Overview
Background
Nicholas Carah is Director of the Centre for Digital Cultures & Societies in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences and Professor in the School of Communication and Arts. He is an Associate Investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, and a Chief Investigator on ARC Discovery and Linkage projects. In 2023, they were Deputy Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. Nicholas' research examines the algorithmic and participatory advertising model of digital media platforms, with a sustained focus on digital alcohol marketing. Nicholas is the author of Media and Society: Power, Platforms & Participation (2021), Brand Machines, Sensory Media and Calculative Culture (2016), Media and Society: production, content and participation (2015), Pop Brands: branding, popular music and young people (2010). And, co-editor of Digital Intimate Publics and Social Media (2018) and Conflict in My Outlook (2022). Nicholas is a Director and Deputy Chair of the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education.
Availability
- Professor Nicholas Carah is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Works
Search Professor Nicholas Carah’s works on UQ eSpace
2023
Journal Article
#Cottagecore, #futurecore, #sadcore: using critical simulation to explore the interplay between machine vision and vernacular instragram aesthetics
Burgess, Jean, Carah, Nicholas, Brown, Maria-Gemma and Angus, Daniel (2023). #Cottagecore, #futurecore, #sadcore: using critical simulation to explore the interplay between machine vision and vernacular instragram aesthetics. AoIR Selected Papers of Internet Research. doi: 10.5210/spir.v2022i0.12980
2023
Other Outputs
Alcohol advertising on social media platforms – A 1-year snapshot
Hayden, Lauren, Brownbill, Aimee, Angus, Daniel, Carah, Nicholas, Tan, Xue Ying, Hawker, Kiah, Dobson, Amy and Robards, Brady (2023). Alcohol advertising on social media platforms – A 1-year snapshot. Canberra, ACT, Australia: Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education.
2023
Other Outputs
A citizen science approach to monitoring unhealthy industry digital marketing to young people: The Social Media & Unhealthy Marketing Project: final report
Robards, Brady, Carah, Nicholas, Rangiah, Lillian, Roberts, Steven, De Lazzari, Chiara, Brown, Maria-Gemma, Elliott, Karla, Tanner, Claire, Savic, Michael and Dobson, Amy (2023). A citizen science approach to monitoring unhealthy industry digital marketing to young people: The Social Media & Unhealthy Marketing Project: final report. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Monash University; The University of Queensland.
2022
Journal Article
Limbic platform capitalism: understanding the contemporary marketing of health-demoting products on social media
Lyons, Antonia C., Goodwin, Ian, Carah, Nicholas, Young, Jessica, Moewaka Barnes, Angela and McCreanor, Timothy (2022). Limbic platform capitalism: understanding the contemporary marketing of health-demoting products on social media. Addiction Research and Theory, 31 (3), 1-6. doi: 10.1080/16066359.2022.2124976
2022
Journal Article
Optimizing looking and buying on Instagram: tracing the platformization of advertising and retail on mobile social media
Carah, Nicholas, Brown, Maria-Gemma and Hickman, Sarah (2022). Optimizing looking and buying on Instagram: tracing the platformization of advertising and retail on mobile social media. Television and New Media, 24 (4), 152747642211230-396. doi: 10.1177/15274764221123033
2022
Other Outputs
Timeline of the development of Instagram's promotional culture and advertising model (2010-2020)
Brown, Maria-Gemma, Hickman, Sarah and Carah, Nicholas (2022). Timeline of the development of Instagram's promotional culture and advertising model (2010-2020). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/7c94074
2022
Other Outputs
Advertisements on digital platforms: how transparent and observable are they?
Hawker, Kiah, Carah, Nicholas, Angus, Daniel, Brownbill, Aimee, Tan, Xue Ying (Jane), Dobson, Amy and Robards, Brady (2022). Advertisements on digital platforms: how transparent and observable are they?. Canberra, ACT, Australia: Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education.
2022
Journal Article
Turning users into ‘unofficial brand ambassadors’: marketing of unhealthy food and non-alcoholic beverages on TikTok
Brooks, Ruby, Christidis, Rebecca, Carah, Nicholas, Kelly, Bridget, Martino, Florentine and Backholer, Kathryn (2022). Turning users into ‘unofficial brand ambassadors’: marketing of unhealthy food and non-alcoholic beverages on TikTok. BMJ Global Health, 7 (6) e009112, 1-9. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009112
2022
Book Chapter
Cloud, breath, bling, exhaust: an introduction
Arden, Holly and Carah, Nicholas (2022). Cloud, breath, bling, exhaust: an introduction. Conflict in my outlook. (pp. 6-13) edited by Anna Briers, Nicholas Carah and Holly Arden. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Perimeter Editions.
2022
Book
Conflict in my outlook
Anna Briers, Nicholas Carah and Holly Arden eds. (2022). Conflict in my outlook. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Perimeter Editions.
2022
Journal Article
Tuning machines: an approach to exploring how Instagram’s machine vision operates on and through digital media’s participatory visual cultures
Carah, Nicholas, Angus, Daniel and Burgess, Jean (2022). Tuning machines: an approach to exploring how Instagram’s machine vision operates on and through digital media’s participatory visual cultures. Cultural Studies, 37 (1), 1-26. doi: 10.1080/09502386.2022.2042578
2022
Book Chapter
Regulating platforms’ algorithmic brand culture: the instructive case of alcohol marketers on social media
Carah, Nicholas and Brodmerkel, Sven (2022). Regulating platforms’ algorithmic brand culture: the instructive case of alcohol marketers on social media. Digital platform regulation global perspectives on internet governance. (pp. 111-130) edited by Terry Flew and Fiona R. Martin. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-95220-4_6
2022
Book Chapter
Popular music in a brand culture
Carah, Nicholas and Hawker, Kiah (2022). Popular music in a brand culture. The Bloomsbury Handbook of Popular Music and Youth Culture. (pp. 445-466) New York, NY United States: Bloomsbury.
2021
Journal Article
The promotional culture of social media and search platforms: an original article by Tom O’Regan and a commentary by Nicholas Carah
O’Regan, Tom and Carah, Nicholas (2021). The promotional culture of social media and search platforms: an original article by Tom O’Regan and a commentary by Nicholas Carah. Media International Australia, 180 (1), 64-82. doi: 10.1177/1329878x211010784
2021
Journal Article
Summarising the impacts of the Queensland Alcohol-related violence and Night-Time Economy (QUANTEM) project
Miller, Peter G., Coomber, Kerri, de Andrade, Dominique, Livingston, Michael, Puljević, Cheneal, Vakidis, Thea, Carah, Nicholas, Taylor, Nicholas, Burn, Michele, Curtis, Ashlee, Room, Robin, Clough, Alan, Najman, Jake, Scott, Debbie, Mayshak, Richelle and Ferris, Jason (2021). Summarising the impacts of the Queensland Alcohol-related violence and Night-Time Economy (QUANTEM) project. Drug and Alcohol Review, 40 (5) dar.13272, 755-760. doi: 10.1111/dar.13272
2021
Journal Article
Queensland Alcohol-related violence and Night-time Economy Monitoring (QUANTEM): rationale and overview
Miller, Peter G., Coomber, Kerri, de Andrade, Dominique, Livingston, Michael, Puljević, Cheneal, Vakidis, Thea, Carah, Nicholas, Taylor, Nicholas, Burn, Michele, Curtis, Ashlee, Chikritzhs, Tanya, Room, Robin, Clough, Alan, Najman, Jake, Scott, Debbie, Mayshak, Richelle and Ferris, Jason (2021). Queensland Alcohol-related violence and Night-time Economy Monitoring (QUANTEM): rationale and overview. Drug and Alcohol Review, 40 (5) dar.13270, 1-5. doi: 10.1111/dar.13270
2021
Journal Article
The impact of the Queensland Government's Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Policy on live music performances in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Australia
Puljević, Cheneal, Carah, Nicholas, Miller, Peter G., Wood, Barbara, MacFarlane, Callum, Kilpatrick, Emily, Goold, Lachlan, Regan, Scott and Ferris, Jason (2021). The impact of the Queensland Government's Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Policy on live music performances in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Australia. Drug and Alcohol Review, 40 (5) dar.13274, 1-8. doi: 10.1111/dar.13274
2021
Journal Article
Connected and consuming: applying a deep learning algorithm to quantify alcoholic beverage prevalence in user-generated instagram images
Norman, Thomas, Bonela, Abraham Albert, He, Zhen, Angus, Daniel, Carah, Nicholas and Kuntsche, Emmanuel (2021). Connected and consuming: applying a deep learning algorithm to quantify alcoholic beverage prevalence in user-generated instagram images. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, 29 (5), 1-8. doi: 10.1080/09687637.2021.1915249
2021
Journal Article
The impact of Queensland's Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Policy on nightlife and business trade
Ferris, Jason, PuljeviĆ, Cheneal, Taylor, Nicholas, De Andrade, Dominique, Carah, Nicholas, Coomber, Kerri, Mayshak, Richelle, Grant, Kristy and Miller, Peter G. (2021). The impact of Queensland's Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Policy on nightlife and business trade. Drug and Alcohol Review, 40 (5) dar.13271, 1-9. doi: 10.1111/dar.13271
2021
Other Outputs
Critical simulation as hybrid digital method for exploring the data operations and vernacular cultures of visual social media platforms
Burgess, Jean, Angus, Daniel, Carah, Nicholas, Andrejevic, Mark, Hawker, Kiah, Lewis, Kelly, Obeid, Abdul Karim, Smith, Adam, Tan, Jane, Fordyce, Robbie, Trott, Verity and Li, Luzhou (2021). Critical simulation as hybrid digital method for exploring the data operations and vernacular cultures of visual social media platforms.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Nicholas Carah is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Vibes, Flows, Feelings: Investigating the algorithmic techniques of affective capitalism
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Elizabeth Stephens
-
Doctor Philosophy
Mothers and the consumption and promotion of alcohol on social media
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Algorithmic Realities: Platform Data Processing Perceptions of Productivity Content Creators, and Their Influence
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alex Bevan
-
Doctor Philosophy
Reality Check: augmented reality on social media
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alex Bevan
-
Doctor Philosophy
Rural women's online self-representation and identity construction on Chinese short-video sharing apps Douyin and Kuaishou
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Pradip Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
Crafting new realities: How augmented reality transforms our lived experience of the world
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alex Bevan
-
Doctor Philosophy
Affective digital labour and FemTech
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Elizabeth Stephens
-
Doctor Philosophy
Rumour in Social Media: A study on Bangladesh Cases
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Pradip Thomas
-
Master Philosophy
A quieter space: the diminution of film audio commentary and intentionalism, a case for the rehabilitation of screen-specific paratext
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ted Nannicelli
-
Master Philosophy
A quieter space: the diminution of film audio commentary and intentionalism, a case for the rehabilitation of screen-specific paratext
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ted Nannicelli
-
Doctor Philosophy
Influences of social media-based communication on ecotourism: a case study in India
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Leah Henrickson, Associate Professor Elske van de Fliert
-
Doctor Philosophy
In what ways has creativity, play and social exchange manifested itself in the amateur radio community in Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alex Bevan
-
Doctor Philosophy
Sports betting as an everyday practice
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Murray Phillips, Dr Rebecca Olive
-
Doctor Philosophy
Research on the effects of the digital media visual context on artistic representation and art creation of professional artists across the Asia-Pacific region.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Sungyong Ahn, Dr Caroline Wilson-Barnao
-
Doctor Philosophy
The Platformisation of Film and Television Aesthetics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ted Nannicelli
-
Master Philosophy
A Quieter Space: Revisiting Audio Commentaries by Filmmakers at a Time of Declining Directorial Voices
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ted Nannicelli
-
Doctor Philosophy
In what ways has creativity, play and social exchange manifested itself in the amateur radio community in Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alex Bevan
-
Doctor Philosophy
Vaccinating the future: Australian GLAM industry approaches to collecting COVID 19.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Caroline Wilson-Barnao
-
Doctor Philosophy
Sports betting as an everyday practice
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Murray Phillips, Dr Rebecca Olive
Completed supervision
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
The Personalisation of Publicity in the Museum: From Visitors to Users
Principal Advisor
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Branding Bosnia: Post-conflict Tourism and Media Legacy in Consumer Culture
Principal Advisor
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
Corporate Social Marketing, Petronas Festival Advertisements: Nation Building, Brand Building and Identity
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Pradip Thomas
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Affective partisanship within the polarised discursive practices of opinion websites during the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Pradip Thomas
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Extent of Democratic Discourse Seen in Reader Comments to Online News Stories: The Case of the Maldives
Associate Advisor
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Empowering Communities in Rural Bangladesh: The role of Union Information and Service Centre connectivity
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Pradip Thomas
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Framing Democracy: The Media, Political Culture, and Conservative Democratisation in South Korea
Associate Advisor
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Television and the cultural globalisation of food, clothing and music in Doi Moi Vietnam
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Levi Obijiofor
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
The Role of the English Language in Oman English Foreign Radio Station 90.4FM in Broadcasting Local Content across Oman
Associate Advisor
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Mobile Phones and the Margins: An Ethnographic Study in Post-conflict Sierra Leone
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Elske van de Fliert
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Inequality as Meritocracy: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Metaphors of Flexibility, Diversity, and Choice, and the Value of Truth in Singapore's Education Policies, 1979 - 2012
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Natalie Collie
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Political reporting from two sides: Analysis of how journalists and media advisers work/operate/interact
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Levi Obijiofor
-
2014
Doctor Philosophy
Mobile phones and their implications for teenagers in Brunei Darussalam
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Levi Obijiofor
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
Dialogue as communication: Challenges and prospects for Christian-Muslim relationship in Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Pradip Thomas
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Nicholas Carah directly for media enquiries about:
- advertising
- alcohol
- alcohol advertising
- digital advertising
- digital media
- digital platforms
- gambling
- Social media
- social media algorithms
- Social networking sites
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: