Research and innovation

School celebrates success at REF 2021

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Our research

We collaborate with academic institutions, the public sector and media industries in the UK and across the world. We examine the relations between media, communication and society, and explore the impact of these interactions.

The School of Media and Communication received excellent scores in the REF 2021 exercise. 88% of the submitted research outputs were judged to be ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. This underlines the vitality of our research culture and our commitment to supporting and developing staff and postgraduate research.  

We also contribute to the Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute Sadler Seminar Series.

To get the latest School news, including our research, direct to your inbox, send your name and email address to mediamass@leeds.ac.uk.

Research themes

Research in the School of Media and Communication is clustered around six research themes, each of which is represented by a research group.

Digital Cultures

Digital Cultures

The Digital Cultures research group is interested in how digital media and technologies can act as disruptive - and potentially transformative - forces in society.

More on Digital Cultures
A birs-eye view of people spelling out the word 'resist!' on a beach, with waves lapping the shore. Global Communication

Global Communication

The Global Communication research group is united by a critical focus on how communication processes instantiate power relations that cut across the local, regional and the transnational.

More on Global Communication
A picture of a pile of newspapers on a table. Journalism

Journalism

The Journalism research group brings together researchers with a broad interest in journalism. They are specialists in either journalism practice or research, although most have experience in both.

More on Journalism
Image of a cameraman recording a man in sunglasses performing on a set. Media Industries and Cultural Production

Media Industries and Cultural Production

This research group brings together researchers with an interest in empirical and theoretical works that engage with research on media production, policy and regulation.

More on Media Industries and Cultural Production
A photo of a crowd holding placards about feminism and Donald Trump at a protest in Washington DC. Political Communication

Political Communication

The Political Communication research group provides a forum for researchers to discuss and investigate how power and political ideas are represented in a diversity of communication contexts.

More on Political Communication
An image of someone using a phone to scroll through photos, with a laptop turned on in the background. Visual Media and Communication

Visual Media and Communication

The Visual Media and Communication research group explores the dominant role of the visual in communication and media culture - raising questions about the role of the visual in everyday life.

More on Visual Media and Communication
Impact

Impact and engagement

Our research has developed impact that supports a range of charitable, educational and cultural organisations and engages with important social and political themes. We have an ongoing commitment to promoting and applying research that has the potential to challenge inequalities and innovate changes in practice and policy across a broad range of communities and organisations. Our approach to social impact is one delivered through the ongoing development of external partnerships and listening to the needs and opinions of the people we work with.

Media research

Research projects

Our research projects explore the past, present and future of media and communication using archives, new technologies and global partnerships.

Explore our research projects