Doctoral Scholarship Holder in Media (Media & Prison Studies – France)
Department: Department of Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences.
Overview
Position within the ERC-funded project WALLS2BRIDGES – Media Production of Prison Communities.
The project examines how prison communities produce media and how these practices reshape understanding of justice across France, Türkiye, the UK, and the US.
Your role
You 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.
* Studying NGOs and abolitionist groups “from above”
Analysing policy frameworks, institutional structures, funding models, and public discourses shaping prison-related media and cultural initiatives.
* Studying NGOs and abolitionist groups “from below”
Examining everyday practices of NGOs, educators, artists, and activists, including their interactions with prison administrations and municipalities.
* Exploring lived experience, and communicative practices
Investigating 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.
Profile
What do we expect from you?
* Master’s degree in media studies, sociology, anthropology, criminology, or a related field.
* Fluency in English and French.
* Familiarity with, or willingness to develop, engagement with organisations working in prison abolition, education, arts, and media in France.
* Experience with qualitative research methods (e.g. interviews, ethnography, discourse analysis), and an interest in working with creative and media-based materials.
* Sensitivity to ethical questions related to working with vulnerable communities and to issues of representation, access, and consent.
You will:
* Conduct independent doctoral research leading to a PhD dissertation.
* Publish in peer‑reviewed academic journals and contribute to collective project outputs.
* Present research at international conferences.
* Contribute to the organisation of workshops and public‑facing events.
* Engage in societal dissemination of research findings, particularly with NGOs and educational organisations.
* Work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and international research team.
Assets (not required, but considered an advantage):
* Experience researching prisons, carceral systems, or social justice issues.
* Experience working with NGOs or community‑based organisations.
* Familiarity with media production or collaborative creative practices.
* Interest in or experience with publishing, editing, or curating media content.
* Familiarity with debates on media justice, prison abolition, or critical prison studies.
* Existing networks related to prison or abolitionist work in France or Europe.
What we offer
* A doctoral scholarship for a period of one year, with possible renewal for another three years after a positive evaluation.
* Planned start date September 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.
* Monthly scholarship amount calculated according to the scholarship amounts for doctoral scholarship holders.
* Eco cheques, Internet‑connectivity allowance, and a bicycle allowance or full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
* Access to a wide range of courses and an educational credit through the Antwerp Doctoral School.
* Workspace at the City Campus of the University of Antwerp.
Equal Opportunity Statement
The University of Antwerp receives 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.
Application Deadline: 15 June 2026.
Contact: İpek A. Çelik Rappas, Principal Investigator (ipeka.celik.rappas@uantwerpen.be).
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