Peter Bloom

Peter J. Bloom is a Professor of Film and Media Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), where he also served as Department Chair from 2020 to 2023. His research focuses on colonial media, African studies, Francophone cinema, narrative theory, and Third Cinema, with a geographical emphasis on West Africa and Southeast Asia. Current projects include a monograph on Radio-Cinema Modernity and studies on media technologies, African art adaptations, and global film studio dynamics.

• Education:
• Ph.D. and M.A. in Film and Television (Critical Studies), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

His research explores intersections between media, colonialism, and cultural identity. Recent collaborative works include Screens and Illusionism (2024, Edinburgh University Press) and co-edited volumes on French colonial documentary and African modernization. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses, such as Film Theory (FAMST 192FT) in Winter 2025 and Fairy Tale Cinema (Spring 2024).

Bloom’s work bridges historical analysis and contemporary media practices, emphasizing decolonial perspectives and global cultural flows. His upcoming projects address the adaptation of nkisi nail sculpture idioms by African artists and the localization of global film studios.