Close
Our research into Media and Communications has cross-cutting concerns with matters of theory, history, technology, identity, sexuality, power, place, practice, performance and globalisation, demonstrating a versatility that has been a long-term strength.
CRMCS provides support and a sense of collective purpose for academic staff and postgraduate students within the fields of media and cultural studies.
We have made strategic efforts to increase recruitment of postgraduate research students, offering a range of funded scholarships from within CRMCS-allocated budget and additionally through participation in the Economic and Social Research Council funded Northern Ireland and North East Doctoral Training Partnership (NINE DTP), and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded Northern Bridge Doctoral Training Partnership.
Our research efforts have focused on global societal issues with particular relevance to the north-east of England and Sunderland. We have partnered with local community groups to learn from, inform, and develop an impact that has real importance for Sunderland as well as wider societal value.
We have developed projects with local, national and international creative industry partners which examine, for example, racism in sport, journalism, and online platforms, and have had considerable impact with policymakers, educators and health practitioners.
CRMCS's outward-looking character is evident in the links that staff members have with researchers in other universities, and with networks and organisations at national and international levels. A measure of that reach and significance is the translation of staff outputs into a total of eight other languages in the period.
Our research in English focuses on creativity in writing and the professional application of this in real-world contexts.
The team has generated innovative practices in relation to de-colonising the curriculum, screen writing theory, and fiction writing, alongside research in language and literature, regional dialect, and Angelo-Saxon literature.
We have developed a strong research base in the areas of creative writing in the historical fiction and crime genres, transmedia storytelling, gender, and representation in screenwriting, writing biopic and romance for fiction and film, politeness theory, regional cultural history, Gothic, contemporary British and American fictions, and Old English literature. We also contribute to the Humanities research culture in relation to local history, and to the Gender and Sexualities network.
We have a long-established record of successful PhD students whose research covers areas such as politeness theory, gender, sexuality, and media discourse. The interdisciplinary element of this research means we have strong links with Media and Cultural Studies and with Social Sciences.
We have a growing community of doctoral students are engaged in a diverse range of practice-led creative writing research projects including historical fiction, crime fiction, young adult fiction, and creative non-fiction.