PhD Candidate

**Job Description**
The Erasmus School of History, Culture, and Communication (ESHCC) at Erasmus University Rotterdam offers a challenging and innovative PhD position, funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), focused on the meanings attributed to race in football video game cultures. This project will investigate how popular football video games, specifically ‘EA FC’, convey ideas about race and ethnicity, contrasting with mainstream sports media. Research will encompass game content, its development and production, and the influence of streamers on community perceptions. The project also aims to collaborate with the industry to enhance the game’s inclusionary potential through practical ‘equity conversation’ interventions. Data collection methods include content analysis, interviews, and participant observations with game professionals. The successful candidate will conduct PhD research, engage with stakeholders, publish and present findings, disseminate results to a wider audience, and complete a dissertation within four years. The role also involves junior teaching tasks within the Media and Communication BA or MA degree programmes at ESHCC.

**Skills & Abilities**
• Wide-ranging knowledge of and affinity with game studies, media studies, sociology of sport, cultural studies, and race/ethnicity studies.
• Proven familiarity with and keen interest in social science research methods (qualitative, preferably also quantitative or mixed-methods).
• Independent thinking and critical analytical skills.
• Good collaboration and interpersonal skills (connecting and working with game professionals and streaming collectives).
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, especially in English (CEFR C1).
• Ability and commitment to carry out high-level research and publish in renowned peer-reviewed international journals.

**Qualifications**
Required Degree(s) in:
• Social Sciences
• Humanities

**Experience**
Other:
• Proven familiarity with and keen interest in social science research methods.

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