Loughborough CRCC

Congratulations to CRCC member Iris Wigger, who has recently been awarded with the role of Visiting Associate Professor in Sociology, in the School of Sociology at University College Dublin.

Ontological (in)security after truth: Disinformation as affective technology - Ali Bilgic, 2026 The significance of this article lies in its reconceptualisation of disinformation as not only a challenge to truth but an affective force that can be examined ...

Why do obviously false stories online capture people’s attention so powerfully? Why do some narratives linger long after fact‑checkers have disproved them?

CRCC member Ali Bilgic shares insights into how disinformation taps into our emotions in his new article: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

CRCC member Arianna Maiorani has been invited for a residency at Texas Tech University, USA, jointly funded by the College of Media and Communication and the College of Visual and Performing Arts and hosted by Professor Erik Bucy.

The Centre for Research in Communication and Culture in collaboration with the Migration, Borders and Mobility research group are delighted to host the screening of the short film No Release.
Wednesday 3rd December 5-7pm
Edward Herbert EHB002, Loughborough University
Tickets: bit.ly/48xh61z

Book launch: Tourism as Memory-Making: Russian Tourism in the Shadow of Empire, by Alena Pfoser
Brockington U005 and on Teams
Wednesday December 3rd, 16:00-17:00

Counter-Research Symposium | King's College London The Counter-Research Symposium is a one-day event organised by CRIMSON (Counter Research in Media Studies Organized Network), a new cross-institutional research network that centres research on margin...

Call for Papers – Counter-Research Symposium
King’s College London | 27 February 2026
Deadline for abstracts: Friday 21 November 2025
www.kcl.ac.uk/events/count...

Book launch event: Cultural Policies in the Era of the Korean Wave by Taeyoung Kim
When: Wednesday November 26th, 16.00-17.30
Where: U005 Brockington, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Epinal Way LE11 3TU and on Teams

Sage Journals: Discover world-class research Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

Edited by Iliana Depounti and Simone Natale - special issue Decoding Artificial Sociality: Technologies, Dynamics, Implications is now published in New Media & Society.
journals.sagepub.com/toc/nmsa/27/10

Towards Development of Mediatization Research IX: Youth, Sports, and Media Department of Mediatization, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin Wrocław Academic Centre and Academia Europaea Wrocław Knowledge Hub in partnership with ECREA TWG Communication and Sport announc...

📢 Online workshop abstract deadline approaching 📢

Michael Skey @lborocrcc.bsky.social
is leading the online workshop Mediatization Research IX: Youth, Sports and Media on 5th December 2025

Deadline for abstracts is 27th October 2025.

www.umcs.pl/pl/towards-d...

New publication alert 🚨

In China, everyday use of domestic apps like WeChat helps reinforce national boundaries—not through overt politics, but through habit.
A new study by CRCC members explores how “ordinary” digital practices quietly shape nationalism.

CRCC hosts international symposium 'Reactionary politics, women and feminist critique' - Centre for Research in Communication and Culture The Centre for Research in Communication hosted the international, two-day symposium ‘Reactionary politics, women, and feminist critique’ on May 21 and 22. It was co-organized with the Department for ...

We were thrilled to welcome a full audience to our symposium on 'Reactionary Politics, Women, and Feminist Critique.' Such a powerful event! Huge thanks to our incredible speakers and engaged audience 🌟
Event recap is now live on the blog: shorturl.at/wqu2o

Tourism as Memory-Making is the new book by CRCC’s
Alena Pfoser.
It offers a fresh framework for understanding memory in tourism, exploring imperial nostalgia & national pasts through ethnographic research in Tallinn, Kyiv & Almaty.
Available open access shorturl.at/N1gMU

Re-Defining Terrorism: new book by Itoiz Rodrigo Jusué - Centre for Research in Communication and Culture In Re-Defining Terrorism: Imaginaries of Radicalisation and Counter-Radicalisation, CRCC member Itoiz Rodrigo Jusué delivers a timely and thought-provoking exploration of how counter-radicalisation ha...

🚨 New Book Alert!
Re‑Defining Terrorism by Itoiz Rodrigo Jusué explores how (counter) radicalisation is imagined, gendered & governed in everyday life.
A must-read for anyone in security, media, or cultural studies.
Read more: shorturl.at/MZGl7

Britain is already becoming an ‘island of strangers’ – but immigration isn’t the driver Keir Starmer is right to highlight the decline of social cohesion, but wrong about the reasons for it.

🇬🇧 "Britain is becoming an 'island of strangers'—but immigration isn't to blame," argues Michael Skey, @lborocrcc.bsky.social member, in @uk.theconversation.com
The real issue? Social disconnection, not who’s arriving. 👇
shorturl.at/l7jMg

Media Freedom Poll highlights concerns over Elon Musk’s influence in Central Europe - Centre for Research in Communication and Culture Dr Vaclav Stetka – CRCC’s member and Reader in Comparative Political Communication –presented the key findings of the 2025 Media Freedom Poll on 12 May in Bratislava (Slovakia), at an event featuring ...

🗣️ Our member Vaclav Stetka, also part of the Committee for Editorial Independence, presented the 2025 Media Freedom Poll in Bratislava—highlighting concerns over disinformation, regulation, and Elon Musk’s influence.

Learn more about the event: shorturl.at/e8DSs

ONLINE ATTENDANCE: Reactionary politics, women, and feminist critique ONLINE ATTENDANCE. A two-day symposium at Loughborough University and online, with a keynote by Professor Angela McRobbie (Goldsmiths)

⏳ Almost sold out!
Just a handful of tickets remain for Reactionary politics, women, and feminist critique.
21st & 22nd of May
Keynote by Professor Angela McRobbie (Goldsmiths)
Secure your spot before it’s too late shorturl.at/cLdHb

It's a wrap for the Political Communication and Environmental Challenges event. Thank you all for coming along ✨

In the photo below Theo Frixou, one of the speakers, presents 'The scale and influence of the fossil fuel industry in sport sponsorship'

Fantastic turnout at last week's Life in Politics event, hosted by the Political Communication theme @avkevins.bsky.social 🎉

Special thanks to Cllr Margaret Smidowicz, Dr Jeevun Sandher MP, and Cllr Naomi Bottomley for their brilliant contributions.

You're invited! 🎟️

Join us online for a 2-day symposium on feminised popular culture & its entanglements with reactionary politics.

🗓️ 21-22 May
💻 Free & online
🔗 Register: shorturl.at/LW4kx

📰 “News avoidance & scepticism about anthropogenic climate change: Survey evidence from 18 countries” – Anthony Kevins & James Stanyer

🔥 “Triadic polarisation in climate debates: Climate change & culture wars in English-language tweets in COP26 & 27” – Dayei Oh & John Downey

🌍 “The role of civil society orgs in the EU & their responses to climate change-induced migration” – Judith Fortunova-Russell

⛽️ “The scale and influence of the fossil fuel industry in sport sponsorship” – Theo Frixou

The seminar will explore politics, communication, environment, and sociology through 4 short research talks + a discussion chaired by Duncan Depledge.

Come hear insights from early-stage research like:

Political Communication and Environmental Challenges - Centre for Research in Communication and Culture The Centre for Research in Communication and Culture and the Successful Transitions Under Environmental Change research theme will be hosting a research seminar on Political Communication and Environm...

📢 The Centre for Research in Communication
@lboroCRCC
and Culture & the Successful Transitions Under Environmental Change theme are hosting a seminar on Political Communication & Environmental Challenges.

📅 May 14
🕙 10:00–11:30
📍 D201
Info: shorturl.at/FSRHM

📢 Students are especially welcome to the Life in Politics session! Come hear firsthand experiences from elected representatives. 👩‍🎓👨‍🎓 #LboroFamily

Looking forward to seeing you there! Save the date: May 9 in U005! 🗓️✨

🕝 14:30–16:00 – Life in Politics (IRPH/CRCC Event)

Join us for refreshments and a panel where Cllr. Bottomley, Dr. Sandher, and Cllr. Smidowicz will share their political journeys and answer your questions. 🗳️☕ #LifeInPolitics #CRCCEvents

🕛 12:30–13:00 – Lunch (CRCC event)
Meet Dr. Jeevun Sandher over lunch! Great chance for informal conversations. 🍽️

🕐 13:00–14:00 – The Future of Higher Education Policy (LUCU Event)
Dr. Sandher will discuss where HE policy is headed, followed by a Q&A. Open to all staff and students! 🎓✨

🎉 Calling all Loughborough staff and students 📣

We are excited to welcome Cllr. Naomi Bottomley, Dr. Jeevun Sandher, MP, and Cllr. Margaret Smidowicz to campus on May 9!

It's going to be a full day and the schedule is below 👇

Our Political Communication theme lead, Dr Anthony Kevins, will host an event with special guests including the Loughborough MP Jeevun Sandher @jeevunsandher.bsky.social
May 9th @lborouniversity.bsky.social
2pm Meet and greet in U005 with refreshments
3pm roundtable and Q&A

New paper🚨
Michael Skey @lborocrcc.bsky.social and co-authors introduce Performative Participatory Research (PPR) — a creative, time-sensitive way to engage young people in research. From mock press conferences to social media campaigns, PPR can generate powerful insights.
Available open access:

New publication alert 🚨

Hannah Thompson-Radford at @swanseauni.bsky.social and
Michael Skey @lborocrcc.bsky.social examine how increased visibility can be a double-edged sword for female athletes.
Download here open access shorturl.at/CVhoQ