The School of Politics and International Relations Announces New Undergraduate Module in Collaboration with Bellingcat

A new open-source investigation module has been set up in partnership with Bellingcat, an investigative journalism group that specialises in fact-checking and open-source intelligence. 

Led by the School of Politics and International Relations' Dr Natalie Martin, the course hopes to serve as a “wake-up call” amid concerns over social media echo chambers and disinformation. It is hoped it will lead to the creation of another investigative hub - along with the one at Utrecht University. 

The module will start in the 2025 Autumn term and will examine the theoretical side of open-source intelligence (OSINT), their application in journalism, law and policing and security, as well as practical skills, including geolocation, chronolocation, and data forensics taught by Bellingcat themselves.

Natalie has research expertise in media freedom and disinformation as well as extensive experience working with the media.