Ph3Doctoral Scholarship Holder in Media (Arts Prison Studies – UK) /h3 pbDepartment: /b Department of Communication /p pbRegime: /b Full-time /p pThe Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Communication, The Visual and Digital Cultures Research Center is looking for a full‑time PhD‑student within the ERC‑funded project WALLS2BRIDGES‑Media Production of Prison Communities. The project investigates how prison communities produce media and how these practices reshape understandings of justice across France, Türkiye, the UK, and the US. Against the backdrop of expanding incarceration regimes and enduring racial and social inequalities, WALLS2BRIDGES examines how incarcerated people, their families, and anti‑prison activists engage in media production (from letters and newspapers to podcasts, films, and digital platforms) to contest dominant narratives and reimagine justice. /p h3Your role /h3 pYou will conduct in‑depth research in the UK and Northern Ireland, focusing on NGOs and charities working at the intersection of arts, media, and prison education. You will explore how these actors mobilize media for communication, advocacy, and knowledge production, and how they intervene in public debates on incarceration and justice. You will contribute to the project’s comparative and transnational framework alongside team members working on Türkiye, the UK, and the US. /p h3Research strands /h3 ul liStudying prison media and arts initiatives “from above”: analysing policy frameworks, institutional structures, funding models, and public discourses shaping arts, media, and educational programmes in prison contexts. /li liStudying prison media and arts initiatives “from below”: examining how these programmes are implemented in everyday practice by NGOs, charities, educators, artists, and institutional actors. /li liExploring lived experiences, creative practices, and archiving: investigating how incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals engage with arts and media initiatives, while also documenting and archiving these creative outputs, including questions of preservation, access, ethics, and the afterlives of prison‑produced media. /li /ul h3Profile /h3 pbQualifications and expectations: /b /p ul liMaster’s degree in media studies, sociology, anthropology, criminology, or a related field. /li liFluency in English. /li liFamiliarity with, or willingness to develop, engagement with organisations working in prison education, arts, and media in the UK and/or Northern Ireland. /li liExperience with qualitative research methods (e.g. interviews, ethnography, discourse analysis), and an interest in working with creative and media‑based materials. /li liSensitivity to ethical questions related to working with vulnerable communities and to issues of representation, access, and consent. /li /ul h3Responsibilities /h3 ul liConduct independent doctoral research leading to a PhD dissertation. /li liPublish in peer‑reviewed academic journals and contribute to collective project outputs. /li liPresent research at international conferences. /li liContribute to the organisation of workshops and public‑facing events. /li liEngage in societal dissemination of research findings, particularly with NGOs, charities, and community organisations. /li liWork both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and international research team. /li /ul h3Assets (not required, but considered an advantage) /h3 ul liExperience researching prisons, carceral systems, or related social justice issues. /li liExperience working with or researching NGOs, charities, or community‑based organisations. /li liFamiliarity with media production (e.g. film, audio, digital media) or collaborative creative practices. /li liInterest in or experience with publishing, editing, or curating media content. /liliFamiliarity with debates on media justice, prison abolition, or critical prison studies. /li liExisting networks with organisations working in prison education in the UK. /li /ul h3What we offer /h3 ul liDoctoral scholarship for a period of one year, renewable for another three years following a positive evaluation. /li liPlanned start date: September 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. /li liMonthly scholarship amount calculated according to scholarship amounts for doctoral scholarship holders. /li liEco‑cheques, Internet‑connectivity allowance, and a bicycle allowance or full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting. /li liAccess to a wide and varied range of courses and educational credit through the Antwerp Doctoral School. /li liWork at the City Campus of the University of Antwerp in a dynamic and stimulating working environment. /li /ul h3EEO and diversity statement /h3 pThe University of Antwerp received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family‑friendly organisation that invests in our employees’ growth. We encourage diversity and attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply. /p /p #J-18808-Ljbffr