DRIVING THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE? Media Representations of Environmental Sustainability in Motorsport: The Case of Formula E Timothy Robeers DRIVING THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE? Timothy Robeers Supervisor Prof. Dr. Hilde Van den Bulck – Drexel University (USA) Doctoral committee Prof. Dr. Philippe Meers – Antwerp University (BEL) Prof. Raymond Boyle – The University of Glasgow (UK) Doctoral jury Prof. Dr. Pieter Maeseele – Antwerp University (BEL) Prof. Dr. Richard Haynes – The University of Stirling (UK) Copyright © 2019 Timothy Robeers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, without written permission from the author. ISBN: 9789463880121 Publisher prefix: 978946388012 Wettelijk depotnummer: D/2019/Timothy Robeers, uitgever Cover design and layout: Timothy Robeers Printed by Universitas Digital Printing, Antwerp Contact information:
[email protected] Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor in Social Sciences at the University of Antwerp to be defended by Timothy ROBEERS DRIVING THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE? Media Representations of Environmental Sustainability in Motorsport: The Case of Formula E UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN FACULTEIT SOCIALE WETENSCHAPPEN DEPARTEMENT COMMUNICATIEWETENSCHAPPEN VAKGROEP: MEDIA, BELEID EN CULTUUR Supervisor: Professor Dr. Hilde Van den Bulck Antwerp, 2019 A WORD OF THANKS First of all, I would like to express my utmost and sincerest gratitude to my Ph.D. supervisor, Prof. Dr. Hilde Van den Bulck for her profound guidance and support during all the years of writing my Ph.D., as well as for her unrelenting belief in my abilities and passion for communication and motorsport. Without a doubt she has taught me to be the academic that I am today, for which I am very grateful.