Flinders University 2025 PhD Scholarship: Violent and Misogynistic Ideologies in Online Spaces

We are seeking to attract a highly-motivated PhD student to join a small team of researchers at the Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies, Flinders University. The PhD project forms part of a National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grant project funded by Australia’s Office of National Intelligence. The wider research project is led by Professor Tim Legrand (University of Adelaide), Dr Nathan Manning (University of Adelaide), and Dr Melissa-Ellen Dowling (Flinders University). The PhD candidate would join the Flinders research node for three years and be supervised by Dr Dowling.  

The PhD project: This PhD project identifies and analyses violent misogynistic content on social media platforms frequented by young Australians. It investigates the mechanisms through which such content is shared and maps the ideologies identified. Its findings will be vital to revealing the extent of violent misogynistic content that young Australians may be exposed to and/or generating, and contribute to our knowledge of the types of violent misogynistic ideas that proliferate in specific online environments.

• Table of Content
• About Flinders University
• PhD Scholarship: Violent and Misogynistic Ideologies in Online Spaces
• Aim and Benefits of PhD Scholarship: Violent and Misogynistic Ideologies in Online Spaces
• Requirements for PhD Scholarship: Violent and Misogynistic Ideologies in Online Spaces Qualification
• Documents Required for Application
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Flinders University

Flinders University is a public university in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded in 1966, it was named in honour of navigator Matthew Flinders, who explored and surveyed the South Australian coastline in the early 19th century. Flinders is a verdant university[citation needed] and a member of the Innovative Research Universities (IRU) Group and ranks in the 10-16 bracket in Australia and 36th in the world of those established less than 50 years. Academically, the university pioneered a cross-disciplinary approach to education, and its faculties of medicine and the humanities are ranked amon... continue reading

PhD Scholarship: Violent and Misogynistic Ideologies in Online Spaces

Aim and Benefits of PhD Scholarship: Violent and Misogynistic Ideologies in Online Spaces

This is a fully-funded PhD scholarship, which includes an annual stipend of AU$36,000 and a full waiver of tuition fees.

Requirements for PhD Scholarship: Violent and Misogynistic Ideologies in Online Spaces Qualification

Eligible applicants must have completed a Bachelor’s degree in Politics, Sociology, International Relations, or a related social sciences discipline. You must also hold a Master’s or Honours degree that has a significant thesis component of 6,000 words or more. Applicants must have Australian citizenship or permanent residency.

Desirable but not essential: experience in qualitative research methods.

Documents Required for Application

Please email, with the subject line “Violent Misogyny PhD Project”, the following materials to [email protected] by the 23rd May 2025.

1. Your CV, indicating your qualifications, research experience, and referees; 
2. A copy of your academic transcript; 
3. A copy of your most recent thesis-length work; and
4. A statement (no more than 500 words) outlining your suitability for the project. 
5. Evidence of Australian citizenship or permanent residency.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

This is a full-time PhD project based at the Jeff Bleich Centre, Flinders University. The successful candidate must be based in Adelaide for the duration of the PhD project. This position cannot be converted into a part-time role.

For more detaikls, visit Flinders University Scholarship webpage