Gitte Waege

Gitte Waege is a PhD researcher working under the supervision of Gaëlle Ouvrein and Jessy Siongers, focusing on parasocial relationships, digital media, and human–media interaction. Her research explores how individuals form one-sided parasocial bonds with media figures, ranging from social media influencers and celebrities to fictional and AI-generated characters. 

What distinguishes her profile is her interdisciplinary background. She holds degrees in social work, human resources, journalism, and international and European law. This combination leads to a unique perspective on media as both a cultural and institutional force by influencing emotions, identities, legal frameworks, and societal narratives. As a person with a disability herself, her research is centred on the experiences of people who are overlooked, marginalised, or excluded in society.

Her work examines parasocial relationships as a core mechanism in contemporary digital culture, with a focus on fandoms, emerging technologies and the rise of AI personas and non-human characters. A key thread in her work is understanding how narrative design, character construction, and media ecosystems influence attachment over time. 

Beyond her PhD, she is interested in the broader role of parasocial relationships in popular culture, storytelling, worldbuilding, and intellectual property development. Drawing on her background in intellectual property rights law, she explores how parasocial relationships can contribute to media adaptations of fictional characters, cinematic universes, and the long-term development of entertainment franchises. 

Her research contributes to society by offering insights into how people engage with media figures in increasingly complex digital environments. This is relevant for understanding the impact of AI characters and the ethical and societal implications of designing persuasive or emotionally engaging media characters. Her work also informs public debates on authenticity, attachment, and manipulation in digital media, with applications for educators, marketeers, policymakers, creative industries, and mental health professionals.

She is interested in making this research accessible beyond academia. She is passionate about translating academic insights into societal outreach through seminars, workshops, public talks, podcasts, explainer videos, and collaborations with cultural and creative sectors. Her outreach interests include science communication events, media panels, comic cons, cultural festivals, citizen science projects, and education initiatives.