Motherhood in the Digital Era: The Intersection of Cyborgs, Social Media, and Maternal Surveillance
Motherhood in the Digital Era: The Intersection of Cyborgs, Social Media, and Maternal Surveillance
CoRA (Centre of Research in the Arts) at Oxford Brookes University invites proposals for MA by Research projects examining motherhood in the digital era. This offers students the opportunity to analyse a topic of their choosing relating to the often silent, but highly influential intersection of motherhood and technology. We can support students to undertake investigations that incorporate perspectives from Cyborg Theory, Media Studies, Critical Posthumanism, and Feminist Theory, exploring how digital technologies redefine the bodily maternal experience.
Project proposals may include, but are not limited to:
- how mothers engage with digital platforms like social media, where their bodies and motherhood practices are both showcased and monitored.
- how the digital space transforms the concept of maternal identity, especially through the lens of cyborg theory, where mothers are connected to or dependent on digital technologies.
- the phenomenon of “mom influencers” and the commodification of motherhood in the digital age.
Projects in this area will likely be supervised by Dr Antonia Mackay and Professor Alex Goody.
Mode: Full time (1 year) or part time (2 years).
To apply for this MA by Research project, please apply directly through the Oxford Brookes website, selecting the option ‘Arts – MA (Research)’. In the box for ‘Area or Topic of Research’, please indicate that you are applying for the ‘Motherhood and Cyberspace Project’.
You will be invited to provide:
- A Summary of your Research Proposal (1500 characters) outlining how you would approach the project. This should give an idea of your intended approach and research interests. You will be supported to develop this fully during the early period of Registration.
- A Personal Statement (6000 characters) detailing your qualifications and/or relevant experience for the project.
- A short Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Either a sample of writing, or a portfolio of practice – as most relevant to your proposed project. (We would anticipate a writing sample for a theory-based project, and a portfolio of work for a practice-based project).
- References
For an informal discussion about this research project, please contact Dr Antonia Mackay: antoniamackay@brookes.ac.uk. Or for a discussion about the broader MA by Research programme please contact Dr Alex Bickley Trott: atrott@brookes.ac.uk
The initial deadline for applications is 25th May 2025. Late applications can be accepted at the discretion of the programme team, so please contact us to discuss any late applications you wish to have considered.
The full fees for the MA by Research can be found on the Oxford Brookes website. For 24/25 these are:
Home (UK) full time: £4,886
Home (UK) part time: £2,443
International full time: £17,100
International part time: £8,550