Ph3Position /h3 pThe Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Communication, 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. /p pThe ERC project WALLS2BRIDGES investigates how prison communities produce media and how these practices reshape understanding 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 pThe project conceptualizes prison communities as active media producers, foregrounding the interplay between media practices, systems of surveillance, sensory experience, and struggles for justice. /p pUsing a transnational and interdisciplinary approach, the project combines: /p ul liArchival research on prison‑produced media since the mid‑1960s; /li liQualitative interviews and collaborative research with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, families, and activists; /li liAnalysis of diverse media forms, including print, audiovisual, and digital content. /li /ul h3Your role /h3 pYou will conduct in‑depth research in France, focusing on abolitionist groups and prison‑related NGOs and their media, cultural, and educational practices. You will explore how these actors establish communication with people in prison, mobilise media for advocacy, 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 pThe University of Antwerp will be your home base, with extended research stays in France. /p h3Research strands /h3 ul libStudying NGOs and abolitionist groups “from above” /b ul liAnalysing policy frameworks, institutional structures, funding models, and public discourses shaping prison‑related media and cultural initiatives. /li /ul /li libStudying NGOs and abolitionist groups “from below” /b ul liExamining everyday practices of NGOs, educators, artists, and activists, including their interactions with prison administrations and municipalities. /li /ul /li libExploring lived experience and communicative practices /b ul liInvestigating how incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals engage with NGOs and abolitionist groups, media and cultural initiatives, and analysing their creative outputs (letters, films, audio, digital media), with attention to preservation, access, ethics, and afterlives. /li /ul /li /ul h3Profile /h3 h3What do we expect from you? /h3 ul liMaster’s degree in media studies, sociology, anthropology, criminology, or a related field; /li liFluency in English and French; /li liFamiliarity with, or willingness to develop, engagement with organisations working in prison abolition, education, arts, and media in France; /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 h3You will: /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 and educational 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 social justice issues; /li liExperience working with NGOs or community‑based organisations; /li liFamiliarity with media production or collaborative creative practices; /li liInterest in or experience with publishing, editing, or curating media content; /li liFamiliarity with debates on media justice, prison abolition, or critical prison studies; /li liExisting networks related to prison or abolitionist work in France or Europe. /li /ul h3What we offer /h3 ul liWe offer a doctoral scholarship for a period of one year. Following a positive evaluation, the scholarship can be renewed for another three years. /li liThe planned start date is September 2026, or as soon as possible after that date. /li liYour monthly scholarship amount is calculated according to scholarship amounts for doctoral scholarship holders. /li liYou will receive eco cheques, Internet‑connectivity allowance, and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting. /li liAs a doctoral researcher, you will have access to a wide and varied range of courses and an educational credit through the Antwerp Doctoral School. /li liApart from the fieldwork, you will do most of your work at the City Campus of the University of Antwerp in a dynamic and stimulating working environment. /li /ul h3Equal Opportunity 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 which invests in its 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