Dr Wesam Amer
Teaching and supervision

Research-led, interdisciplinary teaching

I teach media, communication and political communication. My teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate education in Palestine, the United Kingdom and Germany, with guest lecturing at Harvard during my Fulbright fellowship.

I have delivered courses, lectures and seminars, supervised and examined student research, and mentored postgraduates. I adapt my approach to academic level and institutional context.

See teaching experience Contact
Four countries
Palestine Five universities
United Kingdom Cambridge, Newcastle
Germany University of Hamburg
United States Harvard University
Currently Affiliated Lecturer, Cambridge Digital Humanities (2026–27).
Experience

Teaching experience

My teaching has developed across four countries and a range of institutional settings, from formal course delivery to guest lectures and seminars.

2026–27
University of Cambridge
Cambridge Digital Humanities · United Kingdom
Affiliated Lecturer: lecturing, undergraduate and postgraduate supervision, and examination.
2022
Harvard University
United States
Fulbright fellow; guest lecturing, Palestine Politics. [add guest lecture titles]
Jan–Jun 2018
Newcastle University
United Kingdom
Guest lecturer, MCH3077 Politics, Power and Communication ("Media and Terrorism: Social Media Discourse and Islamic State"); participant, MCH3085 Digital Discourses and Identity; Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow (2017–2020).
Summer 2013
University of Hamburg
Germany
Teaching associate for lectures on media discourse analysis in "Qualitative Methods in the Social Sciences: Approaches and Application of Discourse Analysis".
Winter 2012/13
University of Hamburg
Germany
Taught qualitative and quantitative methods in the Erasmus Mundus Master's in Journalism, Media and Globalization (research module; seminar "Media Times – Researching Journalism in Changing Media Ecology").

Palestine

I have taught in higher education institutions in Gaza and the wider Palestinian academic context. My courses have covered media and communication, journalism, digital media, political communication, research methods and professional communication. [add roles, levels and periods]

Gaza University Al-Aqsa University Palestine University Islamic University of Gaza Al-Quds Open University
My experience in academic leadership has also informed my understanding of curriculum development, student learning and the institutional conditions that support higher education. Academic Leadership
Subjects

Subject areas and selected courses

My teaching combines theoretical, analytical and applied subjects, organised in seven clusters that support communication studies, media studies, journalism, digital humanities and related interdisciplinary programmes.

01

Media, society and communication

Media institutions, culture, representation, and media in politics and social change.

Courses: Media and Society; Mass Communication
02

Digital media and communication

Digital platforms, online discourse, narrative and social media.

Courses: Digital Media and Digital Discourse; Digital Narrative
03

Political communication and international affairs

Political discourse, media representation, conflict narratives and strategic communication.

Courses: Political Communication; Diplomacy and International Relations; Palestine Politics (guest lecturing, Harvard); guest lecture "Media and Terrorism: Social Media Discourse and Islamic State" (Newcastle, 2018)
04

Journalism and media practice

Professional practice, production, digital environments and media ethics.

Courses: Journalism and Specialised Journalism; Media Production and Broadcasting
05

Research methods and academic inquiry

Qualitative and quantitative methods, discourse analysis, research design and academic writing.

Courses: Mass Communication Research Methods; discourse analysis lectures, Qualitative Methods in the Social Sciences (Hamburg, 2013); research module seminar, Erasmus Mundus Master's in Journalism, Media and Globalization (Hamburg, 2012/13)
06

Language and professional communication

Translation, media English, oral and intercultural communication.

Courses: Media and Journalistic Translation; Media English
07

Higher education, conflict and reconstruction

Higher education under occupation and war, academic continuity and resilience, university governance and institutional reconstruction.

Approach

Teaching approach

I regard teaching as an intellectual and collaborative process through which students develop the knowledge, confidence and independence to engage critically with their disciplines and the wider world.

01

Research-led teaching

I connect teaching with current scholarship and my own research, so that students engage with academic debates, assess evidence and see how knowledge is produced and contested.

02

Critical and independent thinking

I encourage students to question assumptions, evaluate arguments and examine the relationship between media, technology, politics and society, developing analytical judgement rather than relying on the transmission of information.

03

Theory connected to practice

I bring conceptual frameworks into dialogue with contemporary cases and professional practice, so students see the relevance of theory and build practical analytical skills.

04

Inclusive and responsive learning

Students bring different educational experiences and perspectives. I adapt methods to academic level and learning context, so that every student can participate and develop.

05

Intellectual and professional development

I aim to build transferable capacities: research, critical analysis, academic writing, clear communication and collaboration in changing professional and technological environments.

06

Digital, AI and technology-enhanced teaching

I help students use AI and digital tools effectively, responsibly and transparently, with attention to authorship, evidence, reliability, bias and academic integrity. My interests include generative AI and academic work, digital research methods, and platform governance and algorithms.

Having taught in Palestinian universities, I also pay attention to continuity and quality of learning in difficult conditions, a concern that connects to my research on higher education and reconstruction.

Supervision

Supervision, examination and mentorship

My supervision supports students in developing independent research projects, strengthening their methods and producing rigorous academic work. At Cambridge, my contribution includes undergraduate and postgraduate supervision and examination.

I see supervision as more than completing a dissertation: it supports students' development as independent researchers, critical thinkers and emerging academic or professional practitioners.

Undergraduate
Developing research questions, finding relevant literature, choosing appropriate methods and building coherent academic arguments.
Master's
Research design, theoretical frameworks, literature reviews, methodological choices, data collection and analysis, and a clear and original contribution.
Doctoral research advice
Advice for doctoral researchers in political communication, media and discourse, digital technologies, conflict communication and higher education, on conceptual framing, research design, methods and interpretation of findings.
Examination and assessment
Assessing the coherence of research questions, theoretical understanding, methodological rigour, quality of analysis and contribution to knowledge.