New Routes into the Gaming Industry: PhD action research project with marginalised communities

Existing routes into education and employment are currently organized in ways that exacerbate existing social inequalities and limit opportunities for social mobility over the life-course. 

An increasing number of organizations– including universities and employers – are committed to developing new models for education and employment to disrupt this status quo and increase opportunities for social mobility.

Such interventions are understood not only as ‘the right thing’ to do but also as good for business and the wider economy.

This fully-funded PhD studentship seeks to explore these issues in the gaming industry and contribute to changing opportunities for those from black and minority ethnic communities. This will include participatory action research with local communities and in collaboration with the funder, Supermassive Games.  The studentship is open to black students, who have an undergraduate degree in the social sciences.

You will have knowledge of one or more relevant research areas (e.g. race and ethnicity, employment, gaming) and some training in social research methods. Whilst the broad aspirations of the project have been determined, as above, we are looking for applicants to respond to the opportunity with their own ideas and formulate a research proposal that captures their research methods, workplan and intended outcomes.

The successful candidate will benefit from:

How do I apply?

Applying for a PhD can seem daunting. This guide hopes to break down the application process (and  what you need to do!) in easy-to-follow steps:

1. You’ll apply for the PhD using the following web link by midnight 1 August.

• You will also be asked to upload:
  • A ‘Studentship Application Form’ (see notes on this below)
  • Your transcript or marks from your undergraduate degree/ master’s degree
  • If relevant, any letters of support from partners you intend to collaborate with on your project
  • References

• Important: To ensure your application is routed correctly, please ensure you do the following:
  • Under ‘programme choice’: When asked to select a faculty, choose ‘Faculty of Social Sciences and Law’.
  • When asked to choose a programme, choose ‘Sociology (PhD)’.
  • When asked when to start, select ‘Sept 21’.
  • Under ‘Funding’: When asked how you intend to fund your studies, please tick ‘other’ and write ‘Supermassive studentship’ in the free text box

2. Your main supervisor (Susan Halford) will then review your application alongside a Sociology lead (Jo Haynes)
3. The top 4-5 candidates will be invited to an interview with Susan, Jo, and one community organization actively working in the field of diversity and inclusion.
4. You’ll hear the results shortly after the interview, and successful candidates will start at the end of September.

How to write the best application

This PhD had been framed in its broadest terms. We know the overarching issue – that diversity in the gaming sector is poor, and we know the broad research approach that we’d like to adopt – an ‘action research’ methodology that trials interventions throughout the project.

However, it’s up to you to define the exact focus, questions and interventions. This is a real opportunity to take forward your ideas and passions, to make a difference in the gaming industry, and to contribute novel research to the field.