Biographical note
Rim Benyoub graduated from Abou Bakr Belkaid University in Algeria BA in literature and civilisation in 2015, MA in literature and Cultural Studies in 2017 and then participated in a national contest. She was then granted a scholarship to undertake her PhD in the UK. She is currently a second year PhD student at Canterbury Christ Church University, majoring in Media and Cultural Studies.
PhD Research Topic
The Effect of Social Media in The Rise of Modest Fashion: Studying the Role of YouTube and Instagram Influencers in The Empowerment of British Muslim Women, The Effect of Marketing Strategies on Consumer Cultural Norms and Power Distribution in The Industry
Research outline
Rim’s PhD project is based on standard methods of ethnographic and netnographic research, through which she aims to investigate the role of social media platforms in the empowerment of both the influencer and the audience. She has focused her research on two platforms mainly YouTube and Instagram as she explores the politics of these platforms and how they operate. She then investigates the impact of social media influencers in the rise of modest fashion and the empowerment of Muslim women mainly in the UK, while observing how new marketing strategies have been employed by different companies that are taking part in the modest fashion market. Data are collected through interviews and online/offline participant observations of British Muslim social media influencers including producers and designers. Rim’s participant observation and interviews are carried out in different locations mainly in modest fashion shows, personal stores or conferences.
Supervisory Team