ECREA WEEKLY digest ARTICLES

Culture Unbound (Special Issue)

Deadline: January 31, 2026

Editors: Johanna Dahlin and Hossam Sultan

In many countries, research ethics in qualitative and ethnographic research—including digital and online ethnographies—are increasingly subject to formalized governance. A growing tendency toward bureaucratization introduces standardized procedures that often reflect criteria and expectations from clinical or laboratory settings. While these frameworks aim to ensure accountability, they can clash with the relational, adaptive, and context sensitive nature of ethnographic practice. Requirements such as detailed pre-study protocols, rigid consent forms, and extensive documentation can in some cases,—such as recordings, the management of sensitive data, or consent forms requested by ethics approval authorities—pose risks to participants and lead to over-bureaucratization for researchers. In other contexts, such as participant observation in large groups, it may be practically impossible to obtain informed consent from everyone involved. These developments raise fundamental questions about how ethical review systems can accommodate the complexity and unpredictability inherent in ethnographic research, without reducing ethics to formal procedures and the ticking of boxes.

The governance of research ethics is not a neutral or purely technical matter—it shapes what kinds of knowledge can be produced, whose voices are heard, and which methods are considered legitimate. As ethical review systems become increasingly standardized and bureaucratized, there is a risk that flexible, context-sensitive approaches such as ethnography are marginalized or forced into compliance frameworks that do not fit their epistemological foundations. These developments have implications not only for researchers but also for participants, communities, and the broader public.

By critically examining these transformations, this special issue aims to advance scholarly debate on how ethical governance can protect participants and uphold integrity without undermining methodological diversity and innovation. We invite academic contributions that analyze tensions, unintended consequences, and creative responses to current systems, as well as conceptual and empirical work proposing alternative approaches that better align with the relational and processual nature of ethnographic practice. The purpose is to generate knowledge and critical perspectives that can inform future discussions and scholarly agendas for ethical governance—agendas that respect both accountability and the complexity of qualitative research.

Types of Contributions

This special issue invites contributions in the form of full papers (8000 words) or short commentaries (3000-4000 words) that reflect upon current transformations in the regulation of ethics in ethnographic research with focus tensions, emergent questions, work arounds and future agendas that they see needed to be put in place. We welcome:

• Empirical studies, including shorter vignettes, examining how ethical review systems shape research practices in different contexts.
  
• Theoretical and conceptual analyses of ethics as practice, situated ethics, and reflexivity in relation to governance.
  
• Methodological reflections on alternative consent models (oral, processual, participatory) and their recognition within formal systems.
  

Contributors can reflect upon questions such as, but not limited to, the following:

• How can ethics be understood as relational and processual rather than fixed and standardized?
  
• What risks arise when journals and institutions impose “one-size-fits-all” requirements on diverse research practices?
  
• How might digital, online and hybrid ethnographies challenge existing assumptions about consent, privacy, and data security?
  
• In what ways can critical and postcolonial perspectives inform the design of ethical review systems?
  
• What strategies can researchers and institutions adopt to balance accountability with methodological flexibility?
  

Contributions are welcome from scholars working in a variety of fields and disciplines that engage in ethnographic research. The special issue will be published in the international open-access journal Culture Unbound. All submissions will undergo double-blind peer review.

Timeline:

• 31 January 2026: Deadline for Abstract submission. Please send a 500-word extended abstract to johanna.dahlin@liu.se and hossam.sultan@liu.se. Please indicate whether the intended manuscript is going to be a full article (up to 8000 words) or a short commentary (up to 4000 words).
  
• 15 February 2026: Notification of acceptance of proposal for paper.
  
• 15 August 2026: Submission of full papers
  
• 30 October 2026: Reviews in
  
• 31 December 2026: Revised manuscripts due
  
• Spring 2027: Publication in Culture Unbound
  

Submit your proposals and any queries to johanna.dahlin@liu.se and hossam.sultan@liu.se

Bremen University

Call closes on January 30, 2026, 23:59 CET

Come and work with us!

Our Fellowship Program invites international researchers to Bremen to deepen and connect their research in the transformation of media, communication, and information. We are looking for established scholars who want to enjoy the thriving interdisciplinary research environment at ZeMKI. Disciplines include media and communication studies, computer science, film studies, educational science, studies in religion, and history. Since mid-2017, ZeMKI has regularly hosted colleagues from all over the world.

What we expect:

The duration of the fellowship is one month. Applicants should demonstrate experience in their respective field of research and a strong interest in working jointly with principal investigators at ZeMKI to develop new ideas together. The main focus of the ZeMKI Visiting Research Fellowship is to pursue a joint project with at least two ZeMKI Labs (find all descriptions here: https://zemki.uni-bremen.de/en/research/labs/). The joint project can take various forms and should aim to have an impact on academic and public debates in their respective area of scholarly focus.

The following outputs are expected:

• a research paper submitted to the peer-reviewed ZeMKI Working Paper Series
  
• a public presentation in the ZeMKI Research Seminar

For a successful application it is highly recommended to inform oneself thoroughly about current activities in the ZeMKI Labs of interest and the work of principal investigators at ZeMKI.

What we offer:

• Research Resources: Fellows are welcome and encouraged to make use of and connect with ZeMKI’s research resources in the context of their collaboration with ZeMKI labs, including the research studios, IT pools/technical equipment, cooperatives, and initiatives.
  
• Access to the State and University Library Bremen: All fellows will be provided with access to the central academic library of the University of Bremen.
  
• Courses: Fellows are eligible to participate as listeners or guest lecturers in courses in the diverse media study programmes at ZeMKI. They have to individually ask for permission directly from the professor or lecturer.
  
• A stipend of 3,000 euros plus a budget for research-related expenses of up to 1,500 euros

Please fill out all fields of the application form and submit it in order to apply by January 30, 2026 (23:59 CET): https://nc.uni-bremen.de/index.php/apps/forms/s/WHTbJbx8wfPjkSEGt5JdakNo

Call website: https://zemki.uni-bremen.de/en/call-for-applications-zemki-visiting-research-fellowship-2026/

June 22-26, 2026

Gränna Campus, Jönköping University

Deadline (EXTENDED): February 7, 2026 

https://ju.se/academicwritersretreat

Writing Retreat Theme: Research Spices

Annette Hill and Joke Hermes

What kinds of savoury and sweet spices do you add to your research practice? This academic writers’ retreat takes the metaphor of spices to explore research craft.

We consider the seeds, roots, bark and fruits in our writing and analysis. And we reflect on layering of empirical and conceptual thinking, from whole to ground spices, toasted and roasted spices, and subtle and strong fragrances.

The retreat starts with a choice of spices and then we try out, write and reflect on the flavours and fragrances we want to create in our research craft. Each day we spend time in workshops, private writing time, go on walks by the lake and mountainside, and we cook together.

To find out more about registration, fees and the programme go here: https://ju.se/academicwritersretreat

July 13-15, 2026

Glasgow, UK

Deadlines: January 26/February 16/March 13

Conference format: In person

Submission Dates:

Papers (extended abstracts):

• What: 1000-1500 words
  
• Due date: January 26, 2026
  
• Notification of results: March 2
  

Panels

• What: 2000-3000 words
  
• Due date: February 16, 2026
  
• Notification of results: March 9
  

Workshops & Tutorials

• What: 1000-3000 words
  
• Due date: February 16, 2026
  
• Notification of results: March 9
  

Posters (extended abstracts)

• What: 1000-1500 words
  
• Due date: March 13, 2026
  
• Notification of results: March 27
  

We are pleased to announce the Call for Papers for the 2026 International Conference on Social Media & Society (#SMSociety)! #SMSociety will return as an in-person event at the University of Glasgow, Glasgow UK from July 13th to 15th. The 2026 conference is co-organized by the Digital Cultures and Economies Research Hub at the University of the Arts London (UAL), the University of East Anglia (UEA), and the hosts at the Division of Urban Studies and Social Policy at Glasgow University.

The conference’s three-day program will feature panels and paper presentations, workshops, tutorials, networking events, and a poster session.

In keeping with the conference’s inter- and transdisciplinary focus, we welcome both quantitative and qualitative scholarly and original submissions that crosses disciplinary boundaries and expands our understanding of current and future trends in social media research across many fields including (but not limited to): Communication, Computer Science, Critical Data Studies, Education, Journalism, Information Science, Law, Management, Political Science, Psychology, Public Policy, Public Administration, Science and Technology, Sociology, Urban Studies, among others.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

#SMSociety is a biennial gathering of leading social media researchers from around the world. It is the premier venue for sharing and discovering new peer-reviewed interdisciplinary research on how social media affects society. #SMSociety provides participants with opportunities to exchange ideas, present original research, learn about recent and ongoing studies, and network with peers.

TOPICS OF INTEREST (the list is not exhaustive)

• Affordances
  
• AI and LLMs
  
• Algorithms
  
• Computational, digital and data methods
  
• Creators and Influencers
  
• Cyberbullying, Trolling and Antisocial Behavior
  
• Digital Education
  
• Digital Intimacies
  
• Discourse and Public Opinion
  
• Health and Wellbeing
  
• Infrastructures, platformisation and datafication
  
• Marketing and Promotional Social Media
  
• Misinformation and Disinformation
  
• Online and Offline Communities
  
• Platform Cultures 
  
• Platform Governance and Regulation
  
• Emerging and Established Social Technologies, Apps and Platforms
  
• Politics, Policy, and Regulation
  
• Privacy, Security and Trust
  
• Social Media Cultures and Everyday Life
  
• Use and Users
  
• Vibes, memes and trends
  
• 
  

SUBMISSION DETAILS

Submission types and guidelines: You can submit an extended abstract for a paper or poster presentation, and/or propose a panel, workshop or hands-on tutorial.

How to create or log in to CMT to submit a paper or poster (extended abstract).

PUBLICATIONS:

Publication of Pre-prints and Datasets: To promote your work during and after the conference, authors of accepted papers (extended abstracts) are encouraged to share their work as a pre-print via a public repository of your choice. Preprint will be accessible via the conference online program and other channels. If you have a dataset to share, you can also upload it to one of many data repositories such as Dataverse or figshare. Authors of accepted papers will have an opportunity to provide a link to their pre-print and/or dataset for inclusion in the conference program.

Journal Publications: We hope that feedback received from other scholars during the review process and the Q&A part of your presentation will help you refine your ideas and develop your work into a full paper after the conference. Once ready, you are encouraged to submit your full paper to a journal of your choice.

All #SMSociety conference presenters will also receive an exclusive invitation to submit their work as an expanded full paper for consideration in an open access, conference thematic issue of Platforms & Society.

#SMSociety was founded by Anatoliy Gruzd and Philip Mai in 2011.

For #SMSociety 2026, the Microsoft CMT service is and will be used for managing the peer-reviewing process. This service was provided for free by Microsoft and they bore all expenses, including costs for Azure cloud services as well as for software development and support.

June 12, 2026

DeZIM, Berlin

Deadline: January 31, 2026

Organized by: Nader Hotait, Tom Runge, Elias Steinhilper (DeZIM – German Center for Integration and Migration Research)

In recent years, particularly sparked through the Black Lives Matter campaign, racism has become an increasingly prominent subject in both traditional and social media. Yet its visibility, framing, and interpretation seem to vary greatly across contexts, platforms, and political environments. While some racist incidents spark widespread media outrage and mobilization, others remain less visible or get reframed in ways that minimize or distort their significance. This workshop invites critical academic engagement with the dynamics of media salience and valence to explore not only what becomes visible in media debates, but how it is made to matter. Is racism portrayed as a serious structural issue, an individual moral failing, a contested label, or even dismissed altogether?

We seek contributions that interrogate in how far racism is made visible or invisible, normalized or contested in contemporary media landscapes—ranging from traditional print media to user-generated content platforms. We welcome qualitative case studies, quantitative content analyses, comparative research, theoretical contributions, and mixed methods approaches. The workshop aims to bridge disciplinary and methodological boundaries, fostering dialogue between scholars working in media and communication studies, political sociology, and ethnic and racial studies, among other fields.

We welcome papers that address (but are not limited to) the following questions:

• How do salience and valence of racism differ across space, time and media types?
• Which factors explain variance in the salience and valence of racism in media debates?
• What role do editorial practices, technical affordances, algorithms, or audience engagement play in shaping the salience and valence of racism?
• How do different actors (journalists, activists, policymakers) frame and evaluate racist incidents?
• How do societal contexts shape media representations of racism, and what are the measurable societal effects of such representations on public attitudes, policy preferences, and experiences of racialized communities?
• How can novel methodological and ethical approaches advance the study of racism in media? What insights emerge from critically reassessing or innovating upon conventional research methods?

Please submit an abstract of 250–300 words outlining your proposed paper, along with a short bio (max 150 words), by January 31, 2026, to hotait@dezim-institut.de.

The workshop is designed as an author workshop where full papers are discussed in detail. Selected papers may be considered for inclusion in a special journal issue following the workshop. Selected participants will be asked to submit full papers of 6,000–8,000 words (including references) by May 31, 2026, for circulation prior to the workshop.

For inquiries or further information, please contact: Nader Hotait, hotait@dezim-institut.de; Tom Runge, runge@dezim-institut.de; or Elias Steinhilper, steinhilper@dezim-institut.de.

September 23-25, 2026

Vienna, Austria

Deadline: February 27, 2026

The conference “Comparison as Method and Heuristic in Communication Research” takes place against the backdrop of rapid technological, media, and societal change. It focuses on innovations, trends, challenges, and solutions in comparative research within the field of media and communication studies.

Back in November 2006, the former Commission for Comparative Media and Communication Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with the Department of Communication at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, organized a workshop on this topic (Melischek et al., 2008). That workshop examined the state of comparative media and communication research in Germanspeaking countries, addressing core questions: What is comparative communication research? What are its objects of study? And what is the scientific value of comparison? At the heart of the discussion was comparison as a method and methodological principle.

The workshop was held at a time when comparative approaches in media and communication studies were not yet systematically established. However, they had been gaining increasing relevance since the 1990s (Livingstone, 2003; Pfetsch & Esser, 2004) and have since matured into a more consolidated area of inquiry (Esser & Hanitzsch, 2012; Esser, 2016; Chan & Lee, 2017; Holtz-Bacha, 2021; Volk, 2021).

Today, the Institute for Comparative Media and Communication Studies (CMC) brings together key perspectives on public discourse, media change, and transformations in mediated public communication through its Research Groups on Media Accountability & Media Change, Media, Politics & Democracy, and Science Communication & Science Journalism. These Research Groups focus on questions of ethics and responsibility, democracy and participation, as well as truth and factuality—unified by a common methodological foundation: the comparative approach (see also: Melischek & Seethaler, 2017).

This conference revisits the comparative paradigm with fresh urgency. It addresses the pressing need to reflect on methodological innovation, technological transformation, and shifting global contexts from an international perspective. By bringing together scholars working across global regions, the event aims to critically assess the role of comparison as both method and heuristic in contemporary communication research—and to chart pathways for its future development.

Call for Papers (Themes)

1. Innovations, New Developments, and Approaches in Comparative Communication Research

We welcome submissions that explore methodological developments, discuss the use of new digital and technological tools, examine the challenges and potentials of comparative approaches, or present innovative proposals for advancing comparative methodology.

Questions might include:

• How can emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, or natural language processing enhance comparative research designs in communication studies?
  
• In what ways do automated content analysis and large-scale digital datasets (e.g., news archives, digital platforms) reshape the scope and scale of comparative research?
  
• How can comparative methods be adapted to address new forms of digital and hybrid media, such as influencer communication, platform governance, or algorithmic curation?
  
• How can mixed-method approaches strengthen comparative communication research?
  
• How can we ensure that long-term panel designs evolve methodologically in response to technological developments without compromising their scientific rigor and comparability?
  
• What are best practices for ensuring transparency, replicability, and ethical integrity in technologically mediated comparative studies?
  

2. Methodological Reflection and Critique

Comparative methods offer many advantages: they are context-sensitive, contribute to theory-building, help identify causal relationships, and have high heuristic value. Nevertheless, this conference also invites critical perspectives. What are the blind spots, limitations, and epistemological or methodological challenges associated with comparative methods? How can we overcome these issues?

Questions might include:

• What are the methodological implications of using computational tools for comparability—do they introduce new biases or overcome traditional limitations?
  
• How can we make comparative research more participatory, inclusive, or decolonial—both in design and in interpretation?
  
• How can comparative research contribute to the de-Westernization of communication studies?
  
• How should comparative research reflect upon the concept of national states?
  
• How relevant is historic comparison to understand current developments? What are the obstacles and potentials we have to consider?
  
• How do comparative approaches manage the demand for replicability, the tension between internal and external validity, or generalizability?
  

3. After Comparison: Making Use of Comparative Results

Comparative methods help identify patterns, uncover similarities and differences, and advance theory. They contribute to a deeper understanding of complex social phenomena. This section asks how comparative findings can be used productively—both within academia and in broader societal contexts.

Questions might include:

• How can comparative results be theoretically integrated or related back to existing frameworks?
  
• What generalization strategies (e.g., typologies, model building) are especially fruitful in comparative research?
  
• How can comparative insights be made productive across interdisciplinary contexts?
  
• In what ways can comparative findings inform methodological innovation or open new research perspectives?
  
• What is the value of comparative results for policy-makers and other stakeholders—and how can we rethink discursive science-to-policy or science-to-public processes?
  

Submission Guidelines

We welcome regular and student-led submissions. The conference language is English. All submissions must contain a separate cover page and an extended abstract. The cover page should provide the title of the submission, author information, 3–5 keywords and, if applicable, a note identifying the submission as a student-led paper. Extended abstracts must be fully anonymized for peer review. They should be 800–1.000 words long (excluding references, tables, and figures).

Please send your submissions containing separate PDF files for cover page and anonymized extended abstract to cmc@oeaw.ac.at.

The deadline for submissions is February 27, 2026. Submissions will undergo peer review, and acceptance notifications will be sent out no later than March 30, 2026.

Date

The conference will open with a keynote and panel discussion on the evening of September 23, 2026.

Authors of accepted extended abstracts will present their papers in person in Vienna on September 24 and 25, 2026. The conference will conclude around noon on September 25, 2026.

Organizers

Institute for Comparative Media and Communication Studies (CMC)

Austrian Academy of Sciences | University of Klagenfurt

Bäckerstraße 13

1010 Vienna, AUSTRIA

https://www.oeaw.ac.at/cmc

Contact

cmc@oeaw.ac.at

Conference Venue

The conference will be held at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), located in the heart of Vienna at Dr. Ignaz Seipel-Platz 2, 1010 Vienna, AUSTRIA.

Conference Registration

Registration will be open from March 30, 2026. Conference attendance is free.

Publication

The organizing team aims to publish selected contributions and results of the conference in an academic context.

References

Chan, J. M., & Lee, F. L. F. (Eds.). (2017). Advancing comparative media and communication research. Routledge.

Esser, F. (2016). Komparative Kommunikationswissenschaft: Ein Feld formiert sich [Comparative communication science: A field takes shape]. Studies in Communication Sciences, 16(1), 54-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scoms.2016.03.005

Esser, F., & Hanitzsch, T. (Eds.). (2012). The Handbook of Comparative Communication Research. Routledge.

Holtz-Bacha, C. (2021). Comparative media research. European Journal of Communication, 36(5), 446-449. https://doi.org/10.1177/02673231211043179

Livingstone, S. (2003). On the challenges of cross-national comparative media research. European Journal of Communication, 18(4), 477-500. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267323103184003

Melischek, G., Seethaler, J., & Wilke, J. (Eds.). (2008). Medien & Kommunikationsforschung im Vergleich: Grundlagen, Gegenstandsbereiche, Verfahrensweisen [Media and communication research in comparison: Foundations, areas of study, methods]. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften.

Melischek, G., & Seethaler, J. (2017). Die Institutionalisierung der Kommunikationswissenschaft an der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften: Geschichte und Aufgabenbereiche des Instituts für vergleichende Medien- und Kommunikationsforschung [The institutionalization of communication science at the Austrian Academy of Sciences: History and areas of responsibility of the Institute for Comparative Media and Communication Studies]. Geistes-, sozial- und kulturwissenschaftlicher Anzeiger, 152(1), 65-98. https://doi.org/10.1553/anzeiger152-1s65

Pfetsch, B., & Esser, F. (Eds.). (2004). Comparing political communication: Theories, cases, and challenges. Cambridge University Press.

Volk, S. C. (2021). Comparative communication research: A study of the conceptual, methodological, and social challenges of international collaborative studies in communication science. Springer VS.

RePIM – Revisioning Public Interest Media – is a four-year Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network dedicated to reimagining how Public Interest Media can remain relevant, sustainable, and impactful in a rapidly changing, data-driven and platform-dominated environment.

The network unites leading European universities, Public Interest Media organisations, and industry partners to train 12 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) working across media content innovation, infrastructure transformation, organisational change, audience analysis, and policy development. RePIM offers an interdisciplinary, international, and cross-sectoral training environment, including secondments, summer/winter schools, scenario-building workshops, and close collaboration with non-academic partners.

We are now recruiting 12 fully funded PhD researchers, each employed for 36 or 48 months (project-dependent) at one of the participating universities across Europe.

All positions are full-time, fully funded according to Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network regulations, including living allowance, mobility allowance, and, when applicable, family allowance.

Eligibility (MSCA-DN Requirements)

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Not already hold a doctoral degree.
  
• Not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies) in the host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the recruitment date (MSCA mobility rule).
  

General Requirements

• You hold a Master’s degree in a relevant field
  
• You are motivated to pursue a doctoral degree through an individual research project
  
• You are open to international mobility, in line with the MSCA-DN framework, and are willing to relocate to the host university’s country, as well as attend international trainings, internships, and academic exchanges
  
• You demonstrate a strong academic track record
  
• You have a solid scientific background, possibly with prior relevant research experience
  
• You are proficient in written and spoken English.
  

Open PhD Positions (12 Doctoral Candidates)

Below is an overview of all RePIM Doctoral projects. Each title links to a full description and guidelines for applying.

Applicants may indicate interest in up to three positions. This can be done as part of a single application but this must clearly specify their first choice.

PhD project

DC1. Coping with the challenges of automated content in public interest media

University of Zurich (UZH)

Switzerland

DC2. Reinventing content for online-first public media

Charles University Prague (CU)

Czechia

DC3. Quality news bots for public service media

Aalborg University (AAU)

Denmark

DC4. Object oriented edge-casting using semantic encoding

Aalborg University (AAU)

Denmark

DC5. Digital infrastructures in the public interest

University of Stavanger (UiS)

Norway

DC6. Global logics in local contexts: Reinventing partnership strategies for Public Interest Media

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

Belgium

DC7. Reconfiguring organisational structures for delivering platformised public value

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

Belgium

DC8. Developing and transforming sustainability requirements for Public Interest Media

Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS)

Austria

DC9. Regulating Public Interest Media in a platform world

Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS)

Austria

DC10. Public support for non-public service media organisations

University of Warsaw (UW)

Poland

DC11. Reaching the unreachable

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

Belgium

DC12. Audience data management and performance measurement in the cross-media landscape

Tallinn University (TLU)

Estonia

Deadline for Applications

Apply before 31 January 2026 by following the procedure detailed in each job posting.

What RePIM Offers

All DCs will benefit from:

• Employment at a leading European university with full social security coverage
  
• A competitive salary in accordance with the MSCA Call 2025 regulations for Doctoral Researchers, paid from the relevant monthly gross allowances: living allowance, mobility allowance, family allowance (only if applicable)
  
• International secondments at partner universities
  
• Paid internships at relevant media organisations
  
• A comprehensive training programme including three Summer Schools (Brussels, Copenhagen, Salzburg), three Winter Seminars (online), and cross-sector training in research skills, data management, ethics, policy, management and leadership
  
• A final RePIM Scenario-Building Symposium & Career Days in Brussels
  
• Close supervision by world-leading academics and Public Interest Media experts
  
• A vibrant interdisciplinary research community spanning content, infrastructure, organisation, audiences and policy.
  

RePIM – Revisioning Public Interest Media is a four-year Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) Doctoral Network dedicated to reimagining the role and future of public interest media in a data-driven, platform-dominated environment. RePIM brings together leading European universities, industry partners, and 12 Doctoral Candidates in an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral training and research programme. The network investigates how public interest media can remain relevant, sustainable, and impactful by transforming how content is produced, packaged, distributed, and supported organisationally and technologically. Through its focus on strategic innovation, organisational change, and media management, RePIM equips its doctoral researchers with advanced analytical and managerial skills to help reshape public interest media across diverse European contexts.

Jason Loviglio

The first book-length treatment of This American Life, Empathy Machines contextualizes the influential show within the history of radio, looking back to radio's golden era and the para-social connections that it encouraged, as well as the formation of NPR in the 1960s and the “Great Society Liberalism” that guided its programming and approach to the audience. 

Empathy Machines identifies This American Life as a central cultural institution in the evolution of empathy as a “liberal feeling” central to podcast storytelling and the neoliberal era in which it developed. This American Life revitalized the public radio traditions of investigative journalism and sonically inventive audio production. An early adopter of podcasting as a time-shifted delivery mechanism for its broadcast content, the program also ushered in appointment listening, a key innovation and disruption in the emerging chaotic attention economy of the 21st century. Empathy Machines centers This American Life as a model for prioritizing empathy as an affective and ideological strategy for feeling liberal as liberal democracy's precarious balance of opposites began to fracture into hypercapitalism, atavistic ethnonationalism, and new identity politics.

Read more HERE.

Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University o Amsterdam

Apply HERE.

Are you passionate about political communication, election campaigns, and quantitative empirical research? The Amsterdam School of Communication Research is seeking a highly motivated Postdoc for the research project ‘That’s (not) appropriate’– Role of Social Norms and Norm Transgression in Voters’ Acceptance of Negative Campaigning, led by Dr. Corinna Oschatz.

Postdoc Position in Political Communication  

Project goals

While considerable research exists on the causes and consequences of negative campaigning, the perceptual dynamics remain largely under-investigated. How is negative campaigning perceived by those who are exposed to it? How can differences in accepting such behaviour as legitimate action – a vital component for the success of a political candidate – be explained? Against the background of an increasingly polarized society with strong ideological camps, this project tests the idea that group belongings shape political judgements. We assume that political attitudes towards negative campaigning are not solely individually developed but socially constructed. If so, what are the consequences of normative violations of group standards on an electoral and systematic level? If working on these fundamental questions seems attractive to you, this Postdoc vacancy might be just for you.

What are you going to do

The project builds on multiple rich panel survey datasets (with rolling cross-section components) conducted during previous elections in the Netherlands, USA, Germany and Japan.

Specifically, you will

Conduct automated content analysis of the media and elite campaign communication and link it to panel data to test for the dynamic evolution of norms as a function of campaign negativity over time (feedback loop).

Compare panel data to explore whether culture and the political system “sets the stage” for the effects of social norms about negativity and their consequences.  

Conduct experimental studies on the impact of norm violations on the acceptance of negative campaigning and voting behavior.

Write up findings for publications and present them at (inter)national conferences.

What do you have to offer

You are:

• Curious, creative, and interested in learning from different disciplines
  
• Familiar with quantitative data analysis in social sciences with a demonstrated ability to learn new techniques
  
• Resilient in the face of challenges that come
  
• Able to balance the demands of several tasks (e.g., combining research and teaching) successfully
  
• Organized, flexible, and demonstrate attention to detail
  
• Able to work both independently and collaboratively. You are a team player but also have a proactive attitude
  

You have:

• A PhD in communication science, political science, computation social science (or related disciplines) - or are expected to obtain it soon
  
• Strong interest in topics associated with negative campaigning or social norms
  
• Demonstrated experience in quantitative methods, including automated content analyses and/or handling panel data
  
• Advanced analytical skills preferably using in R, Stata, or Python
  
• Excellent proficiency in English
  

What do we have to offer

The planned starting date for this project is 1 April 2026 (to be negotiated). The position concerns temporary employment of 38 hours for a maximum term of 2 years including a probation period of two months. You will have the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international events. You will also be able to build up demonstratable teaching skills as part of the 20% teaching component of the contract.

The UFO profile Onderzoeker 4 or Onderzoeker 3 applies.Your salary will range from €4,412 to €5.057 (10.5 - 11.2)  based on your experience, full-time employment and in keeping with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.

What else do we offer you

• A position in which initiative and input are highly valued, with ample opportunities for scholarly and professional development,
  
• An enthusiastic and warm team and department that is open to new colleagues
  
• The possibility to join a project on a “hot” topic at the cutting edge of the literature
  
• An inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam

Your place at the UvA

You will work here

This project is embedded within the Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR) at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam. ASCoR is the research institute for Communication Science, structured around four program groups: Persuasive Communication, Corporate Communication, Political Communication & Journalism, and Youth & Media Entertainment. For more information, see the https://ascor.uva.nl/.

The Postdoc project is led by Dr. Corinna Oschatz in close cooperation with Dr. Alessandro Nai and Dr. Andreas Schuck. It will be embedded within the Political Communication & Journalism programme group. In our group, we explore the contributions of media and communication to citizens' perception, knowledge, and understanding of political issues and political and social groups, as well as citizens' participation in the political arena and their electoral behaviour. 

Within the PolCom & Journalism group and ASCoR at large, you’ll join a welcoming and dynamic research community where collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches are highly valued. Set in the vibrant city of Amsterdam, you’ll engage with impactful research addressing key challenges across the field of Communication Science.

About the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG) is the largest educational and research institution in the field of social and behavioural sciences in Europe. Here, we explore societal and human-centered issues, driven by scientific curiosity but also with an eye for current themes. For example, the impact of media and communication on individuals and society, healthcare challenges, global urbanization, human development, the role of political institutions, understanding the human mind, growing inequality, diversity issues, and changing social relationships.

In Europe and beyond, the FMG holds a leading position, thanks in part to its more than 1,300 staff members who contribute to education and research. Will you be one of them?

Read more about the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences

Important to know

Your application & contact

If you recognize yourself in this profile and are interested in the role, we look forward to receiving your motivation letter and CV by 18. January 2026.

Please submit your application as a single .pdf file, including:

• Curriculum vitae, with grade transcripts from your (research) master’s studies; and potentially your PhD diploma
  
• Letter of motivation: Outline your fit to this topic, your readiness for the Postdoc project, and how you meet the selection criteria. If any criteria are not yet fully met, explain how you plan to develop the necessary skills. Optionally, include contact details of two academic referees familiar with your work;
  
• Writing sample in English, such as a recent article.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

As an employer, the UvA maintains an equal opportunities policy. We value diversity and are fully committed to being a place where everyone feels at home. We nurture inquisitive minds and perseverance and allow room for persistent questioning. With us, curiosity and creativity are the prevailing culture.

Read more

Studies show that women and members of underrepresented groups only apply for jobs if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Do you meet the educational requirements but not yet all of the requested experience? The UvA encourages you to apply anyway.

Interviews will take place during the 2nd week of February. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be given preference over external candidates.

For questions about the vacancy, you can contact: Dr. Corinna Oschatz (c.m.oschatz@uva.nl). 

No agencies please.

The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona

The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), in Barcelona, invites interested candidates to participate in this call for applications for twelve (12) predoctoral contracts as part of the Interdisciplinary International Training on ICT for Developing Societal Impact (IN2TIC) project. Funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Marie Skłodowska-Curie predoctoral grant agreement no. 101217250, this project aims to support the completion of doctoral theses by predoctoral trainee research staff, in accordance with the applicable regulations (see the legal terms for COFUND IN2TIC grants).

The purpose of this call is to promote the training of researchers in the research groups at the UOC, through the completion of doctoral theses in 6 following doctoral programmes. The ones linked to communication studies are: 

• Society, Technology and Culture
  
• Humanities and Communication
  

Prospective candidates must complete the IN2TIC (COFUND) admission application form, together with the documentation required for the IN2TIC doctoral programme, please see: https://www.uoc.edu/portal/en/escola-doctorat/beques/beques-uoc-escola-doctorat/in2tic/index.html

Benefits:

Contract: There will be a full-time, 3-year predoctoral contract.

Salary: €29,934.12 gross per year.

Additional allowances (subject to eligibility under MSCA rules), that include:

• Family allowance: €116 per month (if applicable).
  
• Relocation allowance: €1,563 (one-off payment, if applicable).
  
• Disability support allowance: €893 per year (if applicable).
  
• Coverage: The UOC will cover the costs of enrolment on the doctoral programme, as well as the fee for the degree certificate (only if the thesis is defended before the end of the predoctoral contract and provided the contract is still in force at that time).
  
• Equipment: You'll be provided with the computer equipment and ergonomic material you need to work both from home and on the UOC Campus.
  
• Development: Access to training opportunities to support your professional growth.
  
• Wellness benefits: Wellness activities, medical service, physiotherapy service, and workplace assessment and adaptation where needed, among other benefits.
  
• Open working model: You'll be joining an organization with an open working model that combines remote and in-office work, depending on organizational needs and the nature of your tasks.
  

The UOC is a pioneering and leading university in e-learning. A digital native with a global reach and a public service mandate. We have been providing accredited, high-quality online education for the last 30 years, and our mission is to develop people's talents throughout their lives. We take a transformative approach to our research in order to generate social impact.

Location: UOC Campus, Rambla del Poblenou 154-156, Barcelona (Catalonia). Spain.