We are looking for a highly motivated female PhD Candidate / Lecturer interested in developing her PhD research within the broader topic of the production and circulation of discourses of digital citizen activism. This position for a talented female PhD candidate is funded by an NWO Aspasia grant awarded to Dr. Dumitrica and the Media and Communication department at ESHCC via teaching within the various degrees programmes in this department.

As a PhD Candidate/Lecturer, you will be part of the Erasmus Research Centre for Media, Communication and Culture (ERMeCC) and have ample opportunity to collaborate with renowned academics with an international and interdisciplinary approach.

A Master’s degree in social sciences or humanities with a focus on media studies, communication and culture is required. Familiarity with or demonstrated interest in any of the following is a plus: (digital) activism, social movements, the circulation of ideas, discourse theory and/or representation. In addition, the candidate should possess a demonstrable interest in and experience with qualitative research methods.

Project Description

From the #MeTooMovement and #BlackLivesMatter to the recent wave of local anti-Corona protests, citizen digital activism has been a recurrent topic in the public sphere. Whether oriented towards social justice or not, such forms of citizen participation have not only been accompanied by promises and anxieties on the political potential of digital technologies, but have also contributed to broader ideals of what democratic politics is and how it should be done.

The ways in which digital activism comes to be discursively constructed matters, as in the process, both citizen participation in politics and digital technologies become invested with meanings and values that further translate into expectations about what it means to act politically and how technologies can be used to that purpose. 

The aim of the research project is to examine the production and circulation of discourses of citizen-led digital activism, asking questions such as: How is digital activism discursively constructed in the public sphere? Which forms of digital activism are legitimized and why? How is this representation shifting under the impact of recent events (including the pandemic)? Which social actors drive these representations?

The PhD Candidate will have to identify the sites of discursive construction where they would like to conduct the empirical research, mapping and interpreting the ways in which digital activism is articulated. Such discourses, for instance, may be investigated across various social arenas, such as formal politics, journalism, popular culture, digital culture, or specific cases of grassroots digital mobilization. To map and interpret such discourses, the PhD Candidate may rely on in-depth interviews and qualitative textual analysis.

Research and management duties

• Conducting PhD research within the framework of the project;
• Contributing to the data collection and data analysis of the project;
• Publishing and presenting research results in the form of deliverable reports, articles in international peer reviewed journals and papers at international conferences;
• Writing a dissertation;
• Defending the dissertation to complete the doctoral degree;
• Participating and assisting in the organisation of knowledge utilisation activities, such as workshops or public talks;
• Performing organisational tasks in the context of the project;
• Taking part in the activities organized by the Erasmus Research Centre for Media, Communication and Culture (ERMeCC). 

Teaching duties

• Preparing and providing teaching activities within the context of the various degree programmes in the field of Media and Communication provided by the ESHCC;
• Monitoring the literature and integrating new insight into the teaching activities;
• Supervising and coaching students;
• Contributing to the evaluation of the teaching activities, both in terms of structure and execution;
• Participating in committees or working groups, as well as performing designated organisational tasks.

• A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as media studies, cultural studies, or sociology of media, or sociology of social movements; a research master is preferred;
• Knowledge of or proven interest in digital activism, discourse theory and/or representation is a plus.
• Proven affinity for qualitative research, as evidenced by your master’s thesis, publications, research plans and other projects;
• Organisational experience and skills;
• Strong didactic potential. Prior teaching experience is considered an advantage;
• Being able to collaborate in larger teams (for example, in teaching);
• A willingness to develop knowledge and skills in various disciplines and to increase the ability to teach related subjects within the faculty’s degree programme;
• Proficiency in spoken and written English. Non-English speakers have to meet the C1-standards of the Common European Framework (CEFR).

Employment starts in the fall of 2020, with a preferred starting date of 15 November t, 2020. The position will initially be for a term of 1,5 years, which - depending on performance – will be extended with a second term of 3,5 years. The conditions of employment correspond with the “CAO Nederlandse Universiteiten” (CAO NU). For the job of PhD Candidate (Promovendus) the salary amounts to a maximum of € 3.061,- (grade P) gross per month on a 38 hour per week contract. EUR pays an 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year payment of 8.3% and offers excellent secondary benefits, like a very generous leave scheme. Furthermore, EUR is affiliated with ABP for the pension provision and we offer partially paid parental leave. Employees can also use EUR facilities, such as the Erasmus sports center and the University library.

EUR offers a Dual Career Programme (DCP) to assist the life partners of new academic staff (on pay-roll) in finding employment in The Netherlands. The programme is offered in close cooperation with nearby universities of Delft and Leiden. 

We value diversity and believe that a diversity of talents contributes to our vision and strategy to excel as a university on research and education. ESHCC is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from candidates of all genders, ethnicities and nationalities.

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research. Our scientists and students work in close collaboration with internal and external parties to solve global, social challenges, inspired by the always dynamic and cosmopolitan Rotterdam. Our mission is therefore "Creating positive societal impact". Our academic education is intensive, active and application-oriented. Our research increasingly takes place in multidisciplinary teams, which are strongly intertwined with international networks. With our research impact and thanks to the high quality of education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. The Erasmian values ​​function as our internal compass and make Erasmus University recognizable to the outside world: engaged with society, world citizen, connecting, entrepreneurial and open-minded.  www.eur.nl

Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC)

The Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC) offers education and research in the fields of Media and Communication, History, and Arts and Culture Studies. The faculty has more than 2000 students and over 200 employees.

Media and Communication Department
The Media and Communication Department is a dynamic, internationally oriented department within the ESHCC. The department offers five international degree programmes: the International Bachelor’s programme in Communication and Media (IBCoM), three international Master’s programmes in Media Studies (Media & Business, Media & Creative Industries, Media, Culture & Society) and the Research master in the Sociology of Culture, Media and the Arts. The department has close ties with the Erasmus Research Centre for Media, Communication and Culture (ERMeCC), the primary research institute at EUR in the field of Media, Communication and Culture.

Erasmus Research Centre for Media, Communication and Culture (ERMeCC)

The Erasmus Research Centre for Media, Communication and Culture (ERMeCC) is a vibrant, internationally oriented research centre within the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication which serves as the main base for researchers in Media, Communication and Culture at Erasmus.