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PhD and Research Course “Media and Visual Cultures in Contemporary Arab societies"The Danish Institute in Cairo (DEDI), the Department for Cross Cultural and Regional studies at Copenhagen University, and the Project for Advanced Research in Global Communication at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, are holding a PhD and Research Course from June 1st- June 5th 2015 at the Danish Institute in Cairo, Egypt.Research ThemesThe PhD and Research Course, “Media and Visual Cultures in Contemporary Arab Societies,” focuses on the study of images produced and distributed across a wide range of platforms, from broadcast television to outdoor advertising and digital user-generated media; acknowledging that contemporary manifestations of visual culture are increasingly defined by the interdependence and cross-pollination of different media.Visual cultures are playing a key role in defining Arab contemporary societies as they represent a privileged site in analyzing the production, circulation and remanipulaton of cultural artifacts, and the enactment of power relations that the latter implies. Moreover, visual technologies and social media platforms are reshaping notions of identities and communities, and opening up a range of possibilities for new public spheres and newly empowered publics to emerge.We welcome proposals with a multidisciplinary approach ranging from aesthetics and visual anthropology to geography of media production and consumption, to sociology, audience studies and critical Internet studies with a focus on contemporary Arab societies.Papers might address the above macro-areas via the following suggested topics:Arab visual cultures and new emerging publics/public spheres.Analysis of visual digital artifacts (memes, YouTube clips, etc.) and the process of cultural production/reproduction in Arabic-speaking online communitiesEmerging identities and media spaces for “producers”, “prosumers”, “citizen journalists”, “amateur production” and other non-professional media contributorsThe competitive dynamics of pan-Arab television.The above list is indicative rather than exhaustive. Paper proposals on other topics still within the above macro-areas will be gratefully received.Structure of the PhD and Research CourseThe PhD and Research Course will take place June 1st- June 5th 2015 (5 days) from 10:00-18:00. The day will start with a keynote lecture (including questions and discussion) and will be followed by student presentations (including comments and feedback from senior instructors and students).The program of the PhD and Research Course will be a combination of keynote lectures, plenary sessions and student presentations/feedback.Each student will present his/her research work and have the opportunity to discuss it in depth under the supervision of one of the senior instructors.The 5th day will be dedicated to outings and visits to relevant media institutions and media production sites. If possible, a roundtable discussion with relevant local stakeholders will be included.ECTSParticipants presenting a paper at the PhD and Research Course will be granted 5,3 ECTS. Participants attending without presenting a paper will be assigned 3,8 ECTS.Requirements and preparation When applying, the PhD student has to submit a short project abstract (1 page), short motivation/proposal (1 page), CV. It is possible to attend the PhD and Research Course without presenting a paper. However, the applicant should still submit a motivation letter (1 page) and a CV.Once selected, the participants will have to submit a written paper (10-20 pages). Depending on the stage of the project, the submitted paper could be an article, a conference paper, a draft chapter from the thesis or a detailed project description.Each participant is expected to read all the submitted papers and will be assigned one specific paper to comment on.DeadlineApplications should be received in a single pdf file no later than 2 February 2015, 6pm CET.FeesEach selected participant will be asked to pay a registration fee of 200 USD which covers meals and organizational costs. The participants will have to cover their travel expenses independently. However, the organizers will provide a list of  suggested accommodations with special student rates.OrganizersThe course is organized byDepartment for Cross Cultural and Regional studies at CopenhagenUniversity      (http://ccrs.ku.dk/ ) in cooperation withDEDI ( http://dedi.org.eg/ )and co-sponsored byThe Project for Advanced Research in Global Communication at the AnnenbergSchool for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania (https://www.asc.upenn.edu/research/research-centers/project-advanced-research-global-communicationFor any questions and to apply for the PhD and Research Course please contact:Donatella Della Ratta: szk198@alumni.ku.dkorChristine Crone: gbh330@hum.ku.dk