Kate Taylor-Jones

Professor Kate Taylor-Jones serves as Professor of Global Cinema and Media and Head of the Department of East Asian Studies within the School of Languages, Arts and Societies at the University of Sheffield. She joined the university in 2015 as Senior Lecturer and was promoted to Professor in 2019, building on her prior lecturing position at Bangor University since 2007.

Her academic credentials include a BA Hons in English and Drama from Goldsmith College, University of London, followed by an MA and PhD in Film from Exeter University. These foundational studies underpin her interdisciplinary approach to visual culture and cinema.

Taylor-Jones' research critically examines colonial and postcolonial legacies in East Asian cinema, with particular emphasis on gender representation. Her acclaimed monograph Divine Work: Japanese Colonial Cinema and its Legacy established her expertise in imperial visual culture, while subsequent projects explore girlhood representations, sex work in film, and bride-kidnapping narratives. Her work consistently bridges film theory, gender studies, and postcolonial critique through a transnational lens.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a growing focus on cross-continental dialogues, particularly between African and Asian cinemas, alongside sustained engagement with East Asian film history and aesthetics. Her editorial leadership of the East Asian Journal of Popular Culture demonstrates commitment to advancing the field.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Taylor-Jones has secured substantial research funding from the AHRC, British Academy, Santander, Great British Sasakawa Foundation, and British Korean Society, currently serving as Senior Researcher on the ERC-funded AFRISCREENWORLDS project. She actively supervises PhD candidates on topics including Japanese girlhood cinema, tea philosophy in Chinese film, and kimono symbolism in visual culture. Her external engagement spans film festivals, distributors, and educational outreach on East Asian cinema.

She contributes to multiple research ecosystems: as Founding Editor of the East Asian Journal of Popular Culture, Member of the Sheffield Institute of International Development, Sheffield Centre for Research into Film, Centre for Modern and Contemporary History (Joint Lead on "Crossing Borders"), and Steering Committee Member of the Digital Society Network.