[Commlist] Funded PhD Opportunity / The Independent Film & Video Department (Channel 4, 1982–1995) History Project / Digital Archives / Falmouth University

/This project is fully funded through Research England’s Expanding 
Excellence in England (E3) Fund. *The deadline for applications is 25 
May 2025*, and applications can be made through the link below./

Falmouth University is excited to announce a funded Doctoral Project 
brief as part of our strategic priority research interest in The 
Independent Film & Video Department (Channel 4, 1982–1995) History 
Project. We welcome all research degree applications aligned with and in 
response to this brief, which forms part of a larger nascent network 
project in collaboration with University of Bristol, andothers.

This doctoral project investigates the work and legacy of Channel 4’s 
Independent Film & Video Department (IFVD), active between 1982 and 
1995. During this period, the IFVD championed independent and 
oppositional voices in the UK and internationally, fulfilling Channel 
4’s remit as a public service broadcaster committed to innovation and 
diversity. Despite its significant cultural impact, the department’s 
legacy has received limited scholarly attention.

This PhD will contribute to a broader history and archiving initiative, 
establishing a digital database that makes visible and accessible the 
department’s work. Centred on the digitisation and curation of physical 
media (primarily VHS), the research will explore digital archiving as 
both a cultural and ethical practice. The project investigates how 
archival processes shape social, historical, and political narratives, 
and it seeks to reframe archival materials not just for academic 
audiences but for the wider public and educational use.

The research will draw upon institutional holdings at Falmouth 
University and personal collections, involving collaboration with 
original commissioning editors, BFI archivists, and external academic 
partners. As part of the School of Film & Television’s developing 
research focus on archive practices, this PhD is integral to ongoing 
research, teaching, and knowledge exchange activities. This project is 
situated within the Centre for Blended Realities, which supports 
research at the intersection of analogue and digital media. By exploring 
early VHS as a precursor to contemporary forms of self-curation and 
networked dissemination, the project contributes to ongoing inquiries 
into how media technologies shape cultural memory, authorship, and 
audience engagement. It also aligns with the Centre for Pedagogy Futures 
and the School of Film & Television’s research priorities around 
archival practice and media heritage, supporting university-wide themes 
of digital creativity, screen and identity, and interdisciplinary 
knowledge exchange.

To discuss this project brief, ideas or a project proposal responding to 
this brief, please contact Professor Neil Fox - (neil.fox /at/ falmouth.ac.uk) 
<mailto:(neil.fox /at/ falmouth.ac.uk)>

To apply, please visit here - 
https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/research/phd-mphil/doctoral-project-briefs/independent-film-video-department-history-project 
<https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/research/phd-mphil/doctoral-project-briefs/independent-film-video-department-history-project>

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