Researcher joins Arts as newest AMTD postdoctoral scholar

The Faculty of Arts is excited to welcome Dr. Emma Brandt, who is joining us through the prestigious AMTD Waterloo Global Talent Postdoctoral Fellowship, a two-year postdoctoral opportunity. AMTD scholars are known for their contributions to transformative and groundbreaking research with significant impact.

Emma Brandt, supervised by Dr. Jordana Cox and Dr. Shana MacDonald from the Department of Communication Arts, is exploring the intersections of media, belief and trust, specifically the consequences of the breakdown of shared media and information systems. Her research investigates how people seek trustworthy information in a context where distrust in expert sources is growing, and state actors manipulate media. “I examine everything from youth news consumption in Serbia to alternative health movements on social media platforms in Canada and the US, using qualitative and ethnographic methods,” says Brandt. “Ultimately, I’m exploring the relationship between information overload, democracy and authoritarianism.”

Brandt’s research on how young people navigate dysfunctional media ecosystems could not be more timely. How do youth decide who and what to trust? Brandt’s fresh perspective brings complex, human stories to fields often dominated by polls and surveys.

“I’m personally energized to have a new colleague to collaborate with on qualitative approaches to news research. I’m excited to see how our methods – historical and ethnographic – challenge and complement each other,” says Cox. “Emma will be a great fit in Communication Arts, a department that shares her commitment to interdisciplinary, and socially-engaged research.”