Research and PhD Programmes

The Sociology, Communications and Media Studies academics are at the forefront of study into subjects as diverse as: globalisation and social transformation, political communication, communication and social change; gender and sexuality, the body, human-animal studies, the senses and embodiment, race and ethnicity, the environment, urban space and cities, digital cultures, public communication, young people, rights and the global south; popular culture, comedy/humour studies, experimental multi-media, and sports studies. We successfully bring together leading academics and writers in the fields of media and communications, sociology, psychology, theatre, drama, film and television, computing, English, creative writing and social work.

Research opportunities for students

Research students are welcomed to Brunel as valued members of our thriving, research-intensive community. Browse PhD opportunities below and find out about the funding available for students.

Doctoral research information

How to apply for a PhD

View list of PhDs in this area

Research in Sociology, Communications and Media Studies

Find people, projects, groups and publications in Communications and Media Studies and read more about related research to this area.

Browse research projects

Meet our experts

Social Sciences Media and Communications Research Archive

Browse our collection of research outputs including PhD theses

Independent assessment of our research quality (REF 2021)

View REF 2021 details for Sociology (UoA 21)

Sensing our need for authentic experiences of cities

REF 2021

Research groups and centres

African Studies

This research group brings together Brunel’s growing research community that is engaged with the study of Africa

AI Social and Digital Innovation

Social, economic and strategic effects of AI and associated technologies. Impact of AI and related technologies on societies, organisations and individuals.

Arts Health and Social Change

This Research Group is dedicated to fostering art-based initiatives that drive social change towards inclusivity and equality in healthcare.

Comedy Studies

As an interdisciplinary centre it considers the production, content, reception and wider socio-political implications of comedy in a variety of formats and from a range of perspectives.

Contemporary Writing

The group facilitates, promotes and disseminates cutting-edge creative, critical and socially-engaged work within English Studies and affiliated fields.

Global Lives

Research conducted in the Centre addresses the challenges facing society, helping to change the lives of people around the world by bringing economic, social and cultural benefits.

Harm and Justice Research Group

The Harm and Justice Research Group brings together a diverse group of researchers, advocates, and practitioners from across the University who work on issues of harm and justice.

Health and Wellbeing Across the Lifecourse

Inequalities in health and wellbeing in the UK and internationally; welfare, health and wellbeing; ageing studies; health economics.

Human Geography

Aims to develop and consolidate interdisciplinary research around space, place and society at Brunel. We provide a forum for engagement with geographical research, for sharing and receiving feedback on writing and developing new collaborations nationally and internationally.

Institute of Communities and Society

The Institute focuses on the social, community, and cultural aspects of pressing contemporary issues including migration and movement, social unrest, intersectional inequalities, and institutionalised poverty.

Institute of Health, Medicine and Environments

Our challenge-led work in health and wellbeing focuses on understanding the relationships between biological, social, natural, and built environments and health and wellbeing outcomes.

Living avatars

Uniquely interdisciplinary approach to better understand the social, cognitive, and political impacts of avatar use.

Migration, Asylum and Law

The Migration, Asylum and Law Research Group serves as a hub for interdisciplinary teaching and research, bringing together scholars working at the intersection of migration, refugees, human rights, and law from various perspectives.

Open data analysis in social and political science

A forum for discussion and analysis of key issues in theory-driven empirical research in social and political science.

Religion research group

The Religion Research Group (RRG) is a transdisciplinary group of scholars working on diverse dimensions of religion.

South Asia Studies

We provide a research base for the development of new South Asia specific programmes and teaching, and bring together scholars from across the University working on South Asia from different disciplinary perspectives.

Sustainable Plastics

SPLaSH group combines the strengths of social scientists in the Department of Social and Political Sciences with colleagues working in the area of plastic pollution from Environmental Sciences, Design, Business & Marketing, and Engineering. We are leading experts on behaviour change, public health protection, resource and waste management, governance aspects and sustainability design.

Browse our research projects

A close up of two businessmen using a calculator.

Reporting disclosure continuum

Sri Lankan flag depicted in watercolour.

The role of ICT in supporting Sri Lanka's indigenous communities

A police officer removing handcuffs from a prison inmate

The resettlement experiences of people supported by the charity Prisoners Abroad

A group of people sitting on bean bag chairs and talking

Restorative universities

Male teacher and children in elementary school corridor

Investigating professional experiences of teachers with a migration background

Sustainable and healthy school food environments in Brazil

Dance performers at the Storytelling through dancing event

Public imagination of the Himalayas through the lens of indigenous communities

Colindale Communities Trust the Old Library

Social value in urban regeneration

A laptop. playing cards, poker chips and cash on a table

Gambling harms and probation supervision in England and Wales

A back view of people hugging on the street

Developing a decolonising culture in criminology and higher education

Parenting across cultures in contemporary England

London Houses of Parliament and Bug Ben at night

Exploring cultural divisions and social change in Britain

The rise of ‘period poverty’ in the UK

Language stigma, standards and surveillance in US/UK schools

Islamic private schools in UK: What is "Islamic" and why does it matter

Grown up - children from military families

Understanding rural youth identities in India

Sensing our need for authentic experiences of cities

Plastic pollution in Nigeria

turtle with plastic bag trapped on its fin

Perceptions of plastics pollution in Sri Lanka and Vietnam

Exploring behavioural change in Nigeria and Sri Lanka

Teaching kids about the perils of plastic pollution

Rapid evidence scoping review: Creativity and Pathways to Subjective Wellbeing

people sitting and looking out to margate promenade

Investigating digital poverty in Margate

Social, ecological, political, and cultural implications of extinction

Public engagement and science communication

Doctoral students negotiating the shift to academic positions

Developing a new platform for African Indigenous Knowledge

grenfell tower building behind pretty balcony

Grenfell, COVID-19 and digital technology

Meeting net zero in digital research infrastructure

Creative Interruptions: cultural politics at work

A cultural history of EMI films

The US Embassy-Hollywood Complex

Optimising eel conservation efforts

Mitigating plastic waste in Indonesia

Photo of a Mauritius landscape edited so that the church is blanked out

Understanding the causes of atheism in Mauritius

Overcoming gender stereotyping in education

Furthering gender equality in higher education in India

Social health in older adults from minority groups

Change Makers - Brunel Youth Action Group

Understanding the transnational influence of YWCA of the USA

Change Makers - Brunel Global Ethnic Majorities Action Group

Explaining the causes of atheism and non-belief

Education systems, aspiration and learning in remote rural settings

woman shocked at the content on the laptop

Understanding cyberbullying behaviours through computational models

Multigenerational living in London.

Facilitating social media research in social sciences

Social cash transfers, generational relations and youth poverty trajectories

Multimodal digital media in journalistic newsrooms

Big Tissue and Society

Deep fakes: the evolution and use of the technology

The Covid-19 pandemic and the emergence of anti-lockdown sentiments

Audience reactions to #ShakespeareLives diplomacy campaign

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Courses

Culture and Evolution PhD

Intelligence and Security Studies PhD

Journalism PhD

Media and Communications PhD

Sociology and Communication PhD

View all courses

Fully-funded studentships

Studentships in Arts & Social Sciences via the TECHNE2 Doctoral Training Partnership

Our funded studentships become available at different times of the year. Please keep checking our page regularly to see the latest funded opportunities. We also advertise all our funded studentships as soon as they become available on the @BrunelResearch twitter account.

View all studentships