Einar Thorsen

Professor Einar Thorsen

  • u_ethorsen at bournemouth dot ac dot uk
  • Dean Research, Innovation and Enterprise
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Biography

Einar Thorsen is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Media and Communication at Bournemouth University, and Professor of Journalism and Communication.

Einar is Chair of the Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA), and was previously the Editor of MeCCSA's Newsletter Three-D. He is a former member of the Executive Board of the MeCCSA Postgraduate Network and a founding member of its journal Networking Knowledge. He was also instrumental in setting up the MeCCSA Climate Change, Environment and Sustainability Network.

Chair of the current QAA Subject Benchmark Statement review for Communication, Media, Film and Cultural Studies.

Prior to taking on the role as Executive Dean, he was Deputy Dean Research and Professional Practice, Head of Research for the School of Journalism, English and Communication, and Associate Director of the Centre for the Study of Journalism, Culture and Community, at Bournemouth University. Before joining Bournemouth University in 2010, Einar worked at Teesside University (2008-2010), and as a visiting lecturer at the University of the West of England, Bristol (2005-2007)...

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Research

Currently co-directing Media Action Against Rape (MAAR) with Dr Chindu Sreedharan, a GCRF funded research and capacity building project by Bournemouth University and UNESCO in New Delhi. This is a 20-month study to map the journalistic challenges of reporting rape and sexual violence across India. See http://www.maar.in or @MAARnews for details.

Einar's research covers online journalism, citizens' voices, and news reporting of crisis and political change - inextricably linked with protecting freedom of speech, human rights, and civil liberties - especially for journalists, vulnerable people, marginalised groups, and in contexts or countries where such liberties are being curtailed. Dr Thorsen has co-edited several books, including: Media, Margins and Civic Agency and Media, Margins and Popular Culture (with Jackson, Savigny and Alexander, 2015), India Election: 2014 First Reflections (with Sreedharan, 2015) and two volumes of Citizen Journalism: Global Perspectives (with Stuart Allan, Volume 1: 2009, Volume 2: 2014). He has also published articles on online communication security, whistleblowers in the digital age, public service media online, Wikinews and WikiLeaks.

He has a PhD in Journalism Studies from Bournemouth University, funded by the AHRC. The thesis focused on civic engagement and representation of citizen voices on the BBC News website.

Einar welcomes PhD proposals from prospective students in any of the above areas or generally within the field of journalism studies.

Favourites

Journal Articles

Books

Chapters

  • Sreedharan, C. and Thorsen, E., 2020. Reporting from the 'inner circle': Afno Manche and commitment to community in post-earthquake Nepal. Media Journalism and Disaster Communities. 35-52.
  • Matthews, J. and Thorsen, E., 2020. Introduction: Media, journalism and disaster communities. Media Journalism and Disaster Communities. 1-16.
  • Thorsen, E., 2017. Afterword: Clinton, trump, and artificial intelligence. 265-270.
  • Thorsen, E., 2016. Citizen Participation and Remediation Across Media. News Across Media Production Distribution and Consumption. 48-66.
  • Thorsen, E., Jackson, D. and Luce, A., 2015. Citizen journalism and civic inclusion: Access Dorset. In: Gordon, E. and Mihalidis, P., eds. Civic Media Reader. MIT Press.
  • Thorsen, E., Jackson, D. and Luce, A., 2015. ‘I wouldn’t be a victim when it comes to being heard’: Citizen journalism and civic inclusion. Media Margins and Civic Agency. 43-61.
  • Alexander, J., Savigny, H., Thorsen, E. and Jackson, D., 2015. Introduction: Marginalised voices, representations and practices. 1-12.
  • Sreedharan, C. and Thorsen, E., 2015. Marginalised voices and the Modification of the Indian media. India Election 2014: First Reflections. Bournemouth: Centre for the Study of Journalism, Culture and Community, Bournemouth University, 7-13.
  • Thorsen, E., 2014. Live reporting terror: remediating citizen crisis communication. In: Allan, S., ed. Citizen Journalism: Global Perspectives, Volume Two. Peter Lang, 127-142.
  • Thorsen, E., 2013. Routinisation of Audience Participation: BBC News Online, Citizenship and Democratic Debate. In: Scullion, R., Gerodimos, R., Jackson, D. and Lilleker, D., eds. The Media, Political Participation and Empowerment. Routledge.
  • Thorsen, E., 2013. Student Wiki Pages: Online collaboration in a networked environment. Exploring collaborative learning in Higher Education media education programmes. Higher Education Academy.
  • Thorsen, E., Sreedharan, C. and Allan, S., 2013. WikiLeaks and Whistleblowing: The Framing of Bradley Manning. In: Brevini, B., Hintz, A. and McCurdy, P., eds. eyond WikiLeaks: Implications for the Future of Communications, Journalism and Society. Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Thorsen, E., 2013. Live Blogging and Social Media Curation: Challenges and Opportunities for Journalism. In: Fowler-Watt, K. and Allan, S., eds. Journalism: New Challenges. Poole, England: CJCR: Centre for Journalism & Communication Research, Bournemouth University, 123-145.
  • Thorsen, E., 2012. The Second Digital Wave: BBC News Online, Embedded Video and the iPlayer. In: Burns, M. and Brügger, N., eds. Histories of Public Service Broadcasters on the Web. New York: Peter Lang, 17-30.
  • Sreedharan, C., Thorsen, E. and Allan, S., 2012. WikiLeaks and the changing forms of information politics in the ‘network society’. In: Downey, E. and Jones, M.A., eds. Public Service, and Web 2.0 Technologies: Future Trends in Social Media. IGI Global.
  • Sreedharan, C., Thorsen, E. and Allan, S., 2011. WikiLeaks and the changing forms of information politics in the ‘network society’. In: Downey, E. and Jones, M.A., eds. Public Service, and Web 2.0 Technologies: Future Trends in Social Media. IGI Global.
  • Allan, S. and Thorsen, E., 2010. Journalism, Public Service and BBC News Online. In: Meikle, G. and Redden, G., eds. News Online: Transformations and Continuities. Basingstoke, England: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Thorsen, E., 2010. BBC News Online: A Brief History of Past and Present. In: Brügger, N., ed. Web History. New York: Peter Lang, 213-232.
  • Thorsen, E., 2009. Blogging the Climate Change Crisis from Antarctica. In: Allan, S., ed. Citizen Journalism: Global Perspectives. New York: Peter Lang, 107-117.
  • Thorsen, E., Allan, S. and Carter, C., 2009. Citizenship and Public Service: The Case of BBC News Online. In: Monaghan, G. and Tunney, S., eds. Web Journalism: A New Form of Citizenship?. Eastbourne: Sussex Academic Press.

Conferences

  • Sreedharan, C., Thorsen, E. and Gouthi, A., 2019. The Journalism of Rape: an inquiry into how sexual violence is reported in the Indian media. In: Revisiting, Reviewing, and Restructuring Spaces for Urban Women, Gender Conference 1-3 March 2019 Pune, India.
  • Thorsen, E. and Sreedharan, C., 2019. Rape and Sexual Violence in the News: Comparing Ten Newspapers Across Six Languages in India. In: MeCCSA 2019 Conference 9-11 January 2019 Stirling.
  • Jackson, D. and Thorsen, E., 2018. Live blogging across the genres: seven characteristics defining online news formats. In: Political Studies Association Annual Conference 26-28 March 2018 Cardiff University.
  • Thorsen, E. and Jackson, D., 2017. Changing sourcing practices in live blogging vs online news. In: Future of Journalism Annual Conference 14-15 October 2017 Cardiff.
  • Thorsen, E. and Jackson, D., 2017. Sourcing practices and the demotic voice in live blogging vs online news. In: International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) Annual Conference 16-20 July 2017 Cartagena, Colombia.
  • Jackson, D. and Thorsen, E., 2017. Mixed Feelings: Future Journalists' Perspectives on News Industries Across the World. In: International Communication Association Annual Conference 25-29 May 2017 San Diego, USA.
  • Jackson, D. and Thorsen, E., 2016. Sourcing the crisis: live blogging, news sources and the demotic turn. In: Political Studies Association Media and Politics Group Annual Conference 12-13 December 2016 LSE, London.
  • Luce, A., Jackson, D. and Thorsen, E., 2016. ADTV and The Big Issue: Journalism Education for Marginalised People. In: World Journalism Education Congress 13-17 July 2016 Auckland, New Zealand.
  • Jackson, D. and Thorsen, E., 2016. The only certainty is change: future journalists’ perspectives on news industries across the world. In: ECREA (European Communication Research and Education Association) Annual Conference 9-13 November 2016 Prague.
  • Thorsen, E., Jackson, D. and Luce, A., 2016. "The people must have their voices”: Empowering marginalised groups through citizen journalism’. In: International Association for Media and Communications Research World Congress 10-13 July 2014 Hyderabad, India.
  • Jackson, D. and Thorsen, E., 2016. UK Journalism Students: Uncertain times, uncertain identities. In: IAMCR Annual Conference 27-31 July 2016 Leicester, UK.
  • Thorsen, E., 2016. Surveillance, encryption and citizenship. In: International Communication Association Annual Conference 9-13 June 2016 Fukuoka, Japan.
  • Jackson, D. and Thorsen, E., 2016. "Have your say" and then what? Re-conceiving the civic turn in political journalism. In: Political Studies Association Annual Conference 21-23 March 2016 Brighton.
  • Luce, A., Thorsen, E. and Jackson, D., 2016. ADTV and The Big Issue: journalism education for marginalised people. In: Annual MeCCSA Conference 6-8 January 2016 Canterbury Christ Church University.
  • Thorsen, E., 2015. Social media curation and live reporting of crisis: challenges for journalists and researchers. In: Social Media Research Group 10 November 2015 Middlesex University.
  • Thorsen, E., 2015. News, source protection and online communication security. In: The Future of Journalism Conference 10-11 September 2015 Cardiff University.
  • Feigenbaum, A., Thorsen, E. and Jackson, D., 2015. Data Stories: Visualising Sensitive Subjects. In: Data Power 22-23 June 2015 University of Sheffield.
  • Salter, L. and Thorsen, E., 2015. ‘Off the Radar: Understanding Privacy, Activism and Threat in Civil Society and the State’. In: Surveillance and Citizenship: State-Media-Citizen Relations after the Snowden Leaks 18-19 June 2015 Cardiff University.
  • Thorsen, E., 2015. “Things I Wish I’d Known Before”: Perspectives on Early Career Development. In: Annual MeCCSA Conference 7-9 January 2015 Northumbria University.
  • Daniel, J. and Elgendy, R., 2015. RENEGOTIATING POWER, THEOLOGY, AND POLITICS. RENEGOTIATING POWER, THEOLOGY, AND POLITICS, 1-13.
  • Jackson, D., Thorsen, E. and Luce, A., 2014. Citizen journalism for empowerment: Moving in from the margins? In: ECREA Annual Conference 12-15 November 2014 Lisbon.
  • Thorsen, E., 2014. Citizen participation and remediation from a cross media perspective. In: ECREA Annual Conference 12-15 November 2014 Lisbon.
  • Thorsen, E., Jackson, D. and Luce, A., 2014. “The People Must Have Their Voices”: Empowering Marginalised Groups Through Citizen Journalism. In: IAMCR Annual Conference 15-19 July 2014 Hyderabad, India.
  • Thorsen, E., 2014. “The Mass Collaboration of Strangers”: participatory journalism and transnational crisis. In: Journalistiske nyorienteringer 4 March 2014 University of Bergen.
  • Thorsen, E., Jackson, D. and Luce, A., 2014. Empowering disabled and older people through citizen journalism. In: Annual MeCCSA Conference 8-10 January 2014 Bournemouth University.
  • Thorsen, E., 2013. Reddit, online talk and rational critical debate. In: Political Studies Association’s Media and Politics Annual Conference 13-14 November 2013 Bournemouth University.
  • Thorsen, E., 2013. Live reporting terror: online news and citizen crisis communication. In: Future of Journalism Conference 12-13 September 2013 Cardiff University.
  • Thorsen, E., Allan, S. and Patrick, C., 2013. Citizen imagery and reporting of Gaddafi’s capture. In: Media, War & Conflict Fifth Anniversary Conference 11-12 April 2013 Royal Holloway, University of London.
  • Thorsen, E., 2013. Survivor blogging: reporting emotion and trauma after Utøya. In: The Future of Humanitarian Reporting 6 March 2013 City Centre for Law, Justice & Journalism, City University London.
  • Thorsen, E., 2013. News After the Oslo and Utøya Attacks: challenges for online live reporting of crisis. In: Annual MeCCSA Conference 9-11 January 2013 University of Ulster.
  • Thorsen, E., Allan, S. and Patrick, C., 2013. Citizen imagery and reporting of Gaddafi’s capture. In: Media, War & Conflict Fifth Anniversary Conference 11-12 April 2013 Royal Holloway, University of London.
  • Thorsen, E., Sreedharan, C. and Allan, S., 2013. WikiLeaks and Whistleblowing: The Framing of Bradley Manning. In: International Communication Association Annual Conference 17-21 June 2013 London.
  • Thorsen, E., 2012. Peer Support Networks and Doctoral Supervision in Media, Communication and Cultural Studies. In: Annual MeCCSA Conference 2012 11-13 January 2012 University of Bedfordshire.
  • Thorsen, E. and Wallace, S., 2012. Blended and technology enhanced learning in journalism education. In: Fusion in Action: Knowledge exchange with students, society and the professions 18 April 2012 Bournemouth University.
  • Thorsen, E., 2012. Student Wiki Pages: collaboration in a networked learning environment. In: Exploring collaborative learning 3 May 2012 University of Winchester.
  • Allan, S., Thorsen, E. and Patrick, C., 2012. “Shut up you dog”: Online reporting of Gaddafi’s capture and death. In: Media and the Arab Spring 14-15 April 2012 Clinton Institute, University College Dublin.
  • Thorsen, E., 2012. Citizen participation in global journalism. In: Global Journalism Day 15 May 2012 Örebro University, Sweden.
  • Allan, S., Thorsen, E. and Patrick, C., 2012. Citizen Imagery: Online reporting of Gaddafi’s capture. In: Frontlines of Conflict Seminar Series, Bournemouth University 29 May 2012 Frontline Club, London.
  • Thorsen, E. and Wallace, S., 2012. News websites in journalism education: an international survey of staff and student experiences. In: Annual AJE Conference: Innovation in Journalism Education 21-22 June 2012 University of Central Lancashire.
  • Thorsen, E., 2012. News After the Oslo and Utøya Attacks. In: Journalism and Innovation symposium hosted by Bournemouth University Journalism Research Group 7 September 2012 Institute for War and Peace Reporting, London.
  • Thorsen, E., Sreedharan, C. and Allan, S., 2011. The media politics of WikiLeaks: public service or enemy of state? In: The Media Studies Conference 6-8 July 2011 BFI, London.
  • Thorsen, E., Sreedharan, C. and Allan, S., 2011. WikiLeaks: public service or enemy of state? In: Annual MeCCSA Conference 2011 12-14 January 2011 University of Salford, England..
  • Thorsen, E., Sreedharan, C., Allan, S. and Andén-Papadopoulos, K., 2011. Truth and transparency: the media politics of Wikileaks. In: International Association for Media and Communications Research World Congress 13-17 July 2011 Istanbul, Turkey.
  • Thorsen, E., Sreedharan, C. and Allan, S., 2011. Journalism, transparency and accountability: WikiLeaks and the war in Iraq. In: The Future of Journalism Conference 8-9 September 2011 Cardiff University.
  • Thorsen, E., 2011. Routinisation of Audience Participation: BBC News Online, Citizenship and Democratic Debate. In: Political Studies Association’s Media and Politics Annual Conference 3-4 November 2011 Bournemouth University.
  • Thorsen, E., 2011. BBC News Online and the Routinisation of ‘Healthy Democratic Debate’. In: Modes of Communication, Deliberation and Democratic Values 10-11 November 2011 Aarhus University.
  • Thorsen, E., 2011. Peer Support Networks and the Postgraduate Research Environment. In: Art, Design, Media Creative Learning and Teaching Day 29 November 2011 London.
  • Thorsen, E., 2011. Student Wiki Pages: e-learning strategy for collaborative student notes. In: The Media Education Summit 6-7 September 2011 London.
  • Thorsen, E., 2011. News After the Oslo and Utøya Attacks. In: Journalism Research Group Seminar 14 December 2011 Bournemouth University.
  • Thorsen, E., 2011. The media politics of WikiLeaks. In: Journalism Research Group Seminar 11 May 2011 Bournemouth University.
  • Thorsen, E., 2011. Environmental Spectacles: Citizens, Scientists and Celebrities. In: Spectacular Environmentalisms: Celebrity and the Mediation of Environmental Change 7-8 July 2011 King’s College London.
  • Thorsen, E., 2010. BBC Newsroom Convergence, Online Journalism and Citizenship during the 2005 and 2010 UK General Elections. In: International Association for Media and Communications Research World Congress 18-22 July 2010 Portugal.
  • Thorsen, E., 2010. BBC News Online, the iPlayer and embedded video: redefining forms and practices of (online) journalism. In: MeCCSA 2010 Conference 6-8 January 2010 London School of Economics.
  • Thorsen, E., 2010. Confronting issues of ICTs, the environment and citizenship. In: IAMCR Conference 2010: Communication and Citizenship 18-22 July 2010 Braga, Portugal.
  • Thorsen, E., 2009. Antarctic Blogging: Scientists Reporting On Climate Change During the International Polar Year (2007 – 2008). In: MeCCSA conference 2009 14-16 January 2009 University of Bradford.
  • Thorsen, E., 2008. Teaching media studies to multimedia scientists. In: The Challenge of New Media: Teaching and Learning in the New Media Ecology 12 December 2008 ADM-HEA and UWE, Bristol.
  • Thorsen, E., 2008. Have your say’ and then what? Civic Engagement, BBC News Online and the 2005 UK General Election. In: International Association for Media and Communications Research World Congress (IAMCR 2008) 20-25 July 2008 Stockholm University, Sweden.
  • Thorsen, E. and Allan, S., 2008. Developing Public Service Standards Online: The First Ten Years of BBC News Online. In: International Association for Media and Communications Research World Congress (IAMCR 2008) 20-25 July 2008 Stockholm University, Sweden.
  • Thorsen, E., 2008. User Generated Content: The Consumer Framing of Citizen Contributions. In: Fifth MeCCSA Postgraduate Network Conference 2008 1-2 July 2008 University of Sussex, Brighton.
  • Thorsen, E., 2008. Online News and Citizens’ voices: BBC News Online and the 2005 General Election. In: MeCCSA Conference 2008 9-11 January 2008 Cardiff University, Wales.
  • Thorsen, E., 2007. ‘Have your say’ and then what? Civic Engagement, BBC News Online and the 2005 General Election. In: Fourth Annual MeCCSa Postgraduate Conference 12-13 July 2007 University of the West of England, Bristol.
  • Thorsen, E., 2007. 'Have your say' and Public Service Blogging: Empowering the electorate? In: ICS International Postgraduate Conference: Communication Technologies of Empowerment 18 May 2007 University of Leeds, England.

Reports

Internet Publications

Theses

Artefacts

PhD Students

  • Yomna Kamel. News, the Internet and Political Protest: Al-Jazeera, BBC and Reuters Reporting of the Arab Spring and its Aftermath (graduated in 2015)
  • Amal Almoualed. The influence of Twitter on journalism practices in Saudi Arabia
  • Confidence Uwazuruwike. Domestic Terrorism in Nigeria: News Reporting of the Boko Haram sect
  • Hua Li. Democracy in the News: Comparative analysis of newspaper reporting in Hong Kong and Mainland China from 2014 to 2018
  • Hussain Aldossari. Data journalism practises in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states
  • Louise Matthews. Tweeting on the Beat: the use of social media by police, their publics, and crime reporters
  • Minh Tran. Science journalism in Vietnam
  • Paul Bradshaw. Data journalism forms, practices and innovation: an investigation into emerging practices in data sourcing, analysis, storytelling and distribution [Practice-led PhD]
  • Walaa Bajnaid. The Role of Social Media in Enhancing Saudi Women’s Rights

Profile of Teaching PG

  • Dissertation
  • Environment, Conflict and Crisis News
  • Journalism in Global Contexts
  • New Media Innovation
  • Production Project & Critical Analysis

Profile of Teaching UG

  • Web Communication
  • Dissertation

Grants

  • Media and Gender and Development in India (MAGDI): Capacity building and impact acceleration partnership with UNESCO (Global Challenges Research Fund, 02 Apr 2018). In Progress
  • Media and Gender and Development in India (MAGDI): Capacity building and impact acceleration partnership with UNESCO (Global Challenges Research Fund, 02 Apr 2018). In Progress
  • Interactive Data Forecasting and Modelling for NHS England's 'prevention at scale' initiative (MRes) (Public Health Dorset, 02 Apr 2018). In Progress
  • Interactive Data Forecasting and Modelling for NHS England's 'prevention at scale' initiative (MRes) (Public Health Dorset, 02 Apr 2018). In Progress
  • Data Storytelling for Public Health Dorset (Public Health Dorset, 01 Jun 2017). Completed
  • Data Storytelling for Public Health Dorset (Public Health Dorset, 01 Jun 2017). Completed
  • EU Referendum Analysis 2016: media, voters and the campaign (Political Studies Association (PSA), 04 Jul 2016). Completed
  • EU Referendum Analysis 2016: media, voters and the campaign (Political Studies Association (PSA), 04 Jul 2016). Completed
  • Aftershock Nepal: journalism after the earthquake (Bournemouth University, 01 Mar 2016). Completed
  • Aftershock Nepal: journalism after the earthquake (Bournemouth University, 01 Mar 2016). Completed
  • Connect India (Bournemouth University, 11 Jan 2016). In Progress
  • This is where I study: Social Journalism on Facebook (Bournemouth University, Fusion Investment Fund, FIF strand: Co-creation and co-production, 01 Feb 2015). Completed
  • Access Dorset TV (ADTV) Citizen Journalism Project (Bournemouth University, 01 Sep 2013). In Progress
  • Strategies for use of news websites in journalism education (Association of Journalism Educators, 01 Jan 2012). Completed

External Responsibilities

  • University of Sussex, External Examiner (MA) (2018-)
  • Canterbury Christ Church University, External Examiner (BA) (2018-)
  • The Media Reform Coalition (MRC), Member of the Co-ordinating Committee (2018-), http://www.mediareform.org.uk/
  • London School of Economics (LSE), PhD Examiner (2017-)
  • Robert Gordon University, PhD Examiner (2015-)
  • Cardiff University, External Examiner (MA) (2014-2018), http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/
  • University of Leeds, External Examiner (BA) (2013-2016), http://www.leeds.ac.uk/
  • La Trobe University, Melbourne Victoria Australia, PhD Examiner (2013-), http://www.latrobe.edu.au/
  • University of Liverpool, PhD Examiner (2013-), http://www.liv.ac.uk/
  • Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA), Member of Executive Committee (2009-), http://meccsa.org.uk/
  • Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA), Editor of Three-D (ISSN 2041-627X) (2009-), http://www.meccsa.org.uk/
  • Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA), Joint Founding Editor of Networking Knowledge (2007-2009), http://ojs.meccsa.org.uk/networkingknowledge

Public Engagement & Outreach Activities

  • Aftershock Nepal (01 Jan 2015-01 Jan 2016)
  • Project India (01 Jan 2014)

Qualifications

  • PGCE in Research Degree Supervision (Bournemouth University, 2011)
  • PhD in Journalism (Bournemouth University, 2009)
  • MA in Cultural and Media Studies (University of the West of England, Bristol, 2005)
  • BSc (Hons) in Electronic Imaging and Media Communications (University of Bradford, 2002)

Honours

  • Vice Chancellor’s Award for Educational Innovation of the Year (Bournemouth University, 2011)

Memberships