargebieten der Literatur (transcript 2018). He writes essays and journalism for Akzente, Allmende, Science Notes Magazin, DUZ and The Conversation.

Experience and Functions

Current memberships and functions
Co-Director RHET AI Coalition (sice 2025)
Program Lead Certificate Program Science Communication and Media Competence (since 2022)
Principal Investigator RHET AI Center / Unit Head Communicative Competence (since 2021)
Member Rhetoric Society of Europe 
Member PCST Network
Academic Experience
Since October 2021:
Scientific Coordination & Research Program, RHET AI Center
2020 – 2021:
Project management and development of the Certificate Program Science Communication and Media Competence as part of the university’s communication initiative Sharing Knowledge

2018

Doctorate in Literary Studies with a dissertation on getting lost in the polar regions of literature (transcript Verlag)

2011 – 2021:
Research Unit for Presentation Competence at the Seminar for General Rhetoric, University of Tübingen.

  • From 2011: Research and training as part of the Jugend präsentiert project

  • From 2014: Additionally, project management for the science communication series Rhetoric and Knowledge

  • From 2018: Member of the editorial team of Science Notes Magazin

2004 – 2011:
Studied Modern German and Modern English Literature as well as General Rhetoric at the Universities of Tübingen and Nottingham

Publications

Books

Recontextualized Knowledge. Rhetoric – Situation – Science Communication. ed., together with Olaf Kramer. Berlin: De Gruyter 2021.
Verloren Gehen in den Polargebieten der Literatur. Subjekt und Raum bei Christoph Ransmayr und Edgar Allan Poe. Bielefeld: transcript 2018.

 

Articles

“Rhetoric and Generative AI: A double articulation.” Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18361953 (Preprint)
“Towards Rhetorical AI Literacy. Presenting a Conceptual Framework / Vers une littératie rhétorique de l’intelligence artificielle : présentation d’un cadre conceptuel”. In: Argumentation et Analyse du Discours [Online], 35 | 2025, https://doi.org/10.4000/14yaw
“Persuasive Surfaces and Calculating Machines. A Rhetorical Perspective on Artificial Intelligence”. In: Global Philosophy 35, 15 (2025). doi.org/10.1007/s10516-025-09748-3
“Wissenschaftskommunikation als Fiktionalisierung des Faktischen (Hawkesworth, Verne, Schalansky, Herzog)”. In: Literarische Sachbücher Formen – Funktionen – Praktiken. Hrsg. v. Christian Meierhofer, Michael Schikorwski. Non-Fiktion 19(1/2), 2024, S. 109-139.
“Im Durchlauferhitzer der Gegenwart. Eine rhetorische Analyse von Geisteswissenschaftskommunikation auf Twitter”. In: Wissenschaftskommunikation in den Geisteswissenschaften – Grundlagen, Konzepte, Anwendung. ed. by Georgia Gödecke, Andreas Grünewald. Bielefeld: wbv 2024, S. 61-78. https://dx.doi.org/10.3278/9783763976003
“Imitationen: Zur Menschlichkeit des Erzählens mit Künstlicher Intelligenz”. In: Artificial turn. ed. by Anne Burkhardt, Olaf Kramer, Susanne Marschall. Darmstadt: wbgAcademic (Preprint). 
“A Rhetorical Approach to Science Communication: Six Building Blocks as Guidelines for Researchers", zs. mit Michael Pelzer. In: Good Practices in Science Communication and Citizen Science, ed. by Javier Baena, Markus Gottschling, Michael Pelzer, Rafaella Lenoir-Improta; Fotini Venetsanou, Giulia Antinucci; Elizabeth Baier, Alice Novello, Isabelle Galvez. CIVIS (2023). civis.eu/storage/files/guidelines-of-best-practices-in-citizen-science-and-science-communication.pdf
“Verlusträume. Von Dichotomien, Ähnlichkeiten und Grenzgängen”. In: Nach dem Postkolonialismus? Ähnlichkeit als kulturtheoretisches Paradigma. ed. by Dorothee Kimmich together with Anil Bhatti, Nicole Colin, Quintus Immisch, Wege der Germanistik in transkultureller Perspektive. Akten des XIV. Kongresses der Internationalen Vereinigung für Germanistik (IVG) (Bd. 4) - Jahrbuch für Internationale Germanistik - Beihefte, Peter Lang 2022, S. 601-612, https://www.peterlang.com/document/1296845
“Räume räumen. Über den Verlust und das Verschwinden in den Leerstellen der Literatur”. Akzente 69/2 (2022), ed by. Dagmar Leupold, S. 4-8.
“Introduction: A Rhetorical View on Science Communication”, together with Olaf Kramer. Recontextualized Knowledge. Rhetoric – Situation – Science Communication. ed. by Markus Gottschling and Olaf Kramer. Berlin: De Gruyter 2021, 1–14.
“Creating a Rhetorical Situation Kevin Esvelt, Gene Drive and the Call for Open and Responsive Science”. Recontextualized Knowledge. Rhetoric – Situation – Science Communication. ed. by Markus Gottschling and Olaf Kramer. Berlin: De Gruyter 2021, 45–68.
“Wissenschaftskommunikation auf Twitter? Eine Chance für die Geisteswissenschaften!”, together with Andrea Geier. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Germanistenverbandes 66/3 (2019), 282–291. Open Access
“Lend me your eyes”. Rhetoric, Knowledge and the Public Sphere. Ed by. Agnieszka Kampka, Katarzyna Molek-Kozakowska Frankfurt a.M.: Peter Lang 2016, 57–72.
“Serialität”. Medienrhetorik des Fernsehens. Anne Ulrich, Joachim Knape. Bielefeld: transcript 2014, 76–84.
Jugend präsentiert kompakt, together with Carmen Lipphardt et al. Ed. by Olaf Kramer. Heidelberg 2014.

 

 

Research Projects and Conference Organization

“From Idea to Impact.” Project Development Workshop and Competition (2025)
“transformativ. Sharing Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence”. Conference by RHET AI Center and experimenta Heidelberg (04.-06.12.2025)
“AI in Work and Everyday Life. Understanding and Using Generative AI.” Project Lead. Workshop series by the RHET AI Center in collaboration with the Adult Education Association of Baden-Württemberg (March 2025 – February 2026)
“Persuasive Algorithms. The Rhetorics of Generative AI”. Conference by RHET AI Center together with MPI for Intelligent Systems, Tübingen (November 2024)
“AI Rhetoric. Foundations of Science Communication”. Project Lead. Workshop series by the RHET AI Center in collaboration with IMPRS-IS Tübingen/Stuttgart (seit 2023).
“Unit 3: Communicative Competence”. Principal Investigator and Unit Head at RHET AI Center (since 2021)
“Certificate Program Science Communication and Media Competence”. Concept and Project Lead. Certificate program for the Sharing Knowledge initiative at the University of Tübingen (since 2021)
“Visuelles Wissen in Schule und Wissenschaft: Show oder Chance?”. Organization. National Conference “Jugend präsentiert” (2018)
“Recontextualizing Knowledge”. Conference at University of Tübingen (2017)
“Rhetorik und Wissen”. Project Organization. Lecture series by the Seminar for General Rhetoric, Tübingen (2015–2019)
“Räume räumen. Vom Aneignen, Verändern und Verlassen des literarischen Raums”. Workshop funded by the Excellence Strategy of the University of Tübingen (2013)

Talks and Workshops (recent and selected)

“Von der Schreibszene zur Lehrzene. Generative KI im Lehralltag der Rhetorik“. Talk, Zentrum für frankophone Welten, Universität Tübingen (Juli 2026)
“Critical Rhetorical AI Literacy” (mit Anne Burkhardt). Workshop, CAIDERA Network (Juli 2026)
“AI Incubator Batch #8“. Pitch-Workshop, International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems (Juli 2026)
“Generative KI in den Geisteswissenschaften: Schreiben, Lehren, Kommunizieren“. Workshop, Germanistik, Universität Duisburg-Essen (Juni 2026)

“Crafting Ethical Persuasion: Rhetorical Remedies for the Understanding and Use of Generative AI”. Talk, Rhetorical (In-)Dignities Conference, Rhetorical Society of America, Portland, OR (Mai 2026)

“The RHET AI Coalition”. Roundtable, Rhetorical (In-)Dignities Conference, Rhetorical Society of America, Portland, OR (Mai 2026)

“Generative AI in Research and Communication”. Workshop, Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, Tübingen (Mai 2026)

“Generative KI in Forschung und Kommunikation”. Workshop, Graduiertenzentrum der Philosophischen Fakultät, Uni Augsburg (April 2026)

“Critical Rhetorical AI Literacy” (mit Anne Burkhardt). Workshop, RHET AI Coalition AlphaPersuade Summit 2026, Los Angeles (März 2026)

“Körper, Kopie & Copia: Erzählen von und mit Künstlicher Intelligenz”. Talk, HS Aalen (19.01.2026)
“Use of Social Media in Academic Research”. Talk, Research Colloquium at the Institute for Sociology, Uni Tübingen (14.01.2026)
“The Rhetoric of Science Communication”. Talk, Research Colloquium Psychiatry Department, Uni Tübingen (13.01.2026)
“Generative AI in Science Communication”. Workshop, University of Applied Science Ansbach (December 2025)
“Generative AI in Research and Communication – Advanced”. Workshop with Salina Weber, Graduate Academy Uni Tübingen (October 2025)
“Science Communication on Different Career Level”. Panel discussion, 7th Cluster Conference
"Machine Learning in Science" 2025, Universität Tübingen (September 2025)
“Metacognitive Illusions – Rhetoric between AI Strategies and AI Literacies”. Talk with Fabian Erhardt, DGPuK & ICA conference “Digitale Kommunikation” & “Human-Machine Communication” (September 2025)
“Poster Flash & Science Hub Showcase”. Workshop and Moderation, 12th Heidelberg Lauerate Forum (September 2025)
“Storytelling & Audience Design". Workshop at ScienceUs Upscale Academy (July 2025)
“Science Communication for AI research”. Workshop at Munich AI Day (July 2025)
“Cutting through the Bullshit. Rhetorical AI Literacy for Communication Practitioners”. Workshop. PCST 2025, Aberdeen (May 2025)
“The RHET AI Coalition”. RSA Webinar and panel discussion, Online (April 2025)
“Generative AI for Research and Science Communication”. Workshop für das Department für Wissenschaftskommunikation am KIT (25.04.2025)
“The Rhetoric of Generative AI.” Workshop with Salina Weber. Forum Wissenschaftskommunikation, Berlin (December 2024)
“Cognitive Narrative Ontology". Workshop, Nato StratCom CoE, Riga (December 2024)
“Persuasive Algorithms. The Rhetorics of Generative AI” Tagung. Tübingen (November 2024)
“Fictionalization as a Jagged Line of the Humanities in Science Communication”. Talk. Conference Making of the Humanities XI. Lund, Sweden (October 2024)
“Towards Rhetorical AI Literacy”. Talk together with Salina Weber. Conference NKRF9: Rhetoric in Digital and Technological Transition. Copenhagen, Denmark (October 2024)
“Poster Flash & Science Hub Showcase”. Workshop und Moderation. 11th Heidelberg Laureate Forum, Heidelberg (September 2024)
“Generative AI in Research and Communication”. Workshop with Salina Weber. Berlin School of Regenerative Therapies, Charité Berlin (June 2024)
“Generative AI as Recontextualized Knowledge: The Case of Imitatio Auctorum”. Talk. Rhetoric Society of America Conference, University of Denver (Mai 2024).
“AI Rhetoric: Project Development”. Workshop, together with Salina Weber. IMPRS-IS Tübingen/Stuttgart (April 2024).
“AI Rhetoric. Foundations of Science Communication”. Workshop series, together with Salina Weber, Michael Pelzer. IMPRS-IS Tübingen/Stuttgart (March 2024).
“Basic Principles of Science Communication”. Workshop. Stem Cells in Neuroscience Conference, Universität Tübingen (March 2024).
“Developing a rhetorical framework for AI”. Pre-summit workshop. AlphaPersuade: A Summit on Ethical AI, Los Angeles (Februar 2024)
“Imitationsmaschinen. Schreiben mit KI”. Talk, Science Notes, Heidelberg (January 2024)
“Algorithms, AI, and the Future of Theater”. Panel discussion, dai Tübingen (Januar 2024)
“Generative AI for Research and Science Communication”. Workshop, RHET AI / Graduate Academy, Universität Tübingen (January 2024)
“The Rhetoric of Science Communication”. Talk, Science for a Change, Molekulare Medizin, Universität Tübingen (January 2024)
“Weiße Stellen. Unsicherheiten und Imaginationen bei Hawkesworth, Verne, Schalansky”. Talk. Workshop “Literarische Sachbücher. Formen – Funktionen – Praktiken”, Uni Bonn (September 2023)
“Between episteme and doxa: Opinion and Deliberation in Science Communication”. Vortrag, Rhetoric in Society 8 Conference, Uni Tübingen (Juni 2023)
“Reflections on a Rhetoric of Prompts”. Vortrag, Rhetoric in Society 8 Conference, Uni Tübingen (Juni 2023)
“Between Fact and Fiction. The Difficult Quest for Common Ground in SciComm on AI”. Panel, PCST-Conference, Rotterdam (April 2023)
“Grounding AI Communication”. Workshop, PCST-Conference, Rotterdam (April 2023)
“RHET AI Science Communication Series”. Workshops, IMPRS-IS, Uni Tübingen/Stutgart (Februar-Mai 2023)

Teaching

Current (winter term 2025/26)

“Introduction to Rhetoric”

“Rhetoric and Generative AI”, Proseminar

“Positionen der Rhetorikforschung”, Oberseminar, together with Prof. Dr. Olaf Kramer