Fiona McKay

Dr Fiona McKay is a Lecturer in Journalism, Media and Communication at the University of Strathclyde. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on gendered representation in media, political communication, and journalistic practices. She has investigated media treatment of political figures like Nicola Sturgeon, gendered journalistic experiences, and EDI initiatives in creative industries.

Education:

• Doctoral Thesis (2018): 'Media representations of gender in the Scottish public sphere in the context of the 2014 independence referendum'

Research Interests: Intersectional analysis of gender, media, and politics; qualitative methods including critical discourse analysis and thematic analysis; EDI challenges in creative sectors. Recent work includes a commissioned report on women in Scottish media (2025) and election discourse analysis (2024).

Projects:

• Co-investigator in the 'Pass the Mic Election Monitoring' project (2024), funded by Engender.

Advising & Engagement: Supervises PhD students focusing on gender/identity in media (currently on maternity leave until 2026). Active in public outreach via media interviews and talks, e.g., 'You can’t have diversity without inclusion' (2025).

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Equal Media and Culture Centre Scotland and Engender on media equity initiatives.