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Research interests

David's current research interests include propaganda and the 'war on terror', corporate communications, corporate power, lobbying, the strategic use of science, corporate influences on academic work, spin and the decline of democratic governance. He is currently working on a project on terror experts.

Research networks

David is the convenor of the Public Interest Research Network which is a collaborative research organisation involving more than one hundred researchers in and outside academia who work together to produce research in the public interest.  David also co-convenes three working groups as part of the Public Interest Research Network, one on Neoliberal Scotland the second jointly with Doug Stokes of Naspir which focuses on Terrorism 'expertise', the Consortium for Research on Terrorology and Political Violence. The third, on Science Communication and Management, focuses on the pressures on natural and social science under neoliberalism and the communication of science issues.

Notable projects

2009

C-SAP awarded around £12,000 to a team from the Teaching About Terrorism Group to study how Terrorism  and political violence are taught across the UK.  The team is led by David Miller (Strathclyde) and includes Marie Breen Smyth (Abersytwyth) and Dave Whyte (Liverpool).

2009
Awarded CASE studentship by ESRC on 'Understanding and communicating Islam in official discourse and policy in Scotland and the UK' in partnership with the Scottish-Islamic Foundation. (with Will Dinan)
2009
SpinProfiles: SpinProfiles is a project launched by Spinwatch in May 2009 which aims to catalogue organisations and individuals involved in managing public debate.  A list of all pages is accessible from the Spinprofiles Project page.
2008-2009
Science communication Awarded £1,700 through the EPSRC Bridging the Gap initiative to foster interdisciplinary activities on science communication and policy.
2008-2009
Neocon Europe: A project monitoring Neoconservative networks in Europe.  More information here.
2008
Awarded CASE studentship by ESRC on Civil Society Uptake of Freedom of Information legislation in partnership with the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner.(with Will Dinan)
2007-2009
Public Interest Research Network A consortium of independent researchers operating since 2005.  In 2007 it was awarded £7,000 by the University of Strathclyde Research Enhancement Fund for developing its networks. http://www.publicinterest.ac.uk
2008-9
Public Services in Scotland This project was funded by Unison to provide a review of public services reforms in Scotland.(£4,500, with Patricia McCafferty)
2008-2009
Terrorism Expertise project Funded by the University of Strathclyde Research Development Fund (£7,500), this project examined the most cited and most prominent experts on 'terrorism' and focused on their activities and connections with government, the military and the intelligence services.  Further work in this area is underway.
2007
Awarded CASE studentship by ESRC on environmental advocacy in partnership with Friends of the Earth (England Wales and Northern Ireland).(with Will Dinan)
2004
Scottish Executive (£45k)
2004
STUC funded project on the Scottish Water industry
2003
Water Customer Consultation Panels Scotland
2000-2003
Corporate Public Relations in British and Multinational companies, funded by the ESRC. 2000-2003

The research aims to map out the extent, scope and practice of public relations activities among the largest British companies and among a small number of multinational corporations. It will collect new data on the provision of public relations capacity in British and selected multinational corporations The project will provide original data on the scale of PR activities and will reveal the factors which determine the form of corporate PR provision among large British and multinational corporations.

The research will endeavour to assess the role of corporate PR in British and international corporate governance and most importantly to link the expansion and provision of corporate PR capacity to specific corporate strategies and decisions. It will attempt to trace the reasons for the expansion of corporate PR and will outline the macro-level strategies followed by corporations in varying sectors of business.

Overall, the project will attempt to describe and analyse the role of corporate PR in national and international governance. To outline the impact of the changing business environment (ie national and international governance, economic conditions and 'globalization') upon the PR strategies used by corporations. The research will be undertaken by means of a survey of the biggest 150 British companies, by interviewing corporate PR personnel and by collecting a wide range of internal documentation, market research data and ephemeral and promotional literature.

2001
Global Media Monitoring Project,
co-ordinated by the World Association for Christian Communication

Olga Wojtas Scottish editor 'Women Sold Short In Media' The Times Higher Education Supplement February 9, 2001, No.1473; Pg.3.

Steve Wilson 'Men still dominate when it comes to political interviews' Sunday Herald Business, Feb 4 2001.

'Uni research finds news bias against women' Stirling Observer, 31/01/01, p5.

Sunday Express, SCOTS MEDIA FAILS WOMEN January 21, 2001.

DO WOMEN MAKE THE NEWS (LOOK GOOD)? University of Stirling news release, 15 January 2001.
1999-2001
Political Communication and the Scottish Parliament funded by the ESRC Devolution programme.

Regard data: http://www.regard.ac.uk/cgi-bin/regardng/formattedAbstract.pl?handle=+a270682251

Official report of SMRI appearance by William Dinan and Philip Schlesinger before the Standards Committee of the Scottish Parliament, 28 February 2001.

Second SMRI submission to the Standards Committee by William Dinan, David Miller and Philip Schlesinger, 28 February 2001.

Submission to Standards Committee Consultation on Lobbying the Scottish Parliament, by William Dinan, David Miller, Philip Schlesinger.
1998-2001
Political Communication and Democracy', Funded by the ESRC 'Media Culture and Media Economics' Programme.

The Times Higher Education Supplement, 'PR's political ambition; Research news', KAM PATEL Issue 1336, June 12, 1998, Pg.8.

1996-1998
Media and Expert Constructions of risk Project funded by the ESRC Risk Programme

1992-1994
Food Panics in the Media project funded by the ESRC Nation's Diet Initiative

1989-1992
AIDS Media Research Project, funded by the ESRC AIDS programme
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