Eileen Little

Eileen Little is a Senior Lecturer in Photography/Documentary Photography within the Faculty of Business and Creative Industries. She is affiliated with the Creative Industries Research and Innovation Group (CIRI) and the eCPR research centre, and holds the status of Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK). Her academic work bridges artistic practice and theoretical inquiry, particularly in the domains of photographic narrative, trauma, memory, and digital culture.

Education:

• Ph.D. (Practice-Led), University of Leeds (Awarded: 8 Jul 2014)
• MFA, University of Colorado, Boulder (Awarded: 19 Apr 2023)
• BA (Hons) in English & History (Awarded: 19 Oct 2022)

Her research interests focus on the philosophical and emotional dimensions of photography, particularly the interplay between image and text, the audio-visual, and the photographic bookwork. She explores identity politics, representation, and the affective impact of trauma in visual art. A current focus is the relationship between the maternal and the photographic punctum in post-traumatic cultures, as well as the transformation of mourning and privacy in the age of social media. Her work critically examines how human dignity is visually constructed and publicly negotiated on platforms like Facebook through likes, comments, and shared images.

Her recent publications and presentations—including multiple iterations of “Mourning on Facebook” and works like “fireflies*” and “Archive Fever”—demonstrate a sustained engagement with trauma, memory, digital mediation, and feminist theory. These outputs span illustrated academic essays, conference papers, and book chapters, often blending artistic practice with scholarly analysis.

Scientific Awards and Recognitions:

• Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (UK)

Eileen Little has contributed significantly to academic service, including editorial work for Media and Communication journal (2016–2017), chairing HEA Fellow Review Panels (2017), and serving as an external examiner for Manchester Metropolitan University (2021–2026), Teesside University (2015–2019), and Southbank University (2003–2008). She has presented her work internationally at institutions such as Tate Modern, University of Westminster, and Aalto University, Finland. Her activities reflect deep engagement with both academic and public audiences through exhibitions, symposia, and conferences.

She is actively involved in research communities, including the Association of Photography in Higher Education (APHE), College Art Association (USA), and Society for Photographic Education (USA). Her work contributes to broader societal goals, particularly in the area of education and cultural understanding, aligning with relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals.