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Contact Details

Department of Media & Communication
Bankfield House    
University of Leicester
132 New Walk

Leicester
LE1 7JA

United Kingdom

Campus courses
T: +44(0)116 252 3863
E: mediacom@le.ac.uk

Distance learning courses
T: +44(0)116 252 5275
E: mediacom-dl@le.ac.uk
Fax: +44(0)116 252 5276 (all)

 

Digital Identities Research Group

The Director of the Digital Identities group is Professor Monica Whitty. The group investigates identities presented across a wide range of contemporary media (e.g., the Internet, mobile phones). We understand digital identity to include online digital representations of individual human beings, communities, organisations and companies. Researchers in this group are particularly concerned with issues surrounding:

  • Online crimes (e.g., romance scam)
  • Citizenship and creating publics
  • Construction and representation of online and offline indentities
  • Intersection of online/offline identities
  • Super-identity
  • Online advertising and promotion
  • Online social support
  • Ethical online activities
  • Morals and taboos in cyberspace

 

Who we are

Academic Staff:

Jessica Bain

Vincent Campbell

Lieve Gies

Barrie Gunter

Nelya Koteyko

Mirca Madianou

Paul Reilly

Maria Touri

Natasha Whiteman

Monica Whitty

 

Research Assistant:

 

PhD students: 

Rania Alsaggaf

Khulood Miliany

Robert Scruggs

 

Current Projects

  • 'The creation, spontaneous emergence and impact of online communities connected to specific health conditions'. Principal Investigator: Barrie Gunter. Co-investigator: Nelya Koteyko
  • 'The use of digitial technologies by disabled groups for self-support, promotion of relevant issues and concerns, and engagement with the wider community'. Pricipal Investogator: Barrie Gunter. Co-investigators: Anna Claydon & Paul Reilly
  • 'The use of the web by activitist groups and political parties for self-definition, self-promotion and recruitment. Principal Investigator: Barrie Gunter. Co-investigators: Paul Reilly and Jingrong Tong
  • ESRC Grant, 'An Examination of the Online Romance Scam', (RES-000-22-4022) Principal Investigator: Monica Whitty. Co-investigator: Tom Buchanan.

  

Previous Projects

  • Nuffield Grant: 'Blogging and the impact of citizen journalism'. Principal investigator: Barrie Gunter. Co-investigators: Vincent Campbell, Maria Touri, and Rachel Gibson (University of Manchester)
  • College Funds, University of Leicester. 'Health communication in the Internet age: Exploring the role of online discussion groups in patient-centered diabetes management'. Principal Investigator: Nelya Koteyko
  • College Funds: ‘British people’s knowledge of the online romance scam’. Principal Investigator: Professor Monica Whitty
  • SIS Grant:  ‘Learning more about human behaviour with regards to IT monitoring and security of data’. Principal Investigator: Monica Whitty. Co-investigator: Andy Kayes (Nexor Ltd).
  • Nuffield Grant: ‘Are there morals in cyberspace? A pilot study examining the psychological consequences of engaging in certain behaviours in MMORPGs’. Principal Investigator: Monica Whitty. Co-investigator: Garry Young.
  • British Academy Grant: ‘Deception across different modes of communication’ Principal Investigator: Monica Whitty, Co-investigators: Tom Buchanan (University of Manchester) & Adam Joinson (University of Bath).
  • Queen’s University internal funds: ‘Eating behaviours of the elderly’. Principal Investigator: Katherine Appleton, Queen’s University Belfast. Co-investigator: Monica Whitty
  • Whiteman, N. (2007). PhD study, Institute of Education, University of London. Supervisor: Professor Paul Dowling. Funded by an ESRC 1+3 award. The Establishment, Maintenance and Destabilisation of Fandom: A study of two online communities and an exploration of issues pertaining to internet research.' 

 

News and Events 

 
8/10/11: Whitty, M. (2011). Friends of Le Monde Diplomatique seminar London: 'Cyberspace: the power of information technology in the modern world'. Friends of Le Monde Diplomatique, London, October 8th, 2011.
 
9/9/11: Whitty, M. (2011). Keynote. European Communication Research & Education Association: Interpersonal Communication & Social Interaction Section. Computer mediated Communication: An Analysis of Online Dating. Belfast, Northern Ireland, September 7-9th 2011.
 
 

Interested in Doing a PhD?

Members of the research group would be interested in supervising research that considers issues of digital identities. Please follow the links above to individual members' web pages for a list of potential topics. Interested in getting involved? Please get in touch with Professor Monica Whitty.