CDN Digital Narrative PhD Summer School

The Center for Digital Narrative invites PhD students who are writing a dissertation on digital narratives to participate in a five-day PhD summer school at the University of Bergen from 10-14 June 2025.

Participants will:

• learn methods for researching digital narratives both from a scholarly and an artistic perspective
• interact with world-leading scholars in digital narrative   
• receive feedback on work in progress from experts and fellow PhD students   
• build a network of colleagues in the field   
• explore beautiful Bergen in June

We welcome applications from PhD students in disciplines such as digital culture, literary studies, game studies, media studies, digital art or design. Applicants can be working on a research-based PhD or a PhD using creative practice or artistic research.

Content of the summer school

The summer school has three main components.

Feedback on writing: Students will share a draft of a chapter or article they are working on. Participants will be assigned to feedback groups that will work together each morning.

Each participant will be asked to read all the drafts for their groups (6-10 people in each group) and to be lead respondents on two drafts. Each student will get 30-50 minutes discussion time for their draft.

Methods workshops: After lunch participants will choose one of two or more methods workshop options led by experts in the field of digital narratives.

Each workshop will be about a specific method that is relevant for the study and creation of digital narratives, e.g. within creative practice, digital humanities, narrative analysis or ethnography.

Keynotes by leading international scholars and practitioners within digital narratives.

Program

Program TBA

Key dates

• 20 December - The full text of the call for abstracts will be published
• 30 January - Applications due, including a 300 word abstract of the article or chapter the participant will be submitted for feedback groups and a 1-2 page summary of the PhD dissertation.
• 1 March - Notification of acceptance
• 25 May - Draft articles or chapters due (3000-7000 words). Participants must set aside time to read drafts from 6-10 other students.

Costs

There is no tuition fee. Lunches, two dinners, and an excursion will be provided by the Center for Digital Narrative. Participants must cover travel and accommodation themselves.

We have two scholarships to cover travel and accommodation for participants without institutional funding who are coming from Africa, South America and South Asia. Please include a letter applying for this with your application if this is relevant for you.