[Commlist] 2 PhD positions, 'VR as Empathy Machine'

2 PhD positions at Utrecht University, The Netherlands, within the 
project ‘Virtual Reality as Empathy Machine: Media, Migration and the 
Humanitarian’ funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO)

Project Leader, Sandra Ponzanesi, Professor of Media, Gender and 
Postcolonial Studies.

The aim of “/Virtual Reality as Empathy Machine: Media, Migration and 
the Humanitarian Predicament/” is to make an innovative and urgent 
intervention into the field of VR for humanitarian communication by 
evaluating the potentialities and pitfalls of immersion and empathy 
through technological innovation.

This project will critically investigate the role of VR for humanitarian 
appeals by asking how and to what extent humanitarian VR can function as 
an empathy machine, bridging the distance between viewers and mediated 
others. It will do so by researching the impact of VR for humanitarian 
appeals, in particular concerning issues around migration and refugees.

For this purpose, the project will combine media analysis and empirical 
research through a postcolonial approach, with one of the dissemination 
results also being the creation of an alternative VR projects and 
collaborative practices. The project draws from different disciplinary 
fields such as (digital) media studies, postcolonial theory, science and 
technology studies, psychology, gender studies, anthropology, 
development studies, conflict studies, game and film studies and 
humanitarian communication

Currently, the following two PhD positions are available:

1.PhD1: Virtual Reality as Empathy Machine: *critical media analysis* in 
humanitarian communication

https://www.uu.nl/organisatie/werken-bij-de-universiteit-utrecht/vacatures/phd-in-virtual-reality-as-empathy-machine-critical-media-analysis-in-humanitarian-communication-10 
<https://www.uu.nl/organisatie/werken-bij-de-universiteit-utrecht/vacatures/phd-in-virtual-reality-as-empathy-machine-critical-media-analysis-in-humanitarian-communication-10>

The role of *PhD1* will be to offer a media analysis of VR affordances, 
cinematic and narrative strategies (360-degree videos, installations and 
documentaries) dealing with migration and refugees. This PhD project 
will focus on how VR affects the relationship between spectator and 
distant sufferer through its immersive affordances, cinematic strategies 
and alternative storytelling techniques.

PhD1 will have a background in media studies, with a specific focus on 
new, immersive and interactive technologies, such as games and VR.

1.PhD2: /Virtual Reality as Empathy Machine//:/*validation research on 
*humanitarian communication

https://www.uu.nl/organisatie/werken-bij-de-universiteit-utrecht/vacatures/phd-in-virtual-reality-as-empathy-machine-validation-research-on-humanitarian-communication-10-fte 


The role of *PhD2* will be to perform empirical research and develop 
interdisciplinary methods to test and validate the persuasiveness of VR 
as an ‘empathy machine’ and assess whether VR leads to actions and 
enhanced public engagement. This PhD project will focus on how we can 
empirically assess the effect of and response to VR for humanitarian 
purposes.

PhD2 will have a background in media, psychology or the social sciences, 
and expertise in validation methods and participant observations.

More info: https://vrmigration.sites.uu.nl/

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