Media and Society

The Media and Society pathway builds on the expertise of colleagues at Newcastle University, University of Northumbria and the University of Sunderland.

The pathway applies a social science perspective to the broad subject domain of media and/in society, providing an interdisciplinary approach to the study of communication, culture and media. Together, pathway scholars focus on the social and historical context of media within a national and global context; pay attention to the economy and ecology of cultural industries and how they are located within social structures; and focus on the applied and policy-facing aspects of media and communication as contributors (or not) to social cohesion, nation-building and wealth. The Media and Society pathway provides both breadth and depth in relation to research methodologies, including a range of both qualitative and quantitative methods and approaches, with particular strengths in discourse analytical and participatory methods. Our research methods training is both empirically-grounded and theoretically rigorous, preparing graduates for the world of work in the academy as well as in NGOs, cultural industries and third sector research environments.

At the University of Newcastle, the focus of media is largely within the areas of sociology of media and cultural politics; media, society and personal relations; identity/culture/society, cultural institutions (e.g. museums) as mediators, uses of the past, political communication and politics/discourse/ethics.

At Northumbria University the focus is on popular screen media (including film, television, video, social media); theoretical and historical approaches to popular genres (horror/pornography); media audiences and consumption; youth, gender and sexualities; contemporary journalistic practices; digital inequalities; the cultural industries.

At the University of Sunderland, the relevant expertise is in the areas of media histories/regulation/technologies; non-media-centric media studies and the phenomenology of everyday practices; sex, sexualities and identities; emotion and affect; participatory arts/media and well-being.

Doctoral students in all three universities have significant opportunities for collaboration, networking and training with other pathway staff and students in workshops, centres and events.