Kevin Smets

Kevin Smets is an Associate Professor at the Department of Communication Studies at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB, Belgium) and a Visiting Senior Fellow at the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). His expertise spans migration, film, politics, and identity, with a focus on media, migration, and conflict. He holds a PhD in Film Studies and Visual Culture from the University of Antwerp.

Education:

• PhD in Film Studies and Visual Culture, University of Antwerp

Research Interests:

Kevin’s work investigates the intersections of media, migration, and conflict, with a regional focus on Turkey, Germany, and the UK. His current projects include Reel Borders (ERC-funded), exploring borders through film, and Far Right Fictions, analyzing far-right audiovisual narratives. He employs interdisciplinary methods, combining communication studies with ethnography and visual/participatory approaches.

Affiliations & Roles:

• Co-director of ECHO (Research group on Media, Culture & Politics)
• Vice-chair, Diaspora, Migration & Media division, ECREA (2016–2021)
• Member of Jonge Academie, Royal Flemish Academy
• Member of FARO (Flemish Institution for Cultural Heritage)
• Founding member of BIRMM (Brussels Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Migration and Minorities)

Teaching:

At VUB, he teaches Film History and has previously instructed courses on visual culture and media globalization theories.

Awards & Grants:

• European Research Council Starting Grant (Reel Borders project)
• Member of Jonge Academie (honorary distinction)

Labs & Collaborations:

He collaborates with interdisciplinary teams through ECHO and BIRMM, emphasizing participatory and visual research methodologies.