Two PhD positions in Media and Communication Studies

Application deadline is 22 April 2019

IRES hereby announces two PhD positions in Media and Communication Studies within the field of Russian and post-Soviet studies. Both positions are announced in cooperation with the Department of Informatics and Media. The holder of the position are to be employed at IRES. Both PhD students will have a supervisor at the Department of Informatics and Media as well as at IRES.

Both positions focus on the role of media in societal processes in Russia and the post-Soviet sphere. The selected candidates are thus expected to work at the crossroads of two fields, media and communication studies and Russia or post-Soviet sphere studies. A comparative perspective is welcome (i.e comparisons within or between countries in the region, or over time), but not necessary.

One position is devoted to the role of media in social and cultural process of change in Russia or the post-Soviet sphere, including the impact of state powers on the media. This project will have the media users in focus and study the importance of media and communication technologies in the everyday life of people for interaction, relations, identity formation and self-image. Qualitative studies of the role of media in the construction of identities in relation to culture, religion, gender and/or sexuality are of interest.

The second position is devoted to studies of media, communication and the more general societal development in Russia or the post-Soviet space. This project is expected to study organised production and use of images/representation of the country that the political leadership wish to spread, internally and externally, and/or alternative images that are produced and distributed by other actors and that might have an impact on the societal development.

We are seeking candidates with a documented background in the Russian or post-Soviet society, and knowledge of media and communication. Candidates should have a good overview of social sciences and/or the humanities, and master the main methodologies used in these areas of research. Good knowledge of the Russian/Eurasian society is required. Language proficiency in Russian and/or in some other official language in the post-Soviet space is a requirement. Also the excellent command of written and spoken English is a requirement for this PhD position.

For more information on application procedure please visit Uppsala University homepage