PhD scholarship in 'Understanding how refugees use digital technologies during resettlement'

$35886

Open now

01/10/2025

1 (one).

This scholarship is open to domestic and international students and the applicant must be living in Australia on commencing the PhD. 

Applicants must: Meet RMIT's entry requirements, have first-class honours or equivalent in either human geography, sociology, media studies, or another relevant discipline, have a strong background in qualitative and digital research and methods. Desired: strong communication skills, capacity to work independently and as part of a team, those with lived experience of migration or forced migration are encouraged to apply.

Please email the following to Dr Charishma Ratnam at charishma.ratnam@rmit.edu.au:

• CV outlining qualifications, relevant industry/research experience, publications and referees
• Copy of academic transcript/s
• Copies of up to three (3) relevant research papers, reports, or theses

The broader project that this PhD scholarship will sit within seeks to examine how refugees use digital technologies to navigate resettlement. Doing so is important to address social needs as well as the material needs of housing, employment, and English language acquisition.

International evidence demonstrates that digital technologies have transformative effects for refugees, but the current focus on teaching basic digital literacy skills in Australia limits understandings of how refugees with proficient skills use smartphones and digital applications to successfully resettle.

The project will integrate digital and ethnographic methods to address a critical gap in knowledge by focussing on the everyday digital practices of refugees. This in turn will generate new knowledge on exactly how digital technologies are used on a daily basis and for what purposes. The research will provide a platform for refugees to share resettlement experiences and will benefit settlement services and migrant resource centres delivering resettlement programs.

This project will position Australia as a global leader in providing resettlement programs that equip refugees with the contemporary skills and knowledge they need to flourish. Outcomes will be shared through key insights reports, a public forum event, and input to government consultations, such as the Departments of Home Affairs and Social Services.