[Commlist] Call for candidates for the 2022 PhD positions at the Institute of Communication Studies and Journalism

https://iksz.fsv.cuni.cz/en/admissions/phd-programme-media-and-communication-studies/call-candidates-phd-projects-2022

Call for candidates for the 2022 PhD positions
at the Institute of Communication Studies and Journalism
Charles University

The Institute of Communication Studies and Journalism at the Faculty of 
Social Sciences of the Charles University in Prague calls for candidates 
for the following PhD projects (each supported by a scholarship), for 
its English-language PhD programme in Media and Communication Studies:

1/Intolerant belief systems and their intersection in the online 
communication
Western liberal democracies are becoming polarized along different lines 
and this polarization is specifically visible in the online discussions 
on various controversial topics. How does intolerance based on one 
characteristic (for example age) relate to other intolerant belief 
systems (for instance, those in relation to gender, ethnicity, race, 
sexuality etc.)? How does intolerant public online communication reflect 
societal norms and cultural prejudice prevalent in the analysed culture? 
What is the role of disinformation media in promoting intolerant belief 
systems?
The phenomenon can be studied on various research topic and case studies 
(ranging from politically exposed topics to debates among popular 
culture fans). Proposals are expected to be rooted in theories on online 
deliberation and its societal significance, intersectionality, 
post-truth society and other relevant theories. A project proposal 
focusing on this topic can be submitted in English or in Czech.
Proposed supervisor: Lenka Vochocová, (lenka.vochocova /at/ fsv.cuni.cz)

2/Discursive constructions of the environment
This PhD position consists out of research into the discursive 
construction of the environment, climate and/or human-nature 
relationships, driven by a discourse-theoretical (or other 
post-structuralist) framework, that allows for attention for the 
workings of contingency, hegemony, materiality and discursive struggle. 
The research can be located in variety of social fields, including 
media, the arts and/or museums.
Proposed supervisor: Nico Carpentier, (nico.carpentier /at/ fsv.cuni.cz)

3/Inclusive media literacy education
The aim of this PhD position is to explore the field of media literacy 
education/media education from the perspective of vulnerable groups, 
such as: migrant and refugee youth, minorities, the elderly, or people 
with disabilities. The project should focus on critical inquiry by 
drawing on theories of intersectionality and feminism, and focus on how 
identities and lived media experiences are shaped through the mediation 
of intersecting axes of difference including nationality, race, 
ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, ability, migration status and 
socioeconomic class. Connected topics, such as the digital civic 
engagement/activism of youth, digital learning and curriculum 
development will also be considered.
The PhD project should be interdisciplinary in nature and build upon a 
participatory and/or creative/digital methodology. Proposals should be 
submitted in English.
Proposed supervisor: Annamária Neag, (annamaria.neag /at/ fsv.cuni.cz)

4/Political management: campaigns organization, impacts on political 
parties, media relations
The project proposal should focus on at least one of the following 
topics : political management, changes within political parties, 
campaign organization, political communication, and political 
leadership. The whole political process has dramatically changed, and it 
keeps changing. The focus of the project should be analyzing what are 
the reasons for these changes. Adapting to the political environment and 
new issues or if the reason lies more in populistic approaches to 
politics. Theoretically, it should be rooted in the political marketing 
theory and political communication theory. The research project can 
either focus on a specific case study or use a more comparative 
approach. This PhD project can submitted in English or in Czech (in the 
latter case to the Czech-language PhD program in Media Studies).
Proposed supervisor: Anna Shavit, (anna.shavit /at/ fsv.cuni.cz)

5/The Influence of Persuasion and Communication in Food Decisions
In general, this project aims to explore what factors influence people's 
short and long-term food preferences. This objective can be fulfilled by 
focusing on the research of the supply (communication of restaurants, 
lifestyle magazines, or influencers) and the demand (psychological 
mechanisms of how we make food decisions and what contextual factors 
play a role). The project's methodology will correspond to the specific 
objective chosen, but experimental evidence is preferred. The detailed 
objective of the project must be agreed upon with the supervisor in advance.
Proposed supervisor: Petr Houdek, (petr.houdek /at/ fsv.cuni.cz)

6/The Art of Persuasion and Political Skills: An Intra-organisational Study
This dissertation project concerns research on persuasion within 
organizations (and groups of people in general). The research aims to 
identify the factors of organizational politics - at the individual and 
organizational level - that hinder the implementation of measures that 
can increase organizational effectiveness, ethicality, or sustainability 
(or other prosocial goals). Subsequently, the aim will be to design 
interventions that would enhance effective political skills. Laboratory 
and field experiments are preferred, but other approaches can also be 
proposed.
Proposed supervisor: Petr Houdek, (petr.houdek /at/ fsv.cuni.cz)

7/Photography and practices of othering
The position involves researching the specific means of othering in 
technical images with particular regard to photography. The methodology 
can be qualitative (although a combination of qualitative-quantitative 
methods is not excluded), analysing the depiction of the other as an 
enemy - in the war, for example, or as a cultural or ethnic enemy. The 
research can be aimed at gender stereotypes too. The researcher is 
expected to focus on the visual (thematic, aesthetic, formal) 
constructions of othering - e.g., what aesthetics and formal aspects are 
typically used to create the image of the other. The position can 
concentrate on historical imagery as well as the contemporary one or its 
historical development.
Proposed supervisor: Robert Silverio, (robert.silverio /at/ fsv.cuni.cz)

8/Photography composition as a narrative and cognitive construct
The topic analyses composition in photojournalistic photography or, more 
generally, in a photographic image, as a narrative element with a 
cognitive impact. Photography as a static, time-limited image tells 
stories taking place in an extended time. Research emphasizes how 
photographs create narrative functions and create awareness of the world 
through composition. It scrutinises the cognitive possibilities of this 
narration and potential cognitive biases. It can also concentrate on 
similarities and differences between technical and pre-technical images. 
The research analyses how specific themes can be framed. The project 
also enables the research of other formal aspects that participate in 
making the overall narratives.
A wide range of methodological approaches can be applied: synchronic or 
diachronic analysis, qualitative or qualitative-quantitative approach, 
poststructuralist analysis, a series of case studies, or a combination 
of these approaches.
Proposed supervisor: Robert Silverio, (robert.silverio /at/ fsv.cuni.cz)

Application

Interested candidates should submit their applications, using the online 
application system, which will be open from 1st January to 30th April 
2022. Interest in a particular PhD project should be mentioned in the 
motivation letter, together with a more developed proposal on the PhD 
project.

All relevant information, including the link to the online application 
system, can be found at here: 
https://fsv.cuni.cz/en/admissions/phd-programmes/media-and-communication-studies
and here: 
https://is.cuni.cz/studium/eng/prijimacky/index.php?do=detail_obor&id_obor=27380 


Please download the form for filling your dissertation project proposal 
here: 
https://iksz.fsv.cuni.cz/sites/default/files/uploads/files/DISSERTATION%20PROJECT%20form%20in%20English.docx 


For general questions, please contact the Centre of PhD Studies, at 
(cds.iksz /at/ fsv.cuni.cz). For questions about particular projects, please 
contact the proposed supervisors.

The Open Doors Day for PhD Study in Media Studies will take place on 
February 28, 2022 (Monday) at 12:00 CET. It will be organised online. If 
you wish to participate, please email the Centre of PhD Studies, at 
(cds.iksz /at/ fsv.cuni.cz), asap.



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