진학프로석·박사 채용 접수 플랫폼

Project in the research group of PI Dr. Cecilia Vergnano

De-CRIPT explores a growing tension in Western Europe: as socioeconomic inequalities deepen, struggles over what counts as “true” become increasingly visible in the infosphere and across everyday life (Drążkiewicz 2023, Postill 2024). To trace these dynamics, De-CRIPT focuses on two influential conspiracy frameworks – The Great Replacement and The Great Reset – across four communities marked by different histories of dispossession or devaluation.

Rather than assuming two neatly opposed sides (mainstream truths “vs” conspiracist truths), the project treats these struggles as unfolding on two intersecting dimensions.

On one level, a constellation of truths (Corntassel et al 2024) unfolds, ranging from official or mainstream explanations of social events to alternative, critical, or conspiracist interpretations. These narratives often overlap, borrow from each other, and have a reciprocal relationship.

On a second level, truth claims take on lives of their own. Political actors, experts, influencers, or conspiracy entrepreneurs may frame certain interpretations in pursuit of specific goals, yet people on the ground can rework, adapt, merge or repurpose these claims as they navigate uncertainty, insecurity, and everyday challenges. A claim launched to advance a reactionary agenda, for instance, may be taken up by actors who are not committed right-wingers, but who use it to articulate demands for recognition or redistributive justice.

Through this twofold approach, the project investigates:

• • how conflicts over truth emerge, circulate, and mutate across online spaces and everyday offline interactions;
• • how the communicative intentions of epistemic and political authorities diverge from, or align with, the practical meaning-making of ordinary actors.

At the methodological level, research will rely on:

• • digital ethnography to map the online repertoire of discourses throughout the consensualist-conspiracist continuum;
• • traditional (offline) in-depth, immersive ethnography.

In particular, this postdoctoral position will focus on a case study in the Belgian context, proposed by the candidate, in line with the scientific objectives of the project. Research ideas, proposed by the candidate, should ethnographically focus on an urban and/or rural Belgian community affected by processes of dispossession and devaluation, to analyse how disputes arise and develop among different collectives and groups over what counts as ‘truth’ in realms such as health, immigration, sexuality and relationship education in schools, energy transition, among others. Especially valued will be research proposals that take into account the perspectives of residents of communities subject to processes of dispossession and devaluation, on the one hand, and local authorities and representatives of institutions that may be subject to distrust, on the other: police officers, teachers and professors, frontline bureaucrats, social workers, bank employees, medical staff, job centre staff, and professionals who combat disinformation, such as representatives of traditional media and NGO professionals.

Alternatively, the candidate may propose research ideas for a case study centred on a Belgian or EU organisation (governmental or non-governmental) to analyse the processes of developing and implementing initiatives to combat disinformation and/or radicalisation. Of particular interest are initiatives at the European level (such as the Digital Services Act), as well as those by NGOs or media outlets.

The candidate may also propose research ideas for a case study presenting a combination of both mentioned approaches (local ethnography and ethnography of an institution or organisation).

Responsibilities:

The successful applicant will:

• • Conduct independent research on conflicts over “truth” in the Belgian context through digital ethnography and traditional (offline) ethnography, in line with the scientific objectives of De-CRIPT, in collaboration with the PI, the team, and the scientific advisors.
• • Publish their findings in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes, and present at International conferences.
• • Participate actively in the group, including being present at the UB and in Barcelona during crucial times of preparation, meetings, conferences, and workshops. Interact actively virtually during times when the team is not present together at the UB and in Barcelona.
• • Participate in and assist with organizing project-related seminars, workshops, panels, and conferences.

Tasks:

• • Carry out digital ethnography and traditional, offline fieldwork in the field of their research – the latter for a duration of approximately one year; analyse ethnographic data and interact actively with other team members through the process of analysis and theorization;
• • Support the De-CRIPT team in organizing academic events, such as conferences and workshops, and contribute to the preparation of project reports;

Collaborate with the PI on administrative support tasks and on developing the project's website.

Gross salary per year: 54.561,60 €.

The application period is from March 13 to March 26, both inclusive.