Vacancy Details

Description

The Social Sciences team at the University of Gloucestershire is offering a 3 year PhD fees-studentship, working with a lead supervisor on a research project. The studentship will cover the fees cost of the PhD course for three years. Please note that additional fees may be due after this if the candidates don’t complete the projects in that timeframe.

There are two projects available, and the fees-studentship will be applied to one of these based on application and interviews. Candidates who are unsuccessful in securing the fees-studentship may still apply to undertake one of the two studies on a self-funded basis.

Applicants must have a Masters level qualification in a related discipline, and ideally also an Undergraduate qualification in a related area.

 

Project 1: Are news media following the code of conducted for reporting of domestic homicide

Lead supervisor: Professor Jane Monckton-Smith (jmoncktonsmith@glos.ac.uk)

Project details: Domestic Abuse related homicide is a serious societal, cultural and criminal justice issue that is attracting international political and professional attention. The scale of the problem is such that it has been described as a hidden pandemic and there are high profile efforts to reduce the number of deaths. Public knowledge of domestic abuse related homicides is argued to be based on myths that are detrimental to preventing future homicide.

In the UK there is a press code of conduct recently published that sets out how news media should report on domestic homicides. The guidelines were adopted by leading press regulators IMPRESS (Independent Monitor for the Press) and IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisation) in 2019. However, there have been many complaints and examples that the code is being ignored and that there are no sanctions for breaching the code. The way domestic homicides are reported could potentially have a variety of consequences – from misinforming the public about their safety, to victim blaming, and the unnecessary and traumatic defaming of deceased victims who have no voice. Press reporting is often reliant on narratives in court proceedings for information and this can be used to defend the way the storyof a homicide is presented. These narratives are often based on myths that are resistant to challenge and can influence trial outcomes, public knowledge, and family court proceedings. The code of conduct has a potentially crucial role in challenging myths and this would be a particular area for scrutiny in this research.

This study will look at the reporting of domestic homicides to explore whether the journalist’s code is being followed, and to explore how the way these homicides are reported could impact on public safety. This links to wide calls for increased professional knowledge around domestic abuse homicides and risk escalation and work to reduce the number of deaths.

 

Aims

1.      To explore if the journalist’s code of conduct is being followed in the reporting of domestic abuse related homicide

2.      To produce a thematic analysis from published news reports of domestic abuse related homicide taking consideration of intersectionality.

3.      To explore the impact of press reporting of domestic abuse related homicide on public safety and knowledge in the context of domestic abuse.

 

Methods

This would be a mainly qualitative analysis and it is envisaged that primary data will be collected through published news reports of domestic abuse related homicides, interviews with journalists, activists, and families bereaved through domestic abuse related homicide.

 

 

Project 2: Evaluating the Impact of Policing Tackling Child Criminal Exploitation

Lead Supervisor: Dr Louise Livesey (llivesey@glos.ac.uk)

Project Details: Child Criminal Exploitation is a relatively new consolidation of concerns around the way that young people are used for criminal endeavours through, for example, drug trafficking (‘county lines’) and dealing. Our partner county for this work has created a multi-disciplinary CCE team to address this issue. As with all such new endeavours, having a clear strategy for assessing impact and evaluating success is a necessity. This PhD would focus on developing a strategy for impact and success evaluation.

This work would draw on both academic literature and practice-based learning to synthesise what is known about effective, proportionate impact and evaluation strategies and apply that to creating an Evaluation and Impact framework for the new CCE work.  The Project will then include monitoring the implementation of the framework over 1-2 years. As well as desk-based research this is likely to involve interviews with practitioners, working with partner organisation monitoring teams to assess the effectiveness of the framework, delivery of briefings and training and other relevant tasks. The ideal candidate will have either knowledge and understanding around Child Criminal Exploitation or/and around developing Evaluation Frameworks.

Vulnerabilities and child exploitation/abuse are the core of Dr Louise Livesey’s work and this project builds on the excellent relationships with the relevant Public Protection Bureau in the study area.

 

How to apply: 

Please send a brief CV and covering letter via email to Dr Jon Hobson, Research Lead (jhobson@glos.ac.uk) by 0900, Tuesday 31^st August.

The covering letter should indicate: the project to which it relates; what you feel you are suitable for that project; and the skills, knowledge, and/or attributes you will bring to the project.

Selection process: Short-listed candidates will be invited for interview on Microsoft Teams on Monday 06 September, 2021.

Academic Contact:   For informal enquiries and further information, please contact the main supervisors for each project or Dr Jon Hobson (jhobson@glos.ac.uk)