PhD Mediated Sciences: how social media impacts climate communication practice.
Today’s social media platforms are actors with a complex stake in shaping knowledge about global crises like climate change. Recent developments even reflect alarming alignment between some major platform companies and climate denialist politics. Examining platforms’ own influence on climate science communication and dis-/misinformation is therefore crucial. How do powerful social media platforms shape the communication of academic knowledge about climate change and its consequences?
Your job
Do you want to do field research on how social media platforms influence climate science communication in practice? In this PhD project, you will study the experiences, routine practices, and ideas of science communicators who use social media platforms such as X and LinkedIn to communicate academic knowledge about climate and sustainability. The project will investigate this by looking at concrete case studies within the Dutch context (within sites of commercial, academic, journalistic science communication/public engagement). The purpose is to understand how platform features like engagement analytics (e.g. views, likes) or perceptions of the affordances of interfaces become embedded within these communicators’ norms of content creation. How do practitioners seek to uphold science’s public credibility in their work as they participate in attention economies that have been shown to incentivize disinformation? These questions are all the more urgent and societally relevant today, because the rise of social media platforms has multiplied science communication actors and is challenging the dominance of traditional science communicators. This PhD research project will be situated within the team-project (Vidi), Mediated Science: Expanding How We Study Social Media’s Influence on Climate Disinformation led by Donya Alinejad at Utrecht University’s Department of Media and Culture Studies.
Your Main Responsibilities Will Include
Required Qualifications
About Us
A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.
The Faculty of Humanities has around 7,000 students and 1,100 staff members. It comprises four knowledge domains: Philosophy and Religious Studies, History and Art History, Media and Culture Studies, and Languages, Literature and Communication. With its research and education in these fields, the Faculty aims to contribute to a better understanding of the Netherlands and Europe in a rapidly changing social and cultural context. The enthusiastic and committed colleagues and the excellent amenities in the historical city centre of Utrecht, where the faculty is located, contribute to an inspiring working environment.
The faculty strives for diversity among its employees and students and is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, as can be read in Utrecht University's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy.
The core values of the faculty for Humanities are professionalism, transparency, responsibility, connectedness and safety. These values apply to everyone and we uphold these values in our work and in our communication with each other and with others.
Our department of Media and Culture Studies has a staff with a variety of backgrounds, skills, and views. As a department, we are committed to support our staff and their development and we foster various forms of interdisciplinary collaboration and team-based teaching and research. In our department, we study a wide range of media as well as cultural and artistic expressions, also in their intermedial relations. We interpret culture as a dynamic combination of artistic, creative, and everyday activities that people use to shape their identities, and within which social processes, structures and institutions are shaped. We welcome colleagues who can further strengthen the diversity of perspectives and backgrounds in our department.
As PhD candidate you will be member of the Institute for Cultural Inquiry. ICON is one of the four research institutes of the Faculty of Humanities. The researchers are working in six different research fields. PhD candidates are also embedded in the Graduate School of Humanities, which offers seminars and courses to improve your academic skills.
More information
For more information, please contact Donya Alinejad at d.alinejad@uu.nl
Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.
Apply now
As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.
Knowledge security screening can be part of the selection procedures of academic staff. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology.
Please Submit
The interviews will be held on the 1st and 2nd of July, 2026.
The starting date of the position is 1 September 2026.
To apply, please send your curriculum vitae, including a letter of motivation, via the ‘apply now’ button.
Your job
Do you want to do field research on how social media platforms influence climate science communication in practice? In this PhD project, you will study the experiences, routine practices, and ideas of science communicators who use social media platforms such as X and LinkedIn to communicate academic knowledge about climate and sustainability. The project will investigate this by looking at concrete case studies within the Dutch context (within sites of commercial, academic, journalistic science communication/public engagement). The purpose is to understand how platform features like engagement analytics (e.g. views, likes) or perceptions of the affordances of interfaces become embedded within these communicators’ norms of content creation. How do practitioners seek to uphold science’s public credibility in their work as they participate in attention economies that have been shown to incentivize disinformation? These questions are all the more urgent and societally relevant today, because the rise of social media platforms has multiplied science communication actors and is challenging the dominance of traditional science communicators. This PhD research project will be situated within the team-project (Vidi), Mediated Science: Expanding How We Study Social Media’s Influence on Climate Disinformation led by Donya Alinejad at Utrecht University’s Department of Media and Culture Studies.
Your Main Responsibilities Will Include
- Conducting research of excellent empirical and analytical quality in close collaboration with the PI and the Postdoc;
- Publishing in leading international peer-reviewed journals and contributing to edited volumes or other publications where relevant;
- Presenting research findings at international conferences, workshops, and academic networks;
- Supporting as well as independently organizing local and international academic events;
- Meaningfully engaging with societal stakeholders where relevant;
- Contributing to the project’s public communication strategy and knowledge dissemination activities;
- Managing your own project under the guidance of the supervision team;
- Participating actively in the intellectual life of the research group, including seminars, reading groups, and collaborative writing processes.
Required Qualifications
- A completed (Research) Master’s degree in Media Studies, Communication and Information Studies, Media Anthropology, or a closely related field;
- Experience with qualitative research methods (e.g., interviews, ethnography, participant observation, text analysis);
- Demonstrated excellence in independent academic research, commensurate with the level of a research masters, as evidenced by an (R)MA thesis and/or academic publications;
- A demonstrable interest in critical platform studies and/or related fields;
- Excellent academic writing and presentation skills, with the ambition and capacity to publish in leading international peer-reviewed journals and to present at international conferences;
- Experience with organizing events such as workshops, symposia, or conferences, and enjoyment of such organizational work;
- Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a research team;
- A proactive and organized work attitude, with the ability to manage a multi-year research project;
- Excellent command of both English and Dutch (reading, writing and speaking).
- Experience or familiarity with short-term ethnography;
- Affinity with, or experience in, interdisciplinary research and collaboration;
- Experience in communication with broader audiences (e.g., policy briefs, blogs, opinion pieces);
- Familiarity or experience with affordance analysis approaches;
- Demonstrated interest in or experience with sustainability, climate, and environmental themes;
- Interest in conducting/contributing to research with high societal impact.
- a fulltime position, initially for 18 months, with an extension to a total of four years upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period;
- a gross monthly salary between € 3.059,- and € 3.881,- in the case of full-time employment (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
- 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
- a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.
About Us
A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.
The Faculty of Humanities has around 7,000 students and 1,100 staff members. It comprises four knowledge domains: Philosophy and Religious Studies, History and Art History, Media and Culture Studies, and Languages, Literature and Communication. With its research and education in these fields, the Faculty aims to contribute to a better understanding of the Netherlands and Europe in a rapidly changing social and cultural context. The enthusiastic and committed colleagues and the excellent amenities in the historical city centre of Utrecht, where the faculty is located, contribute to an inspiring working environment.
The faculty strives for diversity among its employees and students and is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, as can be read in Utrecht University's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy.
The core values of the faculty for Humanities are professionalism, transparency, responsibility, connectedness and safety. These values apply to everyone and we uphold these values in our work and in our communication with each other and with others.
Our department of Media and Culture Studies has a staff with a variety of backgrounds, skills, and views. As a department, we are committed to support our staff and their development and we foster various forms of interdisciplinary collaboration and team-based teaching and research. In our department, we study a wide range of media as well as cultural and artistic expressions, also in their intermedial relations. We interpret culture as a dynamic combination of artistic, creative, and everyday activities that people use to shape their identities, and within which social processes, structures and institutions are shaped. We welcome colleagues who can further strengthen the diversity of perspectives and backgrounds in our department.
As PhD candidate you will be member of the Institute for Cultural Inquiry. ICON is one of the four research institutes of the Faculty of Humanities. The researchers are working in six different research fields. PhD candidates are also embedded in the Graduate School of Humanities, which offers seminars and courses to improve your academic skills.
More information
For more information, please contact Donya Alinejad at d.alinejad@uu.nl
Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.
Apply now
As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.
Knowledge security screening can be part of the selection procedures of academic staff. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology.
Please Submit
- Letter of Motivation indicating your fit with the criteria of the position;
- Academic style CV, including publications and names and contacts of your professional references;
- Writing sample: this should be an academic publication, a report from a research project you have done, or an excerpt from your Master's thesis.
The interviews will be held on the 1st and 2nd of July, 2026.
The starting date of the position is 1 September 2026.
To apply, please send your curriculum vitae, including a letter of motivation, via the ‘apply now’ button.