About the Project
Dr Olivia Brown is recruiting for this fully funded project, expected to commence as soon as possible and no later than 26 October 2026.
Early application is therefore encouraged. This advert may close when a suitable candidate is identified.
This is a fully funded PhD position in the School of Management, University of Bath. This project will examine how digital data can be used to understand, predict and prevent extremist violence.
Extremist violence refers to acts of violence motivated by ideological, political, religious, or single-issue beliefs (e.g., right-wing extremism, misogyny). Despite growing and global concerns about harmful content proliferating online, there remains a significant gap in understanding the connection between online activity and real-world violence. Indeed, while practitioners and academics have made great strides in understanding why individuals may be radicalised by online content, we still know little about when and how someone moves from online engagement to offline violence.
Concurrent to an increase in acts of terrorism in which social media use has been implicated, we are also witnessing expanding online ecosystems in which extremist ideologies are thriving, posing risks to societal cohesion and harm to young people. These ecosystems are often characterised by influential figures who normalise and legitimise violence through persistent narratives.
This PhD project will form part of a larger programme of studies, focused on maximising the value of digital data in preventing extremist violence. This programme of studies will examine how digital data can help detect early indicators of violent intent, understand the roles of influencers within online extremist ecosystems and explicate psychological and behavioural mechanisms that lead individuals from consuming harmful content to taking violent action.
Candidate requirements:
Applicants must have, or be about to obtain, a UK Honours degree 1st or 2.1, or international equivalent. A master's level qualification would also be advantageous. Non-UK applicants must meet the programme's English language requirement.
The ideal candidate will have expertise in either social psychology, political science or terrorism studies and will have an understanding of both qualitative and computational methods. The student will join a thriving community of researchers as part of the Bath Institute for Digital Security and Behaviour and the Bath Policing Academic Centre of Excellence. They will benefit from a supportive and collaborative research culture, with opportunities for interdisciplinary training and skills development across the social, behavioural, and computational sciences.
Enquiries:
Informal enquiries are encouraged. Direct these to Dr Olivia Brown - Oab42@bath.ac.uk
Application Instructions
Please follow the below instructions carefully.
You must make a formal application via the University of Bath's online application form for an Integrated PhD in Management.
The Integrated PhD programme includes a one-year MRes. If you already hold an MRes qualification, you may apply for the standalone PhD in Management.
In the 'Funding Your Studies' section, select 'Other' from one of the drop-down menus.
In the 'Your PhD project' section, you must quote the project title in the PhD project title field, and you must quote the lead supervisor's name in the field 'Name of intended supervisor at University of Bath.'
You must ensure that you follow the above steps correctly.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
We value a diverse research environment and strive to be an inclusive university, where difference is celebrated and respected. We encourage applications from under-represented groups.
If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement.
The Disability Service ensures that individuals with disabilities are provided the support that they need. If you state if your application that you have a disability, the Disability Service will contact you as part of this process to discuss your needs.
Funding Notes
Applicants will be considered for a 4-year studentship. This will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and provide a maintenance stipend (£21805 per annum, 2026/7 rate, increasing annually.) To be eligible, you will need to be a UK or Irish citizen, hold settled status under the EU settlement scheme, or another form of indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
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