Civic Media hub

About Us

The Civic Media hub was established in 2014 and brings together a multidisciplinary, cross-Faculties team of researchers and students that work in collaboration with external stakeholders to co-create effective ways of tackling important social issues. We combine expertise from humanities, social sciences, geography, computer science and data analytics. In addition to dissemination through traditional scholarly channels, our outputs are targeted directly at policy-makers and journalists to maximise impact on the issues we investigate. We also aim to develop tools and methods that can be utilised by other researchers and third sector organisations.

Projects

From mapping youth experiences of climate change to researching social media and humanitarian responses to crisis, our team is engaged in a variety of digitally innovative projects aimed at addressing and informing social issues to create impact.

EVENTS

We host a range of activities and public events, including training days, seminar series and workshops. To facilitate impact we also engage in direct dialogue with policy-makers in the United Nations, UK and European Parliament through organised events and briefing meetings.

PARTNERS

Our co-creation project partners includes NGO, journalist and digital design collaborations with groups including Bahrain Watch, Omega Research Foundation, CAAT, Bellingcat, Publica, Open Security, Corporate Watch, AltCity.me, Tactical Technology Collective.

DATALABS

Working with NGOs, journalists and digital designers we run hands-on data aggregation, visualisation and digital storytelling workshops designed specifically for addressing civic and humanitarian issues. Data Labs is a Fusion funded initiative.

We combine expertise from media studies, communications, geography, computer science and data analytics.

Dr. Anna Feigenbaum

Principal Academic in Digital Storytelling

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Anna Feigenbaum was PI of the Datalabs project and now coordinates the Civic Media research cluster. Her research focuses on communication and social justice. Anna runs data storytelling workshops and provides consultancy to NGOs and cultural organisations.

Dr Einar Thorsen

Associate Professor of Journalism & Communication

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Einar is Associate Director of the Centre for the Study of Journalism, Culture and Community.

Duncan Golicher

Senior Lecturer in Geoinformatics

Duncan is a researcher in geoinformatics at Bournemouth University

Dr. Isabella Rega

Principal Academic in Education and Digital Literacies

Isabella Rega holds a Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and an Executive Master degree in Intercultural Communication from the Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI). Her PhD dissertation dealt with the role of telecentres in socio-economic development

Dr Phillipa Gillingham

Senior Lecturer in Biogeography

Phillipa is a terrestrial biogeographer and macroecologist working in the School of Applied Sciences at Bournemouth University. Her interests could be summed up as ‘where species are found and why’. She runs the Bournemouth University GIS lab.

Dr. Edward Apeh

Lecturer in Computing

Dr. Apeh has over 12 years industry experience and has led successful projects in the areas of data analytics, data mining and web technologies funded by Innovate UK and Great Western Research.

Alexandra Alberda

Senior Research Assistant

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Alexandra P. Alberda is a Ph.D. researcher in the Department of Journalism, English and Communication at Bournemouth University researching public engagement with comics in medical humanities. Her research interests are curatorial practices, public engagement with Graphic Medicine, Comics Studies, Medical Humanities, and the politics and ethics of representation.

Aria Alamalhodaei

Senior Research Assistant

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Aria Alamalhodaei is an art historian and writer. She currently works as the Research and Design Assistant for the Data Storytelling Workbook project.

Ozlem Demirkol

Senior Research Assistant

Ozlem Demirkol graduated from the MA in Media and Communication in 2015 and is now a doctoral student at Winchester School of Art, Southampton University. She did her placement as a Senior Research Assistant on the Datalabs team. She also works on the #RiotID project.

Daniel Weissmann

Senior Research Assistant

Daniel Weissmann did his MA in International Political Communication at Bournemouth University and now teaches in the Faculty of Media and Communication. He is co-author of the Datalabs report ‘Telling Data Stories Together’ and works on the #RiotID project.

Dr Dan Jackson

Associate Professor of Media and Communications

Dan is a researcher, educator and consultant in the field of media, communication and politics. His research broadly explores the intersection of media and democracy.

Dr. Brad Gyori

Senior Lecturer in Digital Storytelling

Brad is a senior lecturer in digital storytelling at Bournemouth University. For ten years, he was the Head Writer of the Emmy award winning Talk Soup. He has been nominated for five Emmys. Currently, his research focuses on new media rituals and project-based learning models.

Dr. Roman Gerodimos

Principal Academic in Global Current Affairs

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Roman’s work focuses on emerging forms of civic engagement and on ways of using digital media and public space to facilitate urban coexistence and global awareness.

Dr. Sam Goodman

Senior Lecturer in English & Communication

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Sam is a Senior Lecturer in English & Communication and a BBC/AHRC New Generation Thinker. His work looks at pop culture, C.20th Lit and Medical Humanities.

Dr. Tauheed A. Ramjaun

Lecturer, Branding & Communications

Tauheed is a former United Nations staff member and also worked for several years in the advertising world. He is an expert on branding and provides consultancy services to both commercial and non-profit organisations.

Dr Shelley Thompson

Senior Lecturer in Corporate and Marketing Communications

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Shelley is a senior lecturer in the Corporate and Marketing Communications at Bournemouth University. Her research centres on media framing of social and political issues, especially emerging/controversial science.

Professor Hamid Bouchachia

Professor, Computer Science and Informatics

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Hamid is currently Associate Professor at Bournemouth University, School of Design, Engineering and Computing. His major research interests include Machine Learning and Soft computing with a particular focus on online/incremental learning, semi-supervised learning, prediction systems, and uncertainty modeling

Phil Wilkinson

Postgraduate Researcher

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Phil Wilkinson is a doctoral student in the Centre for Digital Entertainment and a researcher in CEMP at Bournemouth University. His work explores serious games and the role of digital literacy in the empowerment of learners and community members.

Dr Gernot Liebchen

Lecturer in Computing

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My research interests lie in the field of Empirical Software Engineering.

Thomas Matthews

Postgraduate Researcher

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TJ Matthews is a Postgraduate Research Engineer with The Centre of Digital Entertainment based in Bournemouth University. His research focuses on prosocial gaming (games to encourage positive social behaviours) and motivational design.

Dr Nathan Farrell

Senior Lecturer in Communication & Media

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Dr. Nathan Farrell has research interests in celebrity politics and the intersection of popular culture and political communications.

Our team here at Bournemouth University is working with NGOs, journalists and digital designers to run hands-on data aggregation, visualisation and digital storytelling workshops designed specifically for addressing civic and humanitarian issues.

Datalabs

Latest news

Presentation_Giving Graphic Narrative to Numbers

In this presentation we argue that Graphic Social Science can make an important contribution to data storytelling. The emergence of Graphic Medicine, and now Graphic Social Sciences, seeks to make connections with audiences, in part, through their focus on emotion, empathy, point of view, and ability to capture multiple perspectives. As such, graphic narratives are Read more about Presentation_Giving Graphic Narrative to Numbers[…]

Upcoming talk at MeCCSA 2017: ‘Raising a Glass to Freedom’? (in)equality in Beer, Britain and Empire.

We are delighted to announce that MeCCSA 2017 includes a special session on ‘Raising a Glass to Freedom’? (in)equality in Beer, Britain and Empire led by Dr Sam Goodmanand Bournemouth University colleagues. It is Panel 2F: Wednesday 17.45-19.15pm. The perfect warm up for the MeCCSA wine/ beer reception and following pub quiz! Why do Read more about Upcoming talk at MeCCSA 2017: ‘Raising a Glass to Freedom’? (in)equality in Beer, Britain and Empire.[…]

Beer and the British goes to IAMCR

British beer culture is currently in the midst of a revival. The influence and popularity of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and the US-originated Craft Beer movement is seemingly at its peak, with a range of microbrewed beers as readily available in high street chain pubs across the UK as in more exclusive craft Read more about Beer and the British goes to IAMCR[…]

Serious Game Design Goes Corporate Watching

‘Researching up’ or investigating government and corporate practices is often riddled with obstacles. In place of interview answers, come streams of PR sound bytes and ‘no comment’ replies. With lawyers at ready disposal and PR teams performing 24/7 image-makeovers, the practices of corporate and government elites often take place behind layers of concealer. So how Read more about Serious Game Design Goes Corporate Watching[…]

#RiotID takes its social change design workshops on the road

In April and May, the #RiotID team travelled to Sheffield for a workshop at the Bank Street Arts gallery as part of the Crick Centre’s ESRC project Exploring Civil Society Strategies for Democratic Renewal. Then it was off to Keele for Media Environments where the team led a workshop in how to use visual design Read more about #RiotID takes its social change design workshops on the road[…]

Who are the World’s Heaviest Tear Gas Users?

Our 2015 Mapping the Media project on Tear Gas is now live! Check out the maps on our BU Civic Media Hub website. Everyday tear gas is used around the world, from Brazil to Bahrain, from Thailand to the Occupied Territories of Palestine. Yet, while journalists file news stories of tear gas deployments, there is no national Read more about Who are the World’s Heaviest Tear Gas Users?[…]

Greece is facing an imminent humanitarian crisis

re-posted with permission from authors: https://www.psa.ac.uk/insight-plus/blog/greece-facing-imminent-humanitarian-crisis by Roman Gerodimos and Sofie Edlund On Tuesday, March 1st, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency warned that Greece is facing an imminent humanitarian crisis. Over the last few months UNHCR has been monitoring arrivals to South-East Europe on a daily basis and collating data from various sources into a daily Read more about Greece is facing an imminent humanitarian crisis[…]

BU Civic Media Hub & the Omega Research Foundation publish report on the misuse of Tear Gas in Europe

Responding to a request for more data on tear gas misuse in Council of Europe member states, the BU Datalabs team hosted a daylong data hack day to aggregate information and produce a report for the Council of Europe. The report offers a brief summary analysis of Human Rights investigations into the misuse of tear gas Read more about BU Civic Media Hub & the Omega Research Foundation publish report on the misuse of Tear Gas in Europe[…]

Data storytelling for social sciences

Data Storytelling for Social Sciences Workshop took place in Bournemouth at 12th November as a part of ESRC Festival of learning events with the participation of 25 professionals both from NGOs and academia. The workshop started with the presentations of Dr. Anna Feigenbaum, Dr. Einar Thorsen, and Brad Gyori which were structured to give practical knowledge Read more about Data storytelling for social sciences[…]

Always Show Cute Elephants

…and other lessons in #Dataviz were presented by our BU Datalabs team at the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement’s Engage 2015 event in Bristol last week. The annual Engage event brings together university leaders in public engagement from across the UK. Representing BU Datalabs, Dr. Anna Feigenbaum and community partner James Marchant from Small Read more about Always Show Cute Elephants[…]

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