PhD Studentship: Integrating grassroots voices into development debates in the Global South: a Vietnamese case investigation into news coverage of development issues and policies

Project Title: Integrating grassroots voices into development debates in the Global South: a Vietnamese case investigation into news coverage of development issues and policies

Funding amount: £15,921 maintenance grant per annum

Lead Supervisor name: Professor An Nguyen

Bournemouth University – in collaboration with the Institute for Research on Development Communication (RED) in Hanoi, Vietnam – is seeking an excellent candidate to conduct an exciting PhD research project in the area of development communication. Using Vietnam as a case study, this PhD project investigates how the news media in the Global South work together with other stakeholders, especially civil society organisations, to bring grassroots voices into news coverage and public debates about development issues and policies.  

Under the supervision of Professor An Nguyen and Professor Dan Jackson, and with some financial and logistic support from RED, you will carry out research to identify good practices that can be promoted – and those to be avoided – to improve the capacity of the news media in bringing ordinary people into public debates about development issues and policies. In particular, you will be trained to independently conduct theoretical and empirical research work to answer the following questions via case studies of your choosing: 

RQ1: To what extent and in what contexts are grassroots voices heard in Vietnamese news coverage of development issues and policies?  

RQ2: What sourcing, fact-finding and framing practices do award-winning development journalists in Vietnam consider effective/ineffective to balance lay and elite voices in the public debate over development issues and policies? 

RQ3: What approaches and strategies do Vietnam-based CSOs consider effective/ineffective in working with journalists to ensure the development needs, interests and concerns of people on the ground are integrated in the public debate?  

What does the funded studentship include?

Funded candidates will receive a maintenance grant of £15,921 per annum (unless otherwise specified), to cover their living expenses and have their fees waived for 36 months. In addition, research costs, including field work and conference attendance, will be met.

Funded Studentships are open to both UK/EU and International students unless otherwise specified.

Eligibility criteria

Candidates for a PhD Studentship should demonstrate outstanding qualities and be motivated to complete a PhD in 4 years and must demonstrate:

• Outstanding academic potential as measured normally by either a 1st class honours degree (or equivalent Grade Point Average (GPA) or a Master’s degree with distinction or equivalent
• An IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 minimum (with a minimum 6.0 in each component, or equivalent) for candidates for whom English is not their first language and this must be evidenced at point of application.
• Superior fluency in the Vietnamese language (to analyse Vietnamese news output and conduct interviews with Vietnamese journalists and other stakeholders); 
• Prior academic background in journalism studies, development communication or a related field, ideally in an English-speaking environment;
• Ability to work independently as well as part as a research team; 
• Excellent interpersonal communication and coordination skills; and
• Professional experience in – or with – Vietnamese media and communication industries and/or the development sector.

Closing date: The closing date for applications is 30 September 2022

For further information on how to apply click the ‘Apply’ button above or email pgradmissions@bournemouth.ac.uk

Apply now: https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/study/courses/phd-studentship-vietnamese-study-working-dynamics-between-journalism-civil-society-news-coverage-development-0?utm_source=jobs-ac-uk&utm_medium=external-listing&utm_campaign=studentship-2022&utm_content=vietnamese-study-phd

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