ECREA WEEKLY digest ARTICLES

Vrije Universitet Amsterdam

Deadline:  March 21, 2019

FTE: 0.8 - 1

Would you welcome the challenge of leading a team of specialists in Language and Communication Studies? In that case, please consider applying for this position.

Within the Department of Language, Literature, and Communication of the Faculty of Humanities (FGW), the chair of Language and Communication will play a vital role by studying the interplay between language, interaction and communication. The chair will investigate how the design of texts, images, and conversations, has particular consequences for participants involved, in their role of, e.g., customer, voter, or patient, and how organizations may improve communication designs tailored to relevant media platforms. The Department seeks to hire a candidate who stimulates cross-disciplinary research and has a proven expertise in adopting innovative approaches across methodologies in the domain of language and communication studies.

Your duties

• teach on the bachelor programme including the first year and on the (research) Master programmes
• further develop the international bachelor specialization Language and Media
• conduct research in the field of Language and Communication in relation to other disciplines
• acquire external research funding and contribute to economic and societal valorization
• supervise the chair group’s teaching and research staff, including Ph.D. scholars

Requirements

• an outstanding international reputation in terms of research, as shown by multiple and substantial publications in the field of language use (and social media)
• methodological expertise and experience in conducting interdisciplinary research
• ample managerial experience
• a track record of acquiring research projects
• demonstrable excellence in didactic skills

What are we offering?

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €5,582 (H2)

and a maximum €8,127 (H2), depending on your education and experience. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 0.8 FTE.

The initial employment contract will affect a period of 2 years, with the prospect of a permanent contract.

Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment,
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus,
• solid pension scheme (ABP),
• contribution to commuting allowance based on public transport

About Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. And to be a university where personal education and societal involvement play a leading role. Where people from different disciplines and backgrounds work together on innovations and on generating new knowledge. Our teaching and research embrace the whole spectrum of science – from the humanities, the social sciences and the pure sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 23,000 students. We employ more than 4,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible, located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity

Diversity is one of our university’s core values. We are an inclusive community, and we believe that diversity and international activities enhance the quality of education and research. We are always looking for people who can enhance diversity on our campus thanks to their background and experience.

Faculty of Humanities

The Faculty of Humanities links a number of fields of study: Language, Literature and Communication, Art & Culture, History, Antiquities and Philosophy. Our teaching and research focus on current societal and scientific themes: from artificial intelligence to visual culture, from urbanization to the history of slavery, from ‘fake news’ in journalism to communication in organizations. We strive to ensure small group sizes. Innovative education and interdisciplinary research are our hallmarks.

Working at the Faculty of Humanities means making a real contribution to the quality of leading education and research in an inspiring and personal work and study climate. We employ more than 250 staff members, and we are home to around 1,300 students.

Application

Are you interested in this position? Please apply via the application button and upload your curriculum vitae and cover letter before March 21, 2019.

Vacancy questions

If you have any questions regarding this vacancy, you may contact:

Name: Prof. dr. Diederik Oostdijk

Position: Chair of Department

E-mail: d.m.oostdijk@vu.nl

Telephone: 020 59 82044

Relocation support

If you have any questions regarding moving to Amsterdam and working at VU Amsterdam, you may contact:

Name: Wytske Siegersma

Position: Relocation Advisor

E-mail: relocations@vu.nl

Telephone: +31 (20) 59 85037

XV Symposium for Film Music Research

July 5-7, 2019

Kiel University, Germany

Deadline: April 30, 2019

The fifteenth Symposium of the Kiel Society for Film Music Research will be dedicated to questions about music in documentary films. For this purpose, documentary films about music should not necessarily be the center of attention. Rather, our interest is focused on films, documentaries, docudramas, reports, etc., which use music in a field of tension ranging from so-called authenticity to applications of music that are barely different from those in feature films. Film music in documentary films undoubtedly contributes to the intensity, credibility, information, understanding and reflection of the events shown. But the manipulation of feelings and an impairment of the audience‘s ability for unbiased reflection can also be observed in many cases. In documentary (even semi-documentary) formats, sound design and music are affected by different preferences, ideals and conditions of production, which sometimes differ from those in feature films, but in many cases are comparable.

A responsible approach to the film‘s topic and its protagonists is often perceived to be more crucial for documentary formats. But what does artistic and practical reality look like when filmmakers want to present a selected segment of reality? What can be learned from the use of music in the non-fictional film work on the significance of film music in general, on the attitude and goals of filmmakers and on the socio-political role of audiovisual media and formats? With which scientific methods and concepts can film music be examined in documentary film and its variants?

The following key questions can be used for guidance if you‘d like to submit an abstract:

A) History and aesthetics

1. What is the role of music in cinematic narration about or over a selected section of reality?

2. Which technical and aesthetic conditions have influenced the use of music as film music and as a subject in the history of documentary film?

3. How can the boundaries between music and sound design be explored? Does the musicalization of the soundtrack replace the use of film music in documentary film?

B) Reality reference and artistic practice

4. Is a higher demand for an "authentic" presentation of subject and protagonist in documentary film fulfilled, if the music has solely been written, performed and recorded for the film or in the context of the film?

5. What is the difference between narrative potentials of music in feature and documentary films?

6. How does film music in documentary film influence the realism of cinematic means and the documentary story?

7. Are there any other rules in the documentary film for music that, unlike images and referential sound, usually has no semantic implications?

8. How does music in the documentary essay films differ from that used in more common documentary formats?

C) Methods, function and effect

9. Does the generalizing or emotionalizing effect of music in documentary film inevitably lead to the manipulation of the audience, or can film music be a didactic aid here for translating distant content or helping to close the gap to other cultures?

10. What tendencies can be identified for film music in hybrid or ambivalent formats (eg docudrama, mockumentaries and forms that break with certain aesthetic premises and communicative contracts, etc.)?

11. How do you deal with film music in documentary film, which highlights its socio-political aspects in particular?

In addition, book presentations, practical reports, workshops or panels are welcome, which can be assigned to the general topic or individual questions and their scientific or artistic working methods. If your research interest is not mentioned in the CfP please don‘t hesitate to hand in an abstract regardless!

The conference also serves as a platform for current research projects and discussions. It therefore contains an open block to which abstracts can and should be submitted independently of the main topic.

Key Facts

Music in documentary film - XV Symposium for Film Music Research

Deadline for abstracts / short biographies: April 30, 2019 (max 300/100 words)

Feedback on the acceptance of the abstracts: May 2019

Presentations, lectures or book presentations should take no longer than 25 minutes. Panels may take up a longer time slot if possible. Conference languages are German and English. Travel and accommodation costs can not be reimbursed.

Registration and contact:

filmmusik@email.uni-kiel.de (Tarek Krohn & Willem Strank)

Inaugural symposium on Media, Professions and Society in Volda, Norway

June 17-20, 2019

Volda and Olden, Norway

Deadline for extended abstracts: February 20, 2019

We invite you to submit your original and innovative research paper for a symposium that will take place in the heart of Norwegian nature. This symposium will focus on facilitating constructive discussions on research-in-progress. Participants will give short presentations that spark lengthier discussions in the panel sessions, and throughout a symposium program marked by social networking. The number of symposium presenters will deliberatively be limited to 30-35 participants, with the intention of creating an arena for symposium participants to get to know each other and ongoing research better. Group discussions and time for personal networking and reflection, with exceptional scenery, will be interwoven into the symposium program.

All presenters will receive constructive feedback from at least two of the members of the symposium scientific panel, consisting of the three keynote speakers alongside the guest editors of a thematic issue of Media and Communication, developed in close connection to this symposium. The thematic issue is titled “Peripheral Actors in Journalism: Agents of Change in Journalism Culture and Practice” and is being guest edited by Avery Holton, Valerie Belair-Gagnon and Oscar Westlund.

Keynotes Speakers:

• Laura Ahva
• Mark Deuze
• Edson Tandoc Jr.

Conference fee

3800 NOK (including lunch Tuesday - Thursday and dinner Monday - Wednesday), bus transport and gondola trip.

Hotel accommodation

3000 NOK (breakfast included), three nights Monday – Thursday

More information about the symposium and submission of paper, please follow the link.

Timeline:

• Deadline for extended abstracts: Wednesday, February 20, 2019.
• Notification on submitted abstracts (following peer-review): Tuesday March 11, 2019.
• Deadline submission full paper (5000-7000 words): Monday June 3, 2019.

More here.

A Longitudinal Study of the Mediatization of Socialisation

Authors: Ingrid Paus-Hasebrink, Jasmin Kulterer, Philip Sinner

This book presents a qualitative longitudinal panel-study on child and adolescent socialisation in socially disadvantaged families. The

 study traces how children and their parents make sense of media within the context of their everyday life over twelve years (from 2005 to 2017) and provides a unique perspective on the role of different socialisation contexts, drawing on rich data from a broad range of qualitative methods. Using a theoretical framework and methodological approach that can be applied transnationally, it sheds light on the complex interplay of factors which shape children’s socialisa

Table of contents:tion and media usage in multiple ways.

• Front Matter
• Framing the Study
• Social Inequality, Childhood and the Media
• The Role of Media Within Young People’s Socialisation: A Theoretical Approach
• The Methodological Approach of the Long-Term Study
• Family Descriptions
  
• Socialisation in Different Socialisation Contexts
• The Interplay Between Family and Media as Socialisation Contexts: Parents’ Mediation
• The Typology of Socially Disadvantaged Families
• Discussion and Conclusion
• Back Matter

Avalaible here.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Deadline: March 1, 2019

Position for a minimum of 2 years, starting in fall 2019

PROFECI focuses on the social dynamics of projecting possible futures and the role of the media in this process. It is an interdisciplinary, EU-funded ERC project headed by Prof. Keren Tenenboim-Weinblatt at the Department of Communication and Journalism at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The project focuses on several major political crossroads of recent (e.g., Brexit, the Trump campaign) and upcoming years. It aims to reconstruct how scenarios about the outcomes and implications of significant events are constructed, transformed, received, and acted upon, using a combination of computational text analysis and other social scientific methods. The key responsibility of the postdoctoral researcher will be to develop and implement, in close cooperation with Dr. Christian Baden (senior researcher in the project) and the other team members, an algorithmic strategy capable of extracting and classifying complex semantic contents in multilingual public discourse.

Suitable candidates should

• hold (or be close to completion of) a PhD in the Social Sciences, Digital Humanities, Computational Linguistics or Computer Science
• have experience in empirical research in the computational analysis of natural discourse, and the application of quantitative research methods and statistics more generally
• possess working knowledge in computer programming (experience in Python and/or R)
• show a profound interest in the development of novel computational strategies for text analysis in an interdisciplinary scientific context
• possess excellent (written and spoken) English communication skills

Applications should comprise a statement of motivation (1 page), CV including list of publications, the names and contact details of three referees, as well as one publication (published or under review) relevant to the required expertise. Applications should be sent as PDF to keren.tw@mail.huji.ac.il. Review of applications will begin on March 1, 2019 and will continue until the position is filled.

More here.

November 13-15, 2019

Univesity of Zurich

Deadline:  June 15, 2019

Biannual Meeting of the Health Communication Temporary Working Group of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA)

Annual Conference of the Health Communication Division of the German Communication Association (DGPuK)

University of Zurich (UZH), Department of Communication and Media Research (IKMZ)

The Department of Communication and Media Research at the University of Zurich (IKMZ) is delighted to host the European Conference on Health Communication (ECHC) 2019 in Zurich, Switzerland,. The conference of the Health Communication Temporary Working Group of the ECREA and the Health Communication Division of the DGPuK has a thematic focus on social aspects of health communication. It will provide a platform for discussing the interrelations between health, health communication, media, and people’s social contexts on various levels and from diverse perspectives. With the aim to represent the full scope of current health communication research in Europe, the ECHC also welcomes research on further issues of health communication.

Thematic panels on social aspects of health communication

Health and health-related behaviors are embedded in social contexts in various ways, which comprise both risks and opportunitiesfor individual’s health. Communicable (i.e., infectious) diseases, such as HIV or influenza, are spread through social contacts between persons, and unfavorable health behaviors (e.g., alcohol and drug abuse) might be reinforced by social influence. On the other hand, social support can ease the coping with diseases in everyday life (e.g., diabetes, depression), and social norms may promote favorable health behaviors (e.g., doing sports or eating healthily). Since social aspects—such as social influence, support, and norms—unfold their effect through communication, they deserve special attention by health communication scholars to protect, maintain, and improve individual and public health.

The conference aims to address the complexity of individuals’ social contexts and the full breadth of communication—ranging from interpersonal communication to mass media, online to offline, intended to unintended etc. It therefore calls for proposals analyzing the interrelations between social aspects, different forms of health-related communication, and health at the individual, interpersonal, and societal level.

To illustrate the conference’s scope, exemplary questions and concepts are provided in the following. Please note that these examples are not intended to limit the range of possible submissions. Proposals that do not explicitly address the following aspects but refer to social aspects of health communication in other ways are very welcome.

Individual level:

• Which health behaviors are especially susceptible to social influence (e.g., private vs. public health behavior) and what role do different means of communication play in these contexts?
  
• How are individual social-related characteristics, such as traits (e.g., need to belong), cognitions (e.g., perceived norms), and motives (e.g., need for social integration) associated with health behavior and health-related communication?
  
• How are media messages elaborated that address social aspects of health behavior (e.g., social frames)?
  

Interpersonal level:

• Which relevance do different settings have for health communication (e.g., family, colleagues, self-help groups)?
  
• Which role do different actors (e.g., doctors, patients, bystanders) and social roles (e.g., opinion leaders, influencers, followers) play in the context of health communication?
  
• How does health-related interpersonal communication differ depending on the channel and platform (e.g., face-to-face vs. mediated)?
  

Societal level:

• Which sociocultural aspects (e.g., collectivistic vs. individualistic societies) and characteristics of the media system are relevant regarding health and health communication?
  
• What kind of divides related to health communication exist in societies and what are their consequences (e.g., digital divides)?
  
• How can societal inequalities and health-related stigmatization be addressed by health communication and what guidelines are helpful for journalists to ease these issues?
  

The conference calls for basic research describing and explaining these aspects but also refers to applied research seeking to solve practical health communication issues. It is interested in theories, methods, and study designs that allow studying social aspects of health communication at different levels as well as the integration of various levels within a single approach.

Open panels

Besides submissions that address the thematic focus, the conference invites proposals presenting research on current issues of health communication. Especially welcome are contributions presenting a European perspective. This may include case studies from European countries, comparative studies, and Pan-European initiatives.

Submission format

The ECHC invites empirical—quantitative or qualitative—, methodological, as well as theoretical contributions. In the case of empirical submissions, data collection should be completed, and (at least preliminary) results should be reported in the submission.

Proposals can be submitted as presentation and poster proposals. Both—presentation and posters proposals—should be submitted in the form of extended abstracts with a maximum length of 8.000 characters (incl. space characters, excl. references, tables and figures). Abstracts must be written in English and have to be submitted via the ECHC 2019 submission platform until 15 June 2019. The submission system will open on 30 April 2019.

Please note that you will have to specify whether the submission is a proposal for the thematic or the open panel when submitting your abstract. Additionally, you will be asked to indicate whether the proposal is to be presented as a presentation or a poster in the case of acceptance, or whether both options are equally suitable for your proposal.

All submissions will be reviewed in an anonymous review process on the basis of the following criteria.

• Fit to the conference’s theme (when submitted to the thematic panels)
• Contribution to health communication research and practice
• Quality of literature review and theoretical foundations
• Quality and appropriateness of the research methods or quality and appropriateness of arguments for propositions in a theory/review piece
•  Quality, clarity, and rigor of argumentation

You will be informed about the acceptance of your submission by 31 August 2019.

Conference

The ECHC 2019 will take place at the City Campus of the University of Zurich, located in the center of Zurich. Further information on the conference venues, accommodation possibilities, and the program will be announced on the ECHC 2019 website in due time.

Timeline

• Submission system opens: 30 April 2019
  
• Submission deadline: 15 June 2019
  
• Notification of acceptance: 31 August 2019
  
• Registration deadline: 20 October 2019
  
• Conference: 13 to 15 November 2019

The University of Glasgow

Deadline: March 26, 2019

Job Purpose

To lead the University’s research and teaching in media histories, with a focus on the moving image. The Senior Lecturer will undertake and promote international research within the College of Arts. You will play a vital role in leading the agenda of the School of Culture and Creative Arts and the College of Arts, in line with the University, College and School strategic objectives.

Standard Terms & Conditions

The salary will be on the Research and Teaching Grade 9, £51,630 - £58,089 per annum.

This is a full time, open ended post.

Interviews will take place 02 May 2019.

The successful applicant will be eligible to join the Universities' Superannuation Scheme. Further information regarding the scheme is available from the Superannuation Officer, who is also prepared to advise on questions relating to the transfer of Superannuation benefits.

All research and related activities, including grants, donations, clinical trials, contract research, consultancy and commercialisation are required to be managed through the University’s relevant processes (e.g. contractual and financial), in accordance with the University Court’s policies.

New entrants to the University will be required to serve a probationary period of 6 months.

Relocation assistance will be provided where appropriate.

It is the University of Glasgow’s mission to foster an inclusive climate, which ensures equality in our working, learning, research and teaching environment.

We strongly endorse the principles of Athena SWAN, including a supportive and flexible working environment, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in promoting gender equity. Applications are therefore particularly welcome from women and other under-represented groups. In line with the commitments in the University of Glasgow’s Gaelic Language Plan, we also welcome and value skills in Gaelic language for anyone working within areas where key Gaelic services are delivered, in particular within the School of Humanities / Sgoil nan Daonnachdan and the College of Arts.

The University of Glasgow, charity number SC004401.

More here.

November 6-8, 2019

Uppsala University 

Deadline: April 30, 2019

The histories of racism and religion are entangled. To understand how processes of racism, nationalism, and exclusion come about in different forms we need to view these developments as intertwined with religion and ideas of religion and religiosity.

The rise of islamophobia and antisemitism, discrimination and violent persecution of minorities in the name of religion or secularism, and controversies around the visibility of religious practices in public space, all point to the need for a deeper understanding of in what ways religion historically and in the present plays a central role in producing and upholding racism and colonial practices/structures.

Religion has also played a central role in counter movements such as civil rights, indigenous rights, anti-colonial and, anti-apartheid movements. An additional aspect to explore is religious symbols and representations that have been part of anti-racist art and music and the place of spiritualism in artistic resistance to racism. What role has and does religion play in developing and upholding racist and nationalist structures? In what ways are different entangled forms of racism and religion being manifested? How can we for example understand antisemitism and islamophobia on a global and local scale? What does it mean to be living in a supposedly post-racial, post-secular world? What role does religion and/or spirituality play in antiracist struggles and movements?

The Center for Multidisciplinary Research on Racism (CEMFOR) invites scholars to send in abstracts for paper presentations and/or session proposals.

KEY CONCEPTS

Racism, Religion, Secularism, Post secularism, Intersectionality, Spirituality, Colonialism, Cast, Race, Racialization, Class, Gender, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Antiracism, Fascism, Interreligious activism, Activism, Oppression, Minority persecution, Globalization, Tradition, Nationalism, Modernity.

Abstracts and/or session proposals can (but are not restricted to) include the following themes:

• Antisemitism
  
• Islamophobia
  
• Racism, colonialism, and religion
  
• Secularism & racism
  
• Gendered racisms and religion
  
• Intersectional perspectives on religion
  
• Religion and antiblack racism
  
• Resistance and religion
  
• Indigenous spiritualties
  
• Race, class, cast, inequality
  
• Interreligious activism
  
• Conspiracy theory, racism and religion
  
• Racist theologies
  

You are welcome to contact us on jeannette.escanilla@cemfor.uu.se.

Please use our form for the submission of the abstract: http://doit.medfarm.uu.se/kurt13423

• Submission of abstracts: 30 April (200 words)
  
• The session proposal: 30 April (400 words)
  
• Biography (150 words)
  
• Decision on acceptance: 15 May
  
• Registration opens: 1 September
  
• Registration closes: 30 September
  
• Conference fees: Regular 1 500 SEK. PhD Student 1 000 SEK
  

Keynotes Speakers:

• Patricia Hill Collins
  
• Jasmin Zine
  
• David Goldberg
• Maria Emilia Tijoux

Deutsches Historisches Institut London

Deadline: March 4, 2019

Full time (40 hours per week), to a fixed-term post for three years, based in London WC1, starting as soon as possible.

The position forms part of a three-year project undertaken by the International Standing Working Group (ISWG) ‘Medialisation and Empowerment of Women’, supported by the Max Weber Foundation. The research group will investigate the ways in which feminist ideas circulated in twentieth-century mass media and impacted on society and activism. These questions will be explored in a global context, involving partners at research institutions in Britain, India, Germany and beyond.

The post-doctoral researcher will:

• help to organise and co-ordinate the International Standing Working Group, in particular by initiating the group’s research activities (e.g. organising conferences, training sessions and workshops), writing research reports and blogs, and enhancing the international visibility of the group;
  
• conduct and publish their own research within the themes that will be explored by the Group;
  
• co-ordinate and edit the group’s publications;
  
• be resident in London and travel to some events in India and/or Germany.
  

We are looking for candidates who:

• have a PhD degree in history or a related field, ideally with expertise in the field of gender history, media history or digital humanities;
  
• can provide evidence of, or potential for, international excellence in published research;
  
• have experience writing grant applications and project proposals;
  
• have experience organising workshops, lecture series, and/or similar events;
  
• have an excellent command of written and spoken English, as demonstrated by publications in English-language journals and presentations at international conferences;
  
• are team-players and willing to contribute proactively to the development of the International Standing Working Group;
  
• have good organisational skills.
  

The salary, which is based on the German Embassy´s pay scheme, is £3801 per month (£3953 after a six-month probation period). Andre Tummernicht (tummernicht(ghi)ghil.ac.uk) can answer any questions relating to salary and support for families.

The Max Weber Foundation is a family friendly employer and promotes a good work-life balance. We also work towards achieving gender equality among our staff and attempt to compensate for existing imbalances. We therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. According to law candidates with a severe disability who are equally qualified (in terms of aptitude, ability, and achievement) will be given preference, and equally qualified women will be given preference over men.

To apply, please send a full CV including an outline of your project, university examination grades, a covering letter explaining your motivation and what makes you suitable for the role, the addresses of two referees, and any other documents that might support your application in a single pdf file only (reference: ISWG) to reach bewerbungen(ghi)ghil.ac.uk by 4 March 2019.

For questions about this role please contact:

Deutsches Historisches Institut London

Frau Prof. Dr. Christina von Hodenberg

Email: bewerbungen(ghi)ghil.ac.uk

Interviews will be held in London on 4 April 2019.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate their legal right to work in the UK. The salary will be taxable in Germany unless you are a British citizen and do not also hold German citizenship.

By submitting your application you agree that your application will be forwarded to external selection committee members in the course of the selection process. Applications will be used exclusively for the purpose of the selection procedure and will be deleted after completion of the procedure in compliance with data protection regulations.

This position is subject to final approval of the project by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research.

The Alan Turing Institute

Deadline: February 28, 2019

The Alan Turing Institute is the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence. The Institute is named in honour of the scientist Alan Turing and its mission is to make great leaps in data science and artificial intelligence research in order to change the world for the better.

Public Policy Programme

The public policy programme works alongside policymakers to explore how data-driven public service provision and policy innovation might solve long-running ‘wicked’ policy problems and to develop the ethical foundations for the use of data science and artificial intelligence in policy-making.

Our aim is to contribute to the Institute’s mission - to make great leaps in data science and artificial intelligence research in order to change the world for the better - by developing research, tools, and techniques that have a positive impact on the lives of as many people as possible.

As part of our work, the public policy programme has launched a new research project, focused on the role and impacts of women’s representation in data science and AI and how data-driven insights can be used to inform policy and enhance gender equality.

Women in Data Science and AI

Digital technologies, data science and AI have diverse and far-reaching implications for the lives of individuals and the functioning of societies. It is imperative for women to be equal partners in developing the algorithms, setting the research agendas, and building the applications underpinned by data science and AI. Nevertheless, at the moment, women are underrepresented in data science and AI professions. With the goal of remedying this issue, the Alan Turing Institute has established the research project Women in Data Science and AI.

This project will carry out multidisciplinary research to answer the following questions:

• Why are there so few women in data science and AI professions?
  
• What interventions would help increase the number and influence of women in data science and AI?
  
• What impacts does the gender deficit have, for example in setting the research agenda and driving the applications of data science and AI?
  

Both quantitative and qualitative research will be used to inform our understanding of the gender gap in data science and AI and generate new actionable insights and recommendations to tackle it. We are recruiting for two roles. One Research Fellow will focus on quantitative research, and one Research Fellow will focus on the qualitative aspects of the work. This advertisement is for the qualitative Research Fellow, who is expected to have a social science background.

Ultimately, the goal of the Women in Data Science and AI research project is to increase women’s participation in these fields and ensure that women’s perspectives and priorities inform the insights that data scientists generate, the algorithms that they build, and the research agendas that they define.

The Role

The Alan Turing Institute is recruiting a full-time postdoctoral scholar to work in the public policy programme. The scholar will focus entirely on the Women in Data Science and AI research project, applying social science and quantitative research techniques to study the participation and role of women in these fields.

The Research Fellow will investigate:

• Why women do not enter or do not remain in data science and AI. Research should bring forth new evidence and analysis of issues such as gender bias in hiring, career progression path, gender pay gap, lack of mentorship, and male-dominated office culture.
  
• How gender deficit in these fields shapes the research agenda, insights and applications of new data-driven technologies. Such impacts could manifest themselves in a myriad of ways, including the interaction between the values and beliefs of technology creators and the technology products themselves, incorporation of bias within technology applications, the setting of research agendas, and representation of women-specific issues within such agendas.
  

Research should translate into concrete recommendations and policy measures aimed at increasing the number of women in data science and AI professions.

The successful candidate will join the Institute’s public policy programme and will play an important role in shaping and executing the programme’s research into the role of women in Data Science and AI. The Research Fellow will be able to work closely with academics and policy-makers in an interdisciplinary, dynamic and collaborative environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

The core functions of the post-doctoral Research Fellow are as follows:

• Carry out a systematic review and synthesis of existing work in this field and work with other members of the project team to lay out a research agenda for the Women in Data Science and AI project.
  
• Work with the public policy programme’s leadership team to develop an innovative research strategy and carry out original research to analyse the factors influencing female representation, as well as the position and role of women in data science and AI. Research should ultimately contribute actionable insights to improve gender imbalances in the data science and AI fields.
  
• Serve as a key link within the Turing’s academic community, as well as with external partners in the policy and gender equality space.
  
• • Externally, the Research Fellow will build and maintain relationships with external stakeholders as part of the public policy programme’s external engagement strategy. In particular, the Fellow will meet with external partners to identify common areas of interest, resources and partnerships.
  • Internally, the Fellow will collaboratively set the intellectual direction of the research on factors influencing the position of women in data science and AI, will identify relevant academics from the Turing community to collaborate with where relevant, and will develop and implement work-plans to ensure timely delivery of objectives.
• Participate in knowledge exchange activities as appropriate. This may include:
  
• Preparing research outputs that are tailored to a diverse audience, ranging from policy-makers to researchers, civil society and the general public.
  
• Working with the Turing’s Communications team to ensure that the Turing’s research is effectively promoted in the mainstream media.
  
• Working in close coordination with other members of the public policy programme to maximise the programme’s influence on ongoing policy debates.
  
• Representing the Turing at external conferences and events.
  
• Collaborate with other researchers within the Women in Data Science and AI project, and the Alan Turing Institute in general, as appropriate.
  

Person Specification

The successful candidate will have:

• Essential
  
• • PhD or equivalent experience that provides suitable theoretical tools to understand the socio-economic and/or political issues raised in the context of women’s role in data science and AI. Possible fields of study include sociology, social psychology, science and technology studies, gender studies, management and organisation studies, political science, public policy, or other relevant fields;
  • Demonstrable knowledge of research on gender, diversity and organisational dynamics;
  • Demonstrable understanding of gender equality issues and policy;
  • Demonstrably strong methodological and theoretical foundations and experience doing fieldwork or data collection at the intersection of technology and society;
  • A proven ability to communicate research and advocate policy at multiple levels and to diverse audiences;
  • A record of scientific publications, which may include journal articles, book chapters, policy reports / white papers;
  • An interest in the mission of the Alan Turing Institute and in exploring and promoting the role of women in data science and AI.
• Desirable
  
• • Experience in a policy environment, such as in international organisations, government agencies, think tanks, or learned societies; or experience in tech companies or consultancies;
  • Experience in setting up research collaborations involving multiple stakeholders;
  • Experience with research planning and management, i.e. as part of committees or working groups, workshop organisation, etc.;
  • Ability to communicate research outputs across a diverse set of audiences and in a diverse range of settings, including conferences, workshops, roundtables, etc..

Terms and Conditions

This is a fixed-term position for a period of 2 years. The annual salary offered is £45,000 - £50,000, dependent on skills & experience. The post will be held primarily at the Institute’s site at the British Library, Euston Road, London. A competitive benefits package is also available.

Application procedure

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply to jobs@turing.ac.uk by submitting:

• your CV;
  
• a cover letter that outlines how you meet the person specification;
  
• a one-page proposal outlining what you see as the key issues/research questions you would like to pursue, methodology, and implications for the Women in Data Science and AI project,
  
• publications (two journal articles, conference proceedings, book chapters, or equivalent writing samples); and contact details for two referees.
  

If you have questions or would like to discuss the role further with a member of the Institute’s HR Team, please contact them on 0203 862 3394 or email jobs@turing.ac.uk.

Closing Date for Applications: 28 February 2019

Interviews: 11 March 2019.

The Alan Turing Institute is committed to creating an environment where diversity is valued and everyone is treated fairly. In accordance with the Equality Act, we welcome applications from anyone who meets the specific criteria of the post regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender reassignment, marital and civil partnership status, pregnancy, religion or belief or sexual orientation. Reasonable adjustments to the interview process can also be made for any candidates with a disability.

Please note all offers of employment are subject to continuous eligibility to work in the UK and satisfactory pre-employment security screening which includes a DBS Check.

Full details on the pre-employment screening process can be requested from HR@turing.ac.uk.