Emma Brewis

Profile

Before starting on the White Rose Doctoral Training Programme 1+3, I worked at the University of Leeds on a research project mapping mass atrocity crimes and before that, as research support on a project exploring the 2020 US presidential election. I completed an MA in Conflict, Development and Security in 2021, focussing my thesis on political talk in gaming forums. Following this, I was awarded the White Rose DTP 1+3 Studentship, which required me to complete an MA in Social Research (Interdisciplinary) in 2022/2023  prior to starting my PhD. I joined POLIS as a post-graduate researcher in 2023 supervised by Professor Cristina Leston-Bandeira and Dr Nick Robinson. 

During 2023, I undertook an internship with the Inter-Pariamentary Union (IPU) and the International Parliament Engagament Network (IPEN) which involved some sdministrative work and development of case studies. I continue to work with IPEN in supporting their mission to bring together academics, parliamentary officials and third sector representatives from across the world, to promote collaboration and encourage knowledge sharing around parliaments and public engagement.

Research interests

I am interested in political engagement through online rolelaying games and, more broadly, video games’ connection to politics. In particular, I am interested in the way everyday political talk happens in gaming spaces, the development of social capital and to what extent political and civic actions in games can be seen as political engagement or participation.

Qualifications

• MA Conflict, Development and Security, University of Leeds
• MA Social Research, University of Leeds
• BA Criminology, University of York