Funding

Self-funded

Project code

AAD10061026

Start dates

October, February and April

Application deadline

Applications accepted all year round

Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project.

The PhD will be supervised by Dr Simon Hobbs and/or other staff members within the School of Architecture, Art and Design and the School of Film, Media and Creative Technologies. 

 

 

The work on this project will:

  • Investigate contemporary and historical true crime content, including (but not limited to) documentary series, films, dramatizations, social media posts and podcasts.  
  • Explore the true crime genre’s ethical parameters, with particular focus on issues surrounding the representation of gender, race, disability, victims, violence, and the body.   
  • Position the true crime genre within its social and political context to consider the ways its content relates to broader issues surrounding civil rights, cultural movements and grassroots advocacy.  
  • Offer a choice between a writing or practice-based project

 

In recent years, the true crime genre has reached new levels of popularity and visibility. From hit podcasts like Serial and ‘must watch’ shows like Making a Murderer, to amateur content on YouTube and TikTok, the true crime genre continues to attract large audiences for major streaming companies and social media influencers alike. Yet, public fascination with true crime is nothing new, and the recent upsurge in true crime content builds on a rich history of criminality in visual culture. For hundreds of years print journalism has used images of victims, crime scenes and serial killers to adorn their stories and heighten engagement. It is therefore fair to say the saturation of true crime we are currently experiencing is a continuation of a tradition in which episodes of criminal violence have been framed as factually based entertainment.  

 As the true crime genre continues to spread over different media, the aesthetic composition of the texts changes, often offering new ways to frame old stories. From the cinematic reconstruction of The Thin Blue Line to the ‘GRWM’ make-up videos of Bailey Sarian, to the true crime comedy mashup of Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff’s podcast My Favorite Murder and the politically edged reframing of Trish Wood’s documentary series Falling for a Killer, the true crime genre provides audiences a huge array of different experiences. As true crime has become increasingly defined as a participatory experience, a true crime community of both self-defined fans and more casual - and yet still frequent - consumers has emerged. Although some participants in this community intentionally question the genre’s ethical implications and even seek to instigate significant cultural change, others position themselves as sleuths, or are simply attracted by the pleasures of narratives shaped and influenced by other popular entertainment genres such as crime fiction and horror. 

 Therefore, pressing questions surrounding the true crime genre’s ethical implications remain. Can true crime be ethical, and if so, how? Is the genre innately exploitive and voyeuristic, or does it have the potential to educate, advocate and inform? How can true crime negotiate the line between entertainment, fact and fiction, and what does this mean for the stories – and people – that rest at its core?  

 Proposals for this project should highlight both the topic to be addressed and the methodological approach(es) – archival, textual analysis, practice-based – that you intend to adopt. 

 

Fees and funding

Visit the research subject area page for fees and funding information for this project.

Funding availability: Self-funded PhD students only. 

PhD full-time and part-time courses are eligible for the UK  (UK students only).

Bench fees

Some PhD projects may include additional fees – known as bench fees – for equipment and other consumables, and these will be added to your standard tuition fee. Speak to the supervisory team during your interview about any additional fees you may have to pay. Please note, bench fees are not eligible for discounts and are non-refundable.

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 visual culture, cultural studies, media studies or a related area. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

 

 

We welcome applicants with backgrounds in visual culture, cultural studies, media, film, art and design. Ideal candidates will have experience or interest in: 

  • The ethics of representation, with particular focus on gender and race.  
  • Transmedia storytelling and cross-platform consumption  
  • Audience and fan studies, with a willingness to potentially engage with both qualitative and quantitative research approaches.

How to apply

We’d encourage you to contact Dr Simon Hobbs (simon.hobbs2@port.ac.uk) to discuss your interest before you apply, quoting the project code.

When you are ready to apply, please follow the 'Apply now' link on the Art and Design: History, Theory and Practice PhD subject area page and select the link for the relevant intake. 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.

When applying please quote project code AAD10061026.