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[ecrea] Full Time PhD position, Free University of Brussels

Sat Nov 20 20:25:38 GMT 2010


Vacancy: Full Time PhD position, Free University of Brussels

The Centre for Ethics and the research centre IBBT-SMIT of the Free University of Brussels (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) offer a full time PhD position in the fields of Media and Communication Studies and Philosophy. The vacancy is open for a research position of 4 years, in order to realize a PhD on virtual media, the reconfiguration of proximity and the social, cultural and moral consequences thereof. The position starts February 1st 2011, and is supervised by Prof. J. Bauwens, Prof. M. Van den Bossche and Prof. K. Verstrynge.

Candidates are expected to show strong affinity with and interest in the domain of media philosophy and media sociology, and are holder of a Masters degree in Philosophy or Communication Studies. Applications are to be sent latest by January 6th 2011 to Prof. J. Bauwens or Prof. K. Verstrynge. When applying, a motivation and an elaborated vision on the theme under concern are expected to be included with the CV.


Contact information:

Prof. dr. J. Bauwens
Dept. of Media and Communication Studies
Free University of Brussels (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
Pleinlaan 2
B-1050 Brusssels
E-mail: (jbauwens /at/ vub.ac.be)
Tel.: (0032) 2-629 1829

Prof. dr. K. Verstrynge
Dept. of Philosophy
Free University of Brussels (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
Pleinlaan 2
B-1050 Brussels
E-mail: (karl.verstrynge /at/ vub.ac.be)
Tel.: (0032) 2-629 2596


Description of the research theme:

The increasing virtualisation of processes of communication and interaction has important consequences for the definition and experience of proximity. In particular the reconfiguration of time and space is, according to several media-theoreticians, the crucial challenge of the Ôdigital ageÕ (a.o. Virilio 1996; Morley 2007; Castells 2001): the accelerated speed of communication affects in a determining way the meaning of presence and absence of others, of their distance and the community they belong to (Silverstone 2007; Moores 1999).

In a virtual context, the dialectical relation between distance and proximity, as a condition for genuine interpersonal relations (e.g. Levinas 1961; Bauman 1993; Silverstone 2007; Virilio 2009), is subjected to great pressure. In line with this observation, two important evolutions can be detected.

First, the increasing interaction with others takes place through mediatised, i.e. digitized and virtual representations of the other (e.g. avatars in games, chatpartners in chatrooms, textualized and photographed ÔfriendsÕ on social network sites). In this perspective, several studies have shown that this 'evaporation' of (online) alterity does not harm the strong affective character of online relationships.

Second, there is a changing role of emotionality in our society, by some described as 'post-emotionality' (Mestrovic 1997; cf. Giddens 1991), by others conceived as 'affectual postmodernism' (Maffesoli 1988a) or even as a sort of hyper-emotionality (cf. Ôcommunisme des affectsÕ, Virilio 2009).

Both these observations are the background for a philosophical and media-theoretical research project that focuses on the question how emotionality and affectivity should be understood in virtual forms of social interaction, from a phenomenological, ethical-existential and sociological point of view.

Because of the growing success of all kinds of social virtual worlds (ranging from social networking sites as Facebook to Instant Messaging communities and MMORPGs) and its impact on the meaning of social connectivity, closeness and grouping, this project addresses the following key research question: How do emotions and affections underpin the rise, organization, maintenance and disappearance of virtual tribes? This key research question is addressed from a philosophical and social theoretical perspective. The first tackles the philosophical discussion of the altering meaning of emotion and affect in virtual environments. The second perspective is rooted in media and communication theory and draws on sociology of emotions, cyber-anthropology and cyber-sociology to understand the role of emotionality and affectivity in computer-mediated interactions. The research project advocates a theoretical cross-fertilization of different fields of research and thought.

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