Pantelis Vatikiotis
Enrolment: 1 October 2001
Completion: 29 September 2004
Director of Studies: Prof.Steven Barnett
Supervisors: Prof. Annette Hill, Dr.Peter Goodwin
Title of the PhD research Sociological approach of grassroots media practices in Greece
PhD Experience
In retrospect, working on a PhD project seems to me like playing chess against myself (in any case you are the winner, unless you feel fed up with it). The interesting aspect of the process is that you have the control of everything, scheduling every single step of the procedure; however, you are at the same the most regular critic of it (a psychological game).
The research design was a preliminary engagement with the whole project in micro level, providing a framework, and as such giving the confidence of 'being a candidate'. Although you do your best to be as complete as possible, I had to change it plenty of times during the process.
The literature research was a less chaotic work than what I had thought of in the beginning.
There is the Ariadne's (see interest's) clue on your reading that keeps you in the right way. It was challenging enough to follow up diverse theoretical perspectives and reflect upon them.
The period of the fieldwork though stressful manage time, come in contact with research subjects, dealing with trivial problems- was at the same time a break from the monotony of reading, that refilled the batteries for the writing process (though in the meantime I had to undertake the very boring task of transcribing and translating)
The transfer from MPhil to PhD was a way to test the progress of the project, taking a relevant feedback. It was also quite helpful for psychological reasons, going through a procedure close to the Viva one
I used to write drafts of chapters during every stage of my work. It was a way to schedule myself, setting deadlines for every step of the project. As such, the writing process was less time-consuming, though I could not escape the everyday struggle of writing more than a few lines per day...
The university, the research councils, and the supervisors are essential factors for the support and realisation of a project that lasts several years. They provide help, both literally (courses, seminars, and conferences) and normatively giving feedback about your job. However, during such a lonely journey you need psychological support; fellow students and friends were really important in this aspect.
Publications
Releasing Images, in Koukoutsaki, A. (ed.) Representations of the Prison. Athens: Patakis
(forthcoming, September, 2006)
Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture, Special Issue II, ISSN 1744-6716 Communication Theory and Alternative Media (June, 2005)
Media, Culture and Society, Issue: 27. 3, ISSN 0163-4437
Book Review on: Couldry N. & Curran J. (eds.) (2003) Contesting Media Power: Alternative
Media in a Networked World(May, 2005)
Transformations Journal, Issue: 10, ISSN 1444-377
Grassroots Media Practices in Greece: a Sociological Approach (February, 2005)
Current position
Lecturer in Communication, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GreeceContact details
Pantelis VatikiotisBas. Konstantinou 74
P.C. 166 72
Athens
Tel. 0030 210 9656543
E-mail:p_vatikiotis@hotmail.com
