School of Media and Communication PhD candidate gains unique experience at community media placement in Leicester

A doctoral candidate at the School of Media and Communication has written about the invaluable experience gained during a unique community media placement in Leicester.

Shumaila Jaffery is an award-winning former BBC journalist whose research examines how local, national, and transnational media intersect during periods of conflict and tension to shape identity, perception, and community relations, and how diaspora communities interpret these narratives. Her PhD project at the University of Leeds is based specifically on a case study of the 2022 communal riots between groups of Hindus and Muslims in Leicester.

Shumaila Jaffery

As part of her doctorate, Shumaila undertook an 11-week placement with Decentered Media, which provides consultancy, advice, and training for community-focused communication services in Leicester, helping civic organisations, voluntary groups, public service providers, and government bodies engage with people who are overlooked by mainstream media.

Shumaila said: “My eleven weeks in Leicester have been the most joyful period since I began my PhD in autumn 2024. Decentered Media provided valuable opportunities and a platform to view and approach issues from a neutral standpoint, which was crucial for me as a researcher. It offered an insider’s view of a community media setup that I had not experienced before.

“I used my placement to build connections and bridges, and I wanted the community journalists to use me as a resource for the skills and knowledge I have, given my professional background and ongoing research. I engaged in meaningful discussions about Leicester’s media landscape, representation, identity, structures, funding, and what was missing that could have prevented or minimised harm during the 2022 unrest, from the media’s point of view.

“I did a lot of listening in long interviews with Leicester-based journalists, community workers and leaders, and local politicians, as well as in informal discussions with ordinary citizens. People shared their frustrations, aspirations, anger, and hurt, for which I am eternally grateful.”

Read more about Shumaila’s experience at Decentred Media.