Keele University

Application closing date 08/03/2021

Start date June 2021

Salary: Grade 7, £33,797 -£41,526 per annum

Fixed Term: 24 months full-time

The Research Assistant post is part of an AHRC funded project entitled “#ContestingIslamophobia: Representation and Appropriation in Mediated Activism”. The project aims to investigate the dynamics of online hate speech as well as counter-narratives against Islamophobia, and examine what political potentials and/or limitations they offer. The RA will be involved in the second stage of the project which will be to carry out both quantitative and qualitative content analysis (of both Tweets, mainstream media and activist websites) and semi-structured interviews (with key activists). As the project focuses on Twitter, there may be some liaison with our computer scientist, but the role mainly requires a knowledge and experience of traditional methods in the social sciences, particularly experience of working with media texts. The post holder will also oversee the project website, write blog entries and have the opportunity to contribute to other dissemination activities.

The successful candidate will have a PhD (or close to completion) in an appropriate subject area such as Social Science or Media Studies, and experience of undertaking independent research using quantitative and qualitative methods. Experience of using computer packages in the social sciences, such as SPSS and Nvivo, would also be useful.

This role could be initially undertaken remotely with meetings over the internet, however, the successful candidate would be expected to work on site at Keele once it is safe enough to do so.

Informal enquires can be made to Professor Elizabeth Poole, Principal Investigator on the project via e.a.poole@keele.ac.uk.