Dublin City University

The School of Communications at Dublin City University is now inviting applications from qualified candidates for up to five PhD Scholarships.

The School of Communications at DCU is home to almost 1,000 students at undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD levels. With a tradition stretching back almost 40 years, the School is defined by excellence in both teaching and research in journalism, multimedia and communications studies. In the QS global subject rankings in 2020 DCU was in the top 200 of almost 4,500 universities worldwide in the area of communications. DCU is ranked number 1 nationally in Communications & Media Studies.

The School’s academics undertake research that contributes to national and international debates and to public policy formation. They have also led research projects supported by national and international funders.

This cutting-edge research is across a range of (inter)disciplinary fields including (new) media studies, media history, journalism studies, science communication, political communication, social media studies, film and television studies, music industry studies, advertising, and cultural studies. In the past five years, the School has supported approximately 40 doctoral students to achieve PhD awards through this scheme.

The School now has an opening for up to six funded PhD scholarships (across a four-year duration). As well as a tax-free stipend of €16,000 plus fees, we also support our students with funding for conference travel and offer PhD students opportunities to gain teaching experience.

In this call, we invite applications in the following areas / themes:

Photography and new forms of picturing:

Fellowship(s) in this area will ideally focus on the politics of photographic representation. These might include: photographic portraiture through a feminist lens, power relationships, how identity is constructed, undermined or challenged through photography, new approaches to picturing and representing specific communities, psychology around empathy and the portrait. For further information, contact Dr. Dragana Jurišić – dragana.jurisic@dcu.ie

Combatting coordinated online violence against women journalists:

Fellowship(s) in this area will investigate the nature and scale of coordinated violence (bot attacks and other forms of organised online harassment) targeted at women journalists in different countries and culturally appropriate automated responses. Proposals are welcome from applicants with a solid knowledge of digital communications platforms analysis, or experience in tracking mis- and dis-information online. For further information, contact Prof. Colleen Murrell - colleen.murrell@dcu.ie

Music, cultural production and the digital age:

Fellowship(s) in this area will ideally focus on culture, media, and digital technologies. Possible research topics include (but are not limited to), (i) music in the digital age, (ii) the platformisation of cultural production, circulation, and consumption, and (iii) cultural labour in the digital age. Practice-based projects are eligible and a working knowledge of cultural production and related industries is desirable. For further information, contact Dr. Andreas Rauh - andreas.rauh@dcu.ie.

Novel communication of environmental issues:

Fellowship(s) in this area will focus on structural approaches to environmental crisis, focusing on the role of mediated communication in communicating environmental issues within socio-economic and socio-ecological structures. They may also investigate the role of novel and creative approaches to communicating environmental issues. Traditional or practice-based applications are welcome. For further information, contact Dr. Trish Morgan – trish.morgan@dcu.ie

Sport and Media:

Fellowship(s) in this area will ideally focus on the interrelationship of sport and media. Relevant topics include: sports fandom; sports journalism; sport and nation branding; representations of gender, race, and nation in sport; the geopolitics of sport. We also welcome applications from those interested in researching popular culture and new forms of promotion. For further information, contact Dr. Neil O’Boyle – neil.oboyle@dcu.ie

NB. Applications should consist of a 2,000 word research proposal as well as a brief CV detailing academic qualifications and professional experience to date.

NB. Applicants must contact the relevant supervisor prior to submitting an application.

NB. All applications should be submitted to Ms. Eileen Myers, Secretary, School of Communications (eileen.myers@dcu.ie), clearly indicating the theme under which they are applying.

All scholarships are due to commence on 01st October 2020.

Closing date for applications: Friday 08th May 2020