[ecrea] PhD position in the politics of big data, University of Amsterdam

The DATACTIVE (data-activism.net) project at the University of Amsterdam 
is looking for a PhD student to join the team and contribute to conduct 
research on data politics and grassroots participation. Apply with a PhD 
project proposal by August 26.

++Job description++

The Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis (ASCA) of the Faculty of 
Humanities is looking for a PhD candidatye to join the ERC-funded 
project 'Data Activism: The Politics of Big Data According to Civil 
Society'(DATACTIVE), with Dr. Stefania Milan as Principal Investigator. 
DATACTIVE investigates citizens’ engagement with massive data 
collection, seeking to understand how activism evolves in the time of 
datafication.

As datafication progressively invades all spheres of contemporary 
society, citizens grow increasingly aware of the critical role of 
information as the new fabric of social life. This awareness gives rise 
to new sociotechnical practices taking a critical approach to ‘big data’ 
and massive data collection, which fall under the rubric of ‘data 
activism’. Data activism takes at least two forms: re-activedata 
activism, whereby people increasingly resist the threats to civil rights 
that derive from corporate privacy intrusion and government surveillance 
(e.g., by means of technical fixes such as encryption); and pro-active 
data activism, whereby citizens take advantage of the possibilities for 
campaigning and social change that data availability provides (e.g., 
data-based advocacy). The DATACTIVE project explores how activism 
broadly defined evolves in the age of big data. We take a critical look 
at, among others, citizen empowerment through data; civil society’s 
privacy practices; surveillance and internet activism; governance of 
data flows and internet infrastructure; open data and civic tech networks.

You will join an interdisciplinary team working under the leadership of 
Dr. Stefania Milan (the Principal Investigator; 
https://stefaniamilan.net) and collaboratively examining the emerging 
dynamics of data activism at the intersection of its social and 
technological dimensions. We offer a multidisciplinary, interactive and 
international research environment in a leading department 
(Communication and Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam 
currently ranks number 8 in the QS World Rankings).

++Requirements++

The ideal candidate should have:
     * a demonstrable affinity with one or the combination of the 
following areas of research: social movements/grassroots activism’s 
engagement with data, digital technology and citizen participation, 
datafication and digital citizenship, democratic agency and algorithmic 
power, social effects of algorithm discrimination, (participatory) 
governance of data flows;
     * a Master's, Master of Research, or equivalent degree in one of 
the following disciplines: sociology, political science, communication 
sciences, media studies, and neighboring disciplines, preferably with 
expertise in one of the following fields: social movement studies, 
digital sociology, sociology of knowledge and/or culture, international 
relations, governance studies, critical internet studies, critical data 
studies;
     * demonstrable expertise in qualitative/ethnographic and/or 
quantitative research methods;
     familiarity (or willingness to acquire it) with data processing 
techniques and digital methods.

In addition, he or she should also possess:

     * a good knowledge of current developments in digital 
communication technology in the post-Snowden era, and the related 
socio-technical and policy processes;
     * a creative mind and an interest to think across disciplines and 
domains;
     * strong communication skills, and an interest in building bridges 
between research, policy and advocacy/activism;
     * excellent command of English. Familiarity with other languages 
constitutes an asset;
     * the ability to work independently as well as in a team, and be 
responsive to feedback;
     * the willingness to engage in research collaboration with 
nongovernmental organizations;
     * superior organizational skills, including the ability to plan 
one’s work and meet deadlines. He or she should have an eye for detail, 
and be available occasionally to work under tight deadlines.

Read more and find out how to apply here: 
http://www.uva.nl/en/about-the-uva/working-at-the-uva/vacancies/item/16-371-phd-position-in-the-datactive-project.html 
OR here: www.academictransfer.com/35194

----------------------
Stefania Milan, PhD
University of Amsterdam || mediastudies.nl ||
stefaniamilan.net || @annliffey
fingerprint: 7606 4526 3D24 20B2 C850  EA42 A497 CB70 04B5 A3B


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