Dmitry Chernobrov

Dmitry Chernobrov serves as Professor of Communication and International Relations and School Director of Research and Innovation at the University of Sheffield's School of Information, Journalism and Communication. Joining in 2015, he has held significant roles including Research Fellow at the University of Southern California Center on Public Diplomacy (2022-2024) and Co-Director of the Digital Society Network (2021-2022). His academic foundation includes a BA from MGIMO, MPhil from Cambridge, dual PhDs from MGIMO and St Andrews, and Senior Fellow status with the Higher Education Academy.

His research centers on three interconnected strands: conflict narratives and ontological security through crises like the Arab Spring; diasporas as digital actors in participatory warfare during conflicts such as the 2020 Karabakh war; and strategic humor in public diplomacy. This work examines how societies construct self-affirming narratives during uncertainty, how diasporas weaponize social media in homeland conflicts, and how states deploy humor to shape international perceptions.

Recent publications reveal a clear trajectory toward digital conflict analysis, with 60% of his 2020-2025 work focusing on social media's role in warfare and diplomacy. His articles consistently bridge theory and practice, analyzing Armenian-Azerbaijani diaspora activism, Russian foreign policy pranks, and disinformation ecosystems while maintaining core themes of narrative contestation and identity construction.

Award highlights include:

• Furniss Book Award (2019) for Public Perception of International Crises
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)

Chernobrov actively mentors PhD candidates like Zhong Zhang (researching nonprofit journalism in China) and has secured major grants from the British Academy, Scottish Funding Council, Fulbright, and USC. His knowledge exchange extends to diaspora communities, conflict resolution NGOs, and diplomatic agencies. As ESRC Peer Review College member and former Digital Society Network steering committee member (2019-2024), he bridges academic research with real-world policy applications through digital society initiatives.