Dilara Asardag

I completed my Bachelor's studies in Media and Communication at the Goldsmiths College, University of London and my Master's studies in Media and Global Communication at the University of Helsinki. My Master's thesis was awarded the Best Master's Thesis award in 2016. I am interested in questions surrounding the body, affect, subjectivity, performativity, and embodiment pertaining to internet cultures and offline everyday life, and often times the fluidity of both. Comprehending how bodies, worlds and discourses come into being and get constructed through the media where power is enacted, secured and resisted is central to my research interests. My work is transdisciplinary, cutting across different fields and realms of thought and standing at the intersection of media studies, gender & sexuality studies, cultural studies and digital anthropology. My work brings together feminist theory, media theory, social theory, queer theory and postcolonialism. Justice and equality are important components of my work. I would like to utilize experimental, creative ethnographic methods in my doctoral research. I also have a keen interest in visual cultures and performing arts; photography, cinema and contemporary dance. Currently, my doctoral research project at the Tampere University is related to gender-based violence, online and offline advocacy/ activist campaigns and subjectivity construction by the feminist and LGBTIQ people, activists and organizations.

Prior to my doctoral studies, I worked as a researcher and teaching assistant at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium where I was involved in several European-level projects. For example I was part of a research project for EENCA: European Expert Network on Culture and Audiovisual where the research overall examined the current situation of women in the audiovisual sector in Europe and the initiatives and activities implemented to support women in the audiovisual sector. The study was based on an analysis of a wide range of reports and interviews with experts. Furthermore, I have experience in teaching and leading seminars for Bachelor of Social Sciences students and also I acted as a supervisor and co-supervisor for Bachelor and Master's theses at the same university. 

Academic Conferences:

IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research) June 2018 Conference/ Oregon, USA

• Presented Paper: “An ideal subject for neo-liberal times? An Analysis of Angelina Jolie’s subjectivity construction in the media from a critical feminist perspective”

AOIR (Association of Internet Researchers) October 2019 Conference/ Brisbane, Australia

• Presented Paper: “C’est quoi post-truth, New Era or Time-immemorial? Conceptual Reflections for Democracy, Power and Free Speech”

EMMA (European Media Management Association) June 2020 Conference paper nominated for the Best Paper Award/ Jönköping, Sweden

• Paper: “Finally beyond the status quo? An Analysis of Steps Taken to Improve Gender Equality in the European Audiovisual Sector”

IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research) July 2020 Online Conference attended/ Tampere,Finland

• Paper: “Finally beyond the status quo? An Analysis of Steps Taken to Improve Gender Equality in the European Audiovisual Sector”

Award: 

Best Master's Thesis Award in 2016- Media and Communications Studies at the University of Helsinki

Asardag, D. and Donders,K. (2020). C’est quoi post-truth, new era or time-immemorial? Conceptual reflections for democracy, power and free speech. International Communication Gazette. 0(0) 1–21

Komorowski, M. and Asardag, D. (2020). Gender gaps in the Cultural and Creative Sectors. European Expert Network on Culture and Audiovisual (EENCA): The Audiovisual Sector (Chapter 4.3). [report]

Asardag, D. and Komorowski, M. (2020). POLICY BRIEF #35 Finally beyond the status quo? An analysis of steps taken to improve gender equality in the European audiovisual sector. The current state of women in the audiovisual sector in Europe. [policy brief]