Postgraduate Research
We are delighted to invite expressions of interest to do a PhD in Digital Society with us! DISC is a vibrant and diverse group of interdisciplinary scholars and is home to the “AI Literacy” working group, the Digital Politics Summer School, and many other exciting initiatives. Anchored in social sciences and media studies, DISC staff work in areas as diverse as fashion, design, information studies and more. We are keen to support PhD students on their journey to becoming world leading scholars on topics relating to digital politics, digital sociology, AI literacy, platform studies, app walkthroughs, game studies, digital technologies and the environment, and other “digital-first” areas of research.
Current PhD Students
Dave Mee
‘Likely Stories: Challenges of Social Media Research’
Dr J. Emeka Nwankwo
Global Digital Capitalism, Imperialism and a ‘New Africa’: A political economic study of submarine cable ownership and control in the post-colony
[Completed 2025]
Howard Grice
Imagery and the Infodemic: An Exploration of Covid-19 Visual Misinformation on Fringe Social Media
Dr Kris Kaleta
Beyond the Freedom Line: Analysing Libertarian Digital Community in Poland
[Completed 2024]
Pierre Chadelle
From Divided Elites to a Polarized Public: The Role of Elite Discourse, Media Coverage, and Echo Chambers in Shaping Affective Polarization on Social Media
Polina Chizhova Wright
Curating Socially-Engaged Creative & Tech Practices as Alternatives to ‘Smart’ Cities
Funded by LUDec: Leverhulme unit for the design of cities of the future”
Established in 2021, the Digital Politics Online Summer School offers an opportunity for postgraduate students at Manchester Met to meet with other students and early career researchers and to take part in masterclasses led by world class scholars in the field of digital politics, society and media. Over the years, the school has supported networking, nurtured pioneering ideas, and mentored our students through all stages of academic publication from inception, through peer review and to the final publication. Our first Summer School led to a publication of Digital Politics, Digital Histories, Digital Futures – a collection of chapters, creative reflections and methodological interventions authored by our students. The School is free, and open to all.
Although we currently do not have internal funding to offer, we can support prospective PhD students in applying for external funders or apply as self-funded. In addition to external funding opportunities, if you choose to do a PhD under the supervision of DISC co-lead Dr Daniel Joseph in the Department of Sociology you can apply for White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership (WRDTP) if your project intersects with the three following themes:
- Education, Childhood and Youth (ECY)
- Wellbeing, Health and Communities (WHC)
- Space, Place, Environment and Liveability (SPEL)
Please find more information on the WRDTP here.
For more information on DISC events, activities and members, please check the “Events” and “News” sections of our site.
Informal inquiries can be directed to Dr Adi Kuntsman and Dr Daniel Joseph.
Interested in doing a PhD with us?
Please get in touch with Adi Kuntsman or Daniel Joseph.