Funding

Competition funded (UK/EU and international students)

Project code

FMC10010126

Start dates

October 2026

Application deadline

16 January 2026

Applications are invited for a fully-funded three year PhD to commence in October 2026.

The PhD will be based in the Faculty of Creative & Cultural Industries , and will be supervised by Dr Susana Sampaio-Dias , Professor Deborah Shaw and Dr Yael Friedman. 

Candidates applying for this project may be eligible to compete for one of a small number of bursaries available. Successful applicants will receive a bursary to cover tuition fees for three years and a stipend in line with the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26). Bursary recipients will also receive an allowance of £1,500 in total for project costs/consumables.

Costs for student visa and immigration health surcharge are not covered by this bursary. For further guidance and advice visit our international and EU students ‘Visa FAQs’ page.

This funded PhD is only open to new students who do not hold a previous doctoral level qualification.

 

The work on this project could involve:

  • Data collection involving women working in the media industries
  • Comparative national contexts
  • Research to inform policy on gender equality in screen media industries

 

The media industries play powerful roles in shaping public discourse and societal norms. However, these industries often mirror broader structural inequalities, including gendered hierarchies in employment, representation, and creative control (Gill, 2010; Hesmondhalgh & Baker, 2015). 

Research has highlighted the persistence of the “glass ceiling,” gender pay gaps, and the underrepresentation of women in senior editorial, technical, and creative roles within media organisations (Franks 2013; Ross & Padovani, 2019; NUJ, 2024, Arguedas et al. 2025). Furthermore, women in film and television remain significantly underrepresented in directing, cinematography, and executive production roles despite longstanding industry pledges towards gender equality (Lauzen, 2024). These gendered dynamics are apparent in recruitment, promotion, pay, and workplace culture across both the Global North and the Global South.

The rise of digital and independent media has created new opportunities for women but also reinforced precarious, freelance-based employment that offers little protection from harassment (online and offline), discrimination, or exploitation (Liddy and O'Brien 2021, Hennekam & Bennett 2017, Sampaio-Dias et al. 2023, 2024). In the Global South, feminist researchers pointed to additional layers of complexity shaping women’s experiences in media workplaces, such as informal labour practices, socio-cultural norms, and legal-political constraints (Bandaranaike, 2024). In South Africa, for example, a national study by Sisters Working in Film and Television found that over two-thirds of women in film and television reported experiencing sexual harassment at work (SWIFT, 2025).

This project investigates the lived labour experiences of women media workers, with an emphasis on screen media, from a comparative, intersectional perspective that centers women’s own narratives—especially concerning precarity, discrimination, resistance, and negotiation of identity within professional media environments. This project addresses that need through an empirically grounded, transnational feminist approach to labour in media industries, underscoring persistent structural challenges faced by women in media industries across both the Global North and South.

We welcome applications from those interested in examining and comparing the working conditions, daily experiences, and coping strategies of women in range of media industries across various national contexts (such as the UK and selected Global South countries), with the aim of enhancing academic understanding and informing policy for gender equity in media professions.

 

 

Entry requirements

You'll need a good first degree from an internationally recognised university (minimum upper second class or equivalent, depending on your chosen course) or a Master’s degree in an appropriate subject. In exceptional cases, we may consider equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

This is a competitive funded project, the ideal candidate will hold a Master’s degree in a relevant subject and will demonstrate the following skills and experience:  

 Academic background in Media, Gender, or Cultural Studies, and knowledge of Gender and Media Scholarship: Demonstrated familiarity with key debates, theories, and literature on gender equality in media, including feminist media studies, intersectionality, representation, and media labour practices.

  • Experience with qualitative and quantitative research methods: The candidate should have proven experience with qualitative methods (e.g., interviews, discourse analysis, ethnography) as well as a working knowledge of quantitative approaches in the social sciences (e.g., surveys, content analysis, statistical analysis). A mixed-methods approach will be advantageous for this project.
  • Strong Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills: The candidate should demonstrate the ability to critically analyse structural inequalities, media industry practices, and the wider cultural and policy frameworks shaping gender dynamics in media production and representation.
  • Familiarity with Media Contexts in the Global South: An understanding of gender and media issues in the Global South is highly desirable. The candidate should be able to engage with relevant case studies, regional media systems, and the specific socio-political dynamics affecting gender equality in media industries beyond the Global North.

 

How to apply

Please note that email applications are not accepted. If you have any project-specific questions please contact Dr Susana Sampaio-Dias (Susana.sampaio-dias@port.ac.uk), quoting the project code.

When you are ready to apply, please use this . Make sure you submit a personal statement, proof of your degrees and grades, details of two referees, proof of your English language proficiency and an up-to-date CV. Our ‘How to Apply’ page offers further guidance on the PhD application process.

If you want to be considered for this funded PhD opportunity you must quote project code FMC10010126 when applying.