Cesar Albarran-Torres

Assoc Prof Cesar Albarran-Torres is a Mexican-Australian scholar and film critic at Swinburne University of Technology. As an Associate Professor in Media, he explores intersections of postcolonial identities, digital media, and Latin American political cultures. His work spans

• academic publications
• public engagement
• supervision of HDR students

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His research focuses on digital gambling, media history, and transnational film studies, examining topics like

• social media and narco-politics
• AI-generated art
• indigenous representation in Hollywood

. A key project, Understanding Children’s Mobile Gamble-Play Cultures, funded by the ARC, investigates how mobile media normalizes gambling among youth.

Recent publications analyze media’s role in framing Mexican drug cartels, streaming’s impact on cultural representation, and digital platforms’ influence on political discourse. He also contributes to journals like Senses of Cinema and Refractory, and serves on the Glen Eira Multicultural Advisory Committee.

His academic background includes a PhD in Digital Cultures, a Master in Digital Communication and Culture, and a Bachelor in Communication Sciences, with additional filmmaking training from the New York Film Academy.