Sarah Sharma is a Professor of Media Theory at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information and Director of the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology (ICCIT). Her work interrogates intersections of technology, temporality, and labor through a feminist lens. She has held leadership roles in the McLuhan Centre (2017–2022) and is recognized for advancing critical media theory. Research focuses include: • Temporality’s role in cultural politics • Feminist reimaginings of McLuhan’s media theory • Digital platforms’ socio-political impacts • Labour dynamics in gig economies (e.g., TaskRabbit). Her upcoming book Insufferable Tools: Big Tech and the Broken Machine critiques tech industry failures. Key achievements: • 2024 Desmond Morton Research Excellence Award • 2014 NCA Critical Cultural Book of the Year for In the Meantime: Temporality and Cultural Politics . Her edited volume Re-Understanding Media (2022) exemplifies feminist extensions of media theory. Recent engagements include keynote addresses at the Canadian Communication Association (June 2025) and University of Michigan’s Digital Ideas Workshop (June 2025). She critiques ‘accelerationist’ narratives about technology and advocates for rethinking media through marginalized perspectives.
Dr. Catrin Lundström is an Assistant Professor of Ethnicity and Migration at the Department of Migration, Ethnicity and Society (REMESO) within the Department of Culture and Society (IKOS) at Linköping University's Faculty of Philosophy. Her research focuses on the intersection of migration, whiteness, and gender, examining how Swedish women experience transnational migration and return migration processes. Dr. Lundström received her PhD in Sociology from Uppsala University in 2007 and became an Associate Professor (Docent) in Sociology there in 2011. Her academic journey includes teaching and research positions at multiple Swedish institutions including Uppsala University, Stockholm University, Mälardalen University, Södertörn University, Umeå University, and Linköping University. She has also been a visiting researcher at the University of Arizona and the University of California. Dr. Lundström's research centers on whiteness as both a place-bound and transnational construction. She challenges conventional migration studies by focusing on privileged Swedish women migrants, developing the concept of 'white capital' to understand how whiteness functions as transferable cultural capital across national borders. Her work examines how racial privilege, gender, and class intersect in migration experiences, particularly among women who migrate for lifestyle, companionship, or professional reasons. Her recent publications demonstrate an expanding focus on the relationship between race, whiteness, and educational systems in Sweden, as well as critical examinations of contemporary political debates through the lens of critical race theory. Lundström's work increasingly addresses how colorblind discourse operates in Swedish society while simultaneously exploring the politics of national identity in a globalized world. Dr. Lundström has led significant research projects including: 'White Migrations: Gender, Whiteness and Privilege in Transnational Migration' (2014) 'Tre faser av hegemonisk vithet' (Three Phases of Hegemonic Whiteness) with Tobias Hübinette 'Att återintegrera svenskheten' (Reintegrating Swedishness) on returning Swedish migrant women, funded by the Swedish Research Council Her research has been supported by organizations including the Sweden-America Foundation and the Swedish Research Council. Dr. Lundström is actively involved in several academic networks: IMISCOE Standing Committee on Gender, Migration and Transnational Lives White Spaces Network at Leeds University Lifestyle Migration Hub, an international network of researchers studying lifestyle migration She regularly lectures within and outside academia, both in Sweden and internationally, and has received significant media attention for her research on school segregation, colorblind language, and gender equality in migration contexts.
Natasha Carver is a Senior Lecturer at the School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol. Her work focuses on migration, gender, and colonial legacies, particularly in the context of FGM-safeguarding policies and their socio-political impacts. She holds an MSc and PhD, though specific disciplinary details are not provided. Her research critiques policy frameworks that marginalize migrant communities, especially those of Somali heritage in the UK. Her research interests include migratory legal frameworks, gendered and racialized power dynamics, and the intersection of colonial history with contemporary policy. She has conducted extensive studies on the over-surveillance of migrant-heritage families and the epistemological injustices embedded in FGM safeguarding procedures. Her publications highlight systemic issues in UK policies, advocating for evidence-based approaches over exaggerated risk narratives. She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and engages with community perspectives to challenge hegemonic discourses in migration and gender studies. While no grants or lab affiliations are explicitly mentioned, her work frequently intersects with legal and healthcare systems.
Joshua B. Guild is an Associate Professor in the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University. He is also an Associated Faculty member in the Program in Urban Studies and has been involved with the Center for Digital Humanities. His scholarly work bridges historical research with public engagement and digital innovation. His education includes a PhD in History and African American Studies from Yale University and an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University, where he was a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow. Professor Guild's research centers on 20th- and 21st-century African American social and cultural history, urban history, and the modern African diaspora. His interests include migration, black internationalism, black popular music, and the black radical tradition. He is deeply engaged in the digital humanities and public scholarship, organizing seminars and contributing to podcasts and public exhibitions. The recent publications and projects reflect a strong focus on urban Black communities, transnational migration, and cultural politics. Themes include the Great Migration, postwar New York and London, New Orleans after Katrina, and the Black 1980s. His work combines historical analysis with cultural critique and social justice advocacy. Scientific Awards and Fellowships: Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship Ford Foundation Fellowship Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation Award Charles Warren Center Fellowship (Harvard University) W.E.B. Du Bois Institute Fellow (Harvard University) Professor Guild has advised graduate students through seminars and collaborative projects, though no individual students are named. He has led initiatives supported by institutional grants, particularly in digital humanities and public engagement. His leadership in the 'Black Studies in the Digital Age' seminar and editorial work on the 'Black 1980s' special issue demonstrates his commitment to advancing the field through interdisciplinary collaboration. He is affiliated with the Program in Urban Studies and the Center for Digital Humanities at Princeton, where he contributes to shaping curricula and research directions in African American Studies and digital scholarship.
Minwoo Jung is an Assistant Professor at Loyola University Chicago, jointly appointed in the Department of Sociology and Women's Studies and Gender Studies (WSGS). His research interrogates the intersections of gender, sexuality, neoliberalism, and globalization through decolonial and queer theoretical frameworks. Research interests include: Queer theory and its epistemological limits Decolonial approaches to globalization and rights Gender and sexuality in East and Southeast Asian contexts Neoliberal political economy and cultural critique Urban inequality in South Korea Transnational LGBTQ+ movements His recent scholarship examines contested cosmopolitanisms in queer activism, flexible masculinities in global Asia, and rights projects as relational sociological phenomena. Current work analyzes sovereignty imaginaries in Taiwan's marriage equality debates and neoliberal violence in global media like Squid Game . Scientific achievements include: Mary Griffin Essay Award Laura Bassi Scholarship Active in teaching and mentorship, Jung contributes to undergraduate and graduate programs in WSGS while maintaining a robust publication record.
Allyson Nadia Field is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cinema and Media Studies and affiliated with The College at the University of Chicago. She is also an Affiliated Faculty member at the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture and the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality. Ph.D., Harvard University Her research explores African American cinema, silent film, and archival studies. She focuses on how cinema shapes race and gender representation, particularly in nontheatrical and nonextant films. Her work bridges film form, media theory, and cultural analysis. Field’s recent publications examine archival rediscovery, speculative methodologies in film history, and the legacy of early Black filmmakers. She co-edited projects on the L.A. Rebellion and nontheatrical film, emphasizing Black feminist curation and institutional critique. 2024-2025 NEH Public Scholars Grant 2020-2021 ACLS/Burkhardt Fellowship 2019 Academy Film Scholar 2021 National Film Preservation Board appointee She has organized major exhibitions, including the 2023 Sojourner Truth Festival of the Arts, and currently co-edits a collection on the visual afterlives of slavery. Her teaching includes courses on silent cinema, experimental film, and archival theory.
Professor Kecia Ali is a scholar of Religion and Islamic Studies at Boston University, with a PhD from Duke University. Her research focuses on Islamic law, gender studies, ethics, and biography, emphasizing feminist critiques of religious texts and institutions. She has authored influential books like Sexual Ethics and Islam and The Lives of Muhammad , exploring intersections of gender, law, and culture in Islamic traditions. Ali has held fellowships at Brandeis University and Harvard Divinity School before joining BU in 2006. She actively contributes to organizations like the American Academy of Religion and served as President of the Society for the Study of Muslim Ethics (2014–2016). Her work bridges religious studies with popular culture, analyzing themes in J.D. Robb's fiction and critiquing academic sexism. Courses taught include Islamic law, Quranic studies, and representations of Muhammad.
Ruba Salih is a Full Professor of Anthropology at the Department of the Arts, University of Bologna. She holds a Laurea in Political Science from the University of Bologna (1994) and a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Sussex (2000), supported by a Marie Curie grant. Previously, she served as Full Professor at SOAS, University of London (2010–2022), and as Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter (2007–2010). Her work focuses on transnational migration, diasporas, colonialism, Palestinian refugee politics, gender, and trauma studies. Research highlights: aesthetics of waiting among Palestinian refugees, decolonial environmental justice, and intersectional solidarity movements Leadership roles: Board Member of the Arab Council for the Social Sciences (2015–2019), Executive Board member of Insaniyyat (Palestinian Anthropologists Association) Publications include Gender in Transnationalism and Musulmane Rivelate (winner of Premio Pozzale 2011). Recent work explores the Anthropocene through colonial ecological destruction in Palestine.
Susan Holmes is Professor at the School of Media, Language and Communication Studies at the University of East Anglia (UEA), where she joined as Reader in Television in 2007 and was appointed to Professor in 2018. She is an active member of several research groups including Media Equality, Film, Television and Media, Gender and Its Intersections Steering Committee, and HealthUEA. Her work spans television studies, celebrity culture, and feminist approaches to eating disorders. Professor Holmes received her academic training at the University of Sussex (BA in English and Media Studies), followed by an MA in Film from the University of Southampton, and completed her PhD on British film and television in the 1950s at the same institution. Prior to joining UEA, she taught Media and Cultural Studies at the Southampton Institute (now Southampton Solent University) and television and film at the University of Kent. Her research focuses on several interconnected areas that challenge traditional disciplinary boundaries. In television studies, she has made significant contributions to understanding British television history, particularly through her books 'British TV and Film in the 1950s' and 'Entertaining TV: the BBC and Popular Programme Culture in the 1950s,' where she challenges canonical ideas about early BBC television. Her work on reality TV examines historical development, generic labeling, and celebrity. Since 2014, she has conducted important empirical research on feminist approaches to eating disorders, analyzing media representations and working directly with people with lived experience. A key focus of this research examines how feminist approaches are neglected in contemporary eating disorder treatment, with implications for both clinical practice and cultural understanding. She co-founded the influential Celebrity Studies journal in 2010 and edited it for the first eight years of its publication. Analysis of Professor Holmes' recent publications reveals a clear trajectory where her expertise in media and television studies converges with her feminist scholarship on eating disorders. Her most recent work (2023-2025) increasingly focuses on cross-cultural applications of feminist approaches to eating disorders (including work in China), the use of innovative methodologies like Photovoice, and examinations of therapeutic alliance in treatment settings. Simultaneously, she continues to analyze contemporary media representations, particularly focusing on motherhood, true crime television, and reality TV through feminist lenses. This dual focus demonstrates how media representations shape cultural understandings of both celebrity and health conditions. Professor Holmes' significant contributions to academia have been recognized with several prestigious awards: Senior Fellowship from Advance HE (2024) UEA engagement award (2017) ALPSP award nomination for Celebrity Studies as best new journal (2011) She currently runs the Feminist Media Studies research cluster at UEA and is actively supervising postgraduate research in areas including popular television, television/film history, British TV history, stardom/celebrity, and feminist approaches to eating disorders. Her current major research project is the 'ALLIANCE study' (2024-2026), funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, which aims to develop practice and policy recommendations to support effective therapeutic alliance in inpatient treatment for eating disorders. This builds on her earlier British Academy-funded research on 'Entertaining Television: British TV, the BBC and Popular Programme Culture in the 1950s' (2007-2008). Professor Holmes plays a significant role in the academic community through her editorial work, serving on the boards of journals including Archives of Psychology, Big Data & Society, and Critical Studies in Television, and previously as co-founder and editor of Celebrity Studies. She has also been active in media engagement, contributing expert commentary on topics ranging from Netflix's portrayal of eating disorders to Celebrity Big Brother.
Kisha Porcher is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Delaware, specializing in English Education. She serves as the Student Teaching Coordinator and holds a Ph.D. in Teaching and Teacher Education from George Mason University, alongside degrees from Spelman College and Teachers College Columbia University. B.A., English and Secondary Education, Spelman College M.A., Curriculum and Instruction, Teachers College Columbia University Ph.D., Teaching and Teacher Education, George Mason University Her research focuses on centering Blackness through frameworks like the Black Gaze and archeology of the self (Sealey-Ruiz, 2019), emphasizing racial identity development and community-engaged learning. She explores systemic assets for Black and Brown students while advocating for anti-racist pedagogies in urban education settings. Her recent publications highlight trends in critical literacy instruction , decolonizing curricula , and equity-driven teacher training , with a strong emphasis on racial justice and linguistic diversity. Notably, she received the College of Arts & Sciences Faculty Teaching Excellence Award in 2022. Porcher’s work bridges teacher self-reflection and structural reform , positioning educators as disruptors of systemic inequities. Her scholarship spans topics from cultural competency to community-embedded pedagogies, reflecting her commitment to redistributing power in educational systems.
Dr. Farzana Aman Tanima is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney Business School’s Accounting, Governance, and Regulation department. She previously held roles at the University of Wollongong (2017–2023). Her research focuses on critical and dialogic accounting, social justice, and challenging neoliberal frameworks through participatory approaches. Born in Bangladesh, she earned her PhD in 2015 from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, with a thesis on dialogic accounting practices for marginalized women. Education: PhD in Accounting, Victoria University of Wellington, 2015 Undergraduate Honours Degree, Victoria University of Wellington Research Interests: Dr. Tanima’s work centers on dialogic accounting to democratize accounting practices, with focus on NGOs, microfinance, Indigenous education, and race. She employs participatory action research and autoethnography to address systemic inequalities. Key areas include: Accounting’s role in empowerment and development Decolonizing accounting education through Jindaola Critical race theory and counter-accounting Awards: 2024 Mary Parker Follet Award (AAAJ Journal) 2020 VC OCTAL Teaching Award 2015 AFAANZ Best PhD Award Teaching & Mentorship: She leads pedagogical initiatives embedding Indigenous perspectives into curricula and fosters dialogic learning. Supervised two completed PhDs, with co-authored publications. Active in mentoring early-career researchers through invited talks and workshops. Labs/Teams: Part of the Alternative Accounting Research Network and editorial boards for CPA Journal and Financial Accountability & Management . Co-leads special issues on critical dialogics and publicness in accounting.
Nancy Hirschmann is the Geraldine R. Segal Professor in American Social Thought at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Arts & Sciences, Department of Political Science. Her work focuses on political theory, disability rights, feminist theory, and the intersection of gender with public policy. A former Vice-President of the American Political Science Association, she has held leadership roles in academic institutions and research centers globally. Her research examines freedom through a disability lens, analyzing how bodily constraints shape political thought. Key contributions include *Gender, Class, and Freedom in Modern Political Theory* (2008) and *The Subject of Liberty* (2003), which won the 2004 Victoria Schuck Award. Hirschmann has held prestigious fellowships at the National Humanities Center, Stanford University, and Princeton University’s Institute for Advanced Study. Teaching spans modern political theory, feminist theory, and disability studies. She previously taught at Cornell University and Swarthmore College. Her recent projects include exploring disability’s role in citizenship and analyzing populism’s impact on democratic processes. Office hours are available via email despite sabbatical leaves. Education Background: Extensive academic career with prior roles at Cornell and Swarthmore before joining Penn in 2002. Research Interests: Disability theory, gender policy, political thought history, and public policy frameworks. Awards: 2004 Victoria Schuck Award for *The Subject of Liberty*. Grants & Fellowships: ACLS, National Humanities Center, Stanford Center for Advanced Study. Labs/Teams: Collaborates with interdisciplinary groups on disability studies and feminist political theory.
Renasha Khan is a Lecturer in Religion, Politics and Ethics at King’s College London, based in the Department of Theology & Religious Studies within the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. She holds a PhD in the Sociology of Religion from King’s College London. Her research focuses on digital religion, examining how social media shapes narratives of British Bangladeshi Muslim women’s agency, identity, and belonging through decolonial and feminist methodologies. She co-designed decolonised pedagogical modules at King’s, emphasizing lived experiences and challenging dominant epistemologies. Her teaching spans religion, politics, ethics, sociology, race, and gender at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, employing film and digital media to foster critical thinking. Beyond academia, she is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and media consultant for BBC, Sky Arts, and National Geographic. She co-founded Forward Culture to empower South Asian women and leads the Religion, Neurodiversity and Disability Network. Publications include Living the Muslim Atlantic: Race, Gender, and the Politics of Marginality (2020) and works addressing digital activism and Muslim women’s online identities. She actively engages in policy work on digital rights and inclusive futures through her roles at the British Sociological Association and King’s College London.
Olivia Khoo is Professor of Film and Screen Studies and Head of Film, Screen and Culture in the Faculty of Arts at Monash University. She is a leading scholar in Asian Australian and Asian cinema studies, with extensive contributions to media diversity, gender and sexuality in media, and streaming technologies. She is actively involved in national research leadership, including roles in the Australian Research Council College of Experts and the Screen Diversity and Inclusion Network. PhD in Cultural Studies – University of Melbourne LL.B. (Hons) – University of New South Wales B.A. (Hons) in English Literature – University of Western Australia Graduate Certificate in Higher Education – Monash University Her research centers on screen media diversity, streaming platforms, and transnational Asian and Asian Australian cinema. She explores how gender, sexuality, and race intersect in media representation, with a strong focus on diasporic identities and cultural citizenship. Her work bridges cultural studies, legal frameworks, and media industry practices to advocate for inclusive screen ecosystems. The recent publications reflect a sustained engagement with streaming technologies, racial representation, leadership in Asian Australian communities, and policy development for media diversity. Her work spans academic monographs, journal articles, and influential policy reports, demonstrating both theoretical depth and real-world impact in shaping equitable media landscapes. Special Commendation for the Dean’s Award for Postgraduate Research Supervision (2022) Three-time nominee, Monash Graduate Association Supervisor of the Year Award Founding Series Editor, Gender, Sexualities and Cultures in Asia (Springer) Founding Associate Editor, Studies in World Cinema: A Critical Journal (Brill) Olivia has supervised 18 PhD and MA students to completion and has led major research projects, including two ARC Discovery Projects. She is currently leading interdisciplinary collaborations across Law, Business, and Arts at Monash, particularly on the Incentivising Australian Screen Diversity report. She also co-founded the Asian Australian Studies Research Network and has held fellowships at the Asia Research Institute (NUS) and the University of California Humanities Research Institute. She leads the Film, Screen and Culture program at Monash and is central to initiatives like the Streaming Industries & Genres Network. Her collaborative projects involve national and international institutions, focusing on media flows between Australia and East Asia, and the transformation of cultural identity through digital platforms.
Caterina Stefania Romeo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Modern Literature and Culture at Sapienza University of Rome's Faculty of Letters and Philosophy. She teaches courses including Introduction to Literary Criticism, Gender, Race, and Mobilities: Narratives and Counternarratives, and Literature, Migration, Inequality. Her office is located on the 4th floor of the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy in Studio B. Dr. Romeo specializes in Postcolonial Studies, Gender Studies, Migration Studies, and Race and Ethnicity Studies, with particular focus on Italian literature and transnational perspectives. Her research explores the intersections of race, gender, and postcoloniality in contemporary Italian contexts, examining how these dynamics shape national identity, urban spaces, and literary production. She has made significant contributions to understanding postcolonial Italian literature, Black Italian experiences, and intersectional approaches to cultural studies. Her scholarly work demonstrates consistent engagement with contemporary issues in Italian society, particularly regarding migration, race relations, and gender dynamics. She has developed innovative frameworks for analyzing how postcolonial perspectives reshape understandings of Italian national identity and cultural production. Premio nazionale di divulgazione scientifica (2014) - finalista John Fante Prize (2009) for La pelle che separa di Kym Ragusa Acerbi Special Prize for Women's Writing (2008) for Vertigo di Louise DeSalvo American Italian Historical Association Award for best doctoral thesis in Italian American Studies (2000) Dr. Romeo has supervised numerous doctoral students including Christina Maraboutaki, Giulia Fabbri, Valentina Quaresima, Barbara De Vivo, Emily Marogi, and Karisma Wilson. She has received multiple research grants including Transliteratures Fellowship, Princeton-Pettoranello Foundation Dissertation Grants, and various post-doctoral fellowships. Her work demonstrates sustained engagement with both theoretical frameworks and practical applications in postcolonial, gender, and migration studies. She is actively involved in organizing academic events, conferences, and seminars focused on postcolonial studies, gender studies, and migration. Dr. Romeo has collaborated extensively with international scholars and institutions, reflecting her transnational approach to research and teaching.
