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Research and innovation

Our research

Our research is organized around four challenge-led themes, highlighting how our research relates to key societal issues and concerns.

We are committed to our research having a positive societal impact and value engagement and knowledge exchange with partners from industry, government, the public sector and civil society.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Bluesky for updates on our latest research.

Research themes

Our research is organized around four challenge-led themes, highlighting how our research relates to key societal issues and concerns. The themes span traditional sub-fields of media, communication, and cultural studies while also making possible inter-disciplinary connections, enabling new research collaborations and emergent outcomes.

Each intersecting theme is explored through various theoretical perspectives, modalities, and methods, including creative practice and practice-led research. As well as advancing academic knowledge in these areas, we are committed to our research having a positive societal impact and value engagement and knowledge exchange with partners from industry, government, the public sector and civil society.

Working in partnership

The School of Media and Communication collaborates with internal and external partners to inform regional, national, and international policy through collaborations with industry, regulators and policymakers, such as the BBC, Ofcom, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, and the European Commission. Our researchers work with communities and industry partners to interrogate the challenges they are facing through dialogue, participation, public engagement and creative practice. Find out more.

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

News and events

News
Events

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Flag of the United Nations: white silhouette of the world on a blue background

United Nations selects School of Media and Communication PhD student for prestigious journalism fellowship

Israel Campos is an Angolan freelance journalist and writer whose work…

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First PhD cohort announced for innovative Creative Bridges research programme

The initiative brings together academic expertise from two world-class…

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Clothworkers court

School of Media and Communication excels in national university guides

The University of Leeds’ School of Media & Communication has achieved…

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Paul Cooke's research project in Cambodia

New UK–Ireland research network to tackle class inequality across the creative economy

The project will examine how class inequality is understood, experienced and…

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book cover

Book launch – Digital Journalism Practice: Skills for Now and the Future

A reception to mark the launch of Digital Journalism Practice: Skills for Now and the Future (Bucknell, I. and Painter, L. 2026) including a conversation on the changing newsroom with industry insight

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Clothworkers

Research Seminar: ‘Gurus, Hucksters, Entertainers: How Influencers Reshaped Social Media’

This talk examines how influencer careers and revenues shape the content that populates our social media feeds.

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A collage of images with text reading 'Media Frontiers' in the middle

Media Frontiers: ‘People Doing Cool Creative Work Online: An Industry Panel’

This Media Frontiers panel event brings five exciting digital creatives to the School of Media and Communication to discuss their process, inspirations and challenges.

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Record shop

Science into Pop: Triangulating Legitimacy in Three Experimental Music Traditions

How can the case of Jamaican dub reggae broaden our understanding of music experimentation?

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