Dr Rebecca Beirne
Senior Lecturer
School of Humanities, Creative Ind and Social Sci (Screen and Cultural Studies)
- Email:rebecca.beirne@newcastle.edu.au
- Phone:(02) 4921 5081
Career Summary
Biography
Keywords
- Comics
- Cultural studies
- Film studies
- Gender and sexuality studies
- LGBTIQ Studies
- Mental health in the media
- Television studies
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
---|---|---|
470107 | Media studies | 50 |
470208 | Culture, representation and identity | 50 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
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Senior Lecturer | University of Newcastle School of Humanities, Creative Ind and Social Sci Australia |
Teaching
Code | Course | Role | Duration |
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FMCS1000 |
Film, Media, Culture | School of Humanities and Social Science - Faculty of Education and Arts - The University of Newcastle So many of the defining moments in our lives are accompanied by an experience with the media or have grown out of our relationship with the media. The media are a central part of how we live, work and play. This course provides a interdisciplinary framework for the analysis of our complex relationship with diverse forms of media. It will introduce students to a range of analytical approaches to the study of film, media and culture, and their application to specific texts, situations and events. |
Coordinator | 3/3/2016 - 20/6/2018 |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Book (5 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2012 | Beirne RC, Televising Queer Women: A Reader, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, Hampshire, 228 (2012) [A4] | ||||
2011 | Beirne RC, Bennett JE, Making Film and Television Histories: Australia and New Zealand, I. B. Tauris, London, 296 (2011) [A3] | Nova | |||
2008 |
Televising Queer Women, Palgrave Macmillan US (2008)
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2008 |
Beirne RC, Lesbians in Television and Text After the Millennium, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, 233 (2008) [A1]
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Nova | |||
Show 2 more books |
Chapter (17 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2018 | Beirne RC, 'Representing Lesbians', The Routledge Companion to Media, Sex and Sexuality, Routledge, New York (2018) | ||||
2017 |
Beirne R, 'REPRESENTING LESBIANS IN FILM AND TELEVISION', The Routledge Companion to Media, Sex and Sexuality 38-48 (2017) Lesbian sexuality has a history of invisibility in moving-image media. Lesbian representation in television series has also frequently followed similar themes. One of the potentia... [more] Lesbian sexuality has a history of invisibility in moving-image media. Lesbian representation in television series has also frequently followed similar themes. One of the potential outcomes of increased lesbian representation in the media is offering points of identification for lesbian and bisexual women. Identifying and articulating definitional boundaries in lesbian and gay media studies is not quite as simple as it may initially seem, with associated terminology coming under fire where it is seen to exceed its relevance. Feminist film theory's intensive focus upon the gaze has resulted in much scrutiny as to the extent to which lesbian sexual representation caters to the heterosexual male gaze. When lesbian sex becomes almost invisible even in an encyclopedia entry about lesbian pornography, the most explicit of sexual representations, it shows the extent to which the discussion of lesbian sexual representation has become mired in discussions of authenticity, gender and politics.
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2013 |
Beirne R, 'The T Word: Exploring Transgender Representation in The L Word', Loving The L Word: The Complete Series in Focus 23-36 (2013)
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2012 |
Beirne RC, Habib S, 'Trauma and triumph: Documenting Middle Eastern gender and sexual minorities in film and television', LGBT Transnational Identity and the Media, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, Hampshire 41-58 (2012) [B1]
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Nova | |||
2012 | Beirne RC, 'Queer women on television today', Televising Queer Women: A Reader, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke 1-10 (2012) [B1] | Nova | |||
2012 | Beirne RC, 'Mapping lesbian sexuality on Queer as Folk', Televising Queer Women: A Reader, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke 63-71 (2012) [B2] | ||||
2012 | Beirne RC, 'Interrogating lesbian pornography: Gender, sexual iconography and spectatorship', Hard to Swallow: Hard-Core Pornography on Screen, Wallflower Press, London 229-243 (2012) [B1] | Nova | |||
2011 | Bennett JE, Beirne RC, 'Introduction', Making Film and Television Histories: Australia and New Zealand, I. B. Tauris, London xvii-xxiii (2011) [B2] | Nova | |||
Show 14 more chapters |
Journal article (10 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
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2019 |
Beirne RC, 'Extraordinary minds, impossible choices: Mental health, special skills and television', Medical Humanities, 45 235-239 (2019) [C1] Over the last decade, there has been an increase in the number of televisual protagonist and major secondary characters specifically identified within the text as having a diagnos... [more] Over the last decade, there has been an increase in the number of televisual protagonist and major secondary characters specifically identified within the text as having a diagnosed mental illness. This is a significant development in the context of characters with a mental illness on television, who were previously usually minor and heavily stigmatised. A key trend with these new protagonists and major characters is the attribution of special talents or powers associated with mental health conditions. This paper analyses the discursive construction of this trope in five recent television series: Sherlock (UK, BBC, 2010-), Homeland (USA, Showtime, 2011-), Perception (USA, TNT, 2012-2015), Hannibal (USA, NBC, 2013-2015) and Black Box (USA, ABC, 2014). Theoretically, this paper draws on Sami Schalk's formulation of the superpowered supercrip narrative', which refers to the representation of a character who has abilities or "powers" that operate in direct relationship with or contrast to their disability'. This paper is also indebted to Davi A Johnson's Managing Mr. Monk' (2008) for its discussion of mental illness as attaining social value' through becoming a resource with economic and ethical value, as do the conditions of the fictional characters explored in this article. Schalk's work on disability is here expanded to a more specific discussion of mental illness on television, while Johnson's work is updated to discuss whether the newer characterisations reflect the same rhetorical positioning as Monk (USA, USA Network, 2002-2009), one of the earliest texts celebrated for featuring a lead, sympathetic character clearly and explicitly identified with a mental health condition. Of the five lead characters examined here, three are figured as responsible for their symptoms because they have chosen not to take medication or withdraw from their medication. It is concurrently presented that if they do take medication, it dampens their abilities to perform valuable work in the community, thus removing their use value within the world of the series.
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Nova | ||||||
2015 |
Beirne RC, 'Piracy, geoblocking and Australian access to niche independent cinema', Popular Communication, 13 18-31 (2015) [C1]
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Nova | ||||||
2014 |
Beirne R, 'New Queer Cinema 2.0? Lesbian-focused films and the internet', Screen, 55 129-138 (2014) [C1]
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Nova | ||||||
2012 |
Beirne RC, 'Teen lesbian desires and identities in international cinema: 1931-2007', Journal of Lesbian Studies, 16 258-272 (2012) [C1]
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Nova | ||||||
2009 |
Beirne RC, 'Screening the dykes of Oz: Lesbian representation on Australian television', Journal of Lesbian Studies, 13 25-34 (2009) [C1]
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Nova | ||||||
Show 7 more journal articles |
Review (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | Beirne RC, 'Queer German cinema', Directory of World Cinema: Germany (2012) [D2] |
Other (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
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2009 | Beirne RC, 'Sex Wars of the 1980s', LGBTQ America Today ( pp.1122-1125). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press (2009) |
Report (2 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2013 |
Grushka K, Bennett J, Parkes RJ, Beirne R, Donnelly D, Falzon C, et al., 'Visual media texts: Teaching and assessing the humanities & social sciences in a post-literate age', Centre for Learning and Teaching, 18 (2013) [R1]
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2013 |
Grushka KM, Bennett J, Parkes R, Beirne R, Donnelly D, Falzon C, et al., 'Visual Media Texts: Teaching and Assessing the Humanities and Social Sciences in a Post-literate Age', Faculty of Education and Arts, 17 (2013)
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Grants and Funding
Summary
Number of grants | 8 |
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Total funding | $69,284 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20211 grants / $2,000
CHSF Working Parents Research Relief Scheme$2,000
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle
Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Scheme | CHSF - Working Parents Research Relief Scheme |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2021 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20191 grants / $14,725
Multidisciplinary humanities applications of metadata and computational text analysis$14,725
Funding body: Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle
Funding body | Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
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Project Team | Dr Marie-Laure Vuaille-Barcan (Lead), Dr Rebecca Beirne, Dr Erin McCarthy, Prof Christof Schoch (University of Trier) Prof Fotis Jannidis (University of Wurzburg) |
Scheme | Strategic Network and Pilot Project Grants Scheme |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2019 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20181 grants / $6,059
Australia-Germany Joint Research $6,059
Funding body: University of Newcastle
Funding body | University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Rebecca Beirne, Dr Katrin Betz, Dr José Calvo Tello, Dr Chrisof Schoch |
Scheme | Australia-Germany Joint Research Cooperation Scheme (DAAD) |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2018 |
Funding Finish | 2019 |
GNo | G1800271 |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | Y |
20172 grants / $30,000
Society, Health and Disability Research Group: New Horizons$15,000
Funding body: University of Newcastle - Faculty of Education and Arts
Funding body | University of Newcastle - Faculty of Education and Arts |
---|---|
Scheme | FEDUA Strategic Networks and Pilot Projects (SNaPP) |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2017 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
Representing Mental Health Conditions on Television, 2006-2016$15,000
Television has historically failed to offer a diverse representation of individuals and characters with mental conditions in a context where. The number and prominence of characters with mental health conditions, has, however, improved in recent years. And as Philo et.al. observe in their 2014 study conducted for UK mental health charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness: “There are encouraging signs that we are moving away from outdated ‘mad and bad’ stereotypes in TV drama and moving towards more authentic, sympathetic and complex characters.”
This study offers a close analysis of lead and major secondary characters and storylines in 32 television series appearing from 2006-2016 to offer a qualitative perspective on whether they have indeed moved away from established stigmatized stereotypes or not. Of particular interest is the potential of having multiple series where protagonists experience a mental health condition, instead of a secondary or one-off character. This study used mixed methods to: identify major characters in Anglophone scripted television series who are narratively diagnosed with a mental health condition; group the results in a variety of permutations including diagnoses, behavioural characteristics, age, gender, and treatment (therapy, medication and hospitalization); and conduct a close analysis of individual representations.
Funding body: University of Newcastle Faculty of Education and Arts
Funding body | University of Newcastle Faculty of Education and Arts |
---|---|
Project Team | Rebecca Beirne |
Scheme | Faculty Fellowship (Mid-Career Researcher) |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2017 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20112 grants / $11,500
Visual Media Texts$10,000
Funding body: Centre for Teaching and Learning, The University of Newcastle
Funding body | Centre for Teaching and Learning, The University of Newcastle |
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Project Team | Dr Kathryn Grushka, Dr James Bennett, Dr Robert Parkes, Dr Rebecca Beirne, Ms Debra Donnelly, Dr Chris Falzon, Ms Bronwyn Gallagher (RA), Dr Robert Imre, Dr Claire Lowrie, Dr Josephine May, Dr Heather Sharp. |
Scheme | Teaching and Learning Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2011 |
Funding Finish | 2011 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
The Popular Culture Association of Australia and New Zealands Annual Conference, Auckland, 290611 - 1/7/2011$1,500
Funding body: University of Newcastle - Faculty of Education and Arts
Funding body | University of Newcastle - Faculty of Education and Arts |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Rebecca Beirne |
Scheme | Travel Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2011 |
Funding Finish | 2012 |
GNo | G1100644 |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | Y |
20081 grants / $5,000
Lesbian in World Cinema$5,000
Funding body: University of Newcastle
Funding body | University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Rebecca Beirne |
Scheme | New Staff Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2008 |
Funding Finish | 2008 |
GNo | G0189587 |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | Y |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Current Supervision
Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | PhD | What Should We Watch?: The Evolution And Implications Of A Film Canon | PhD (Cultural Studies), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2023 | PhD | An Exploration of Contemporary Spoken Word Poetry and its Functions Within Community | PhD (English), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2022 | PhD | What Can We Learn from the Stories of Women with Complex Relationships in the NSW Public Health System? | PhD (Cultural Studies), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2020 | Masters | Representations of Female Characters in Fantasy Literature: Breaking Down the Patriarchy? | M Philosophy (English), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2019 | PhD | The Creation and Effects of Mood and Atmosphere in Film upon the Viewing Experience | PhD (Cultural Studies), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2019 | PhD | The Changing Face of Self-Presentation: Profile Practices of Emerging Adults on Social Network Sites Identified as Adopting Profile Propaganda Techniques. | PhD (Comm & Media Arts), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Past Supervision
Year | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
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2022 | PhD | The Treatment of Culturally Dissonant Women: Ancient Rome and Online Contemporary Anglophone Culture | PhD (Classics), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2022 | PhD | Hella Queer: The Representation of Female Same-Sex Sexuality in Contemporary Anglophone Graphic Narratives | PhD (Cultural Studies), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
News
News • 15 Jul 2019
Call for papers: digital research across the humanities
Proposals are now being accepted for presentations at ‘Digital research across the humanities’, a two-day symposium to be held at the University of Newcastle in November 2019.
Dr Rebecca Beirne
Position
Senior Lecturer
School of Humanities, Creative Ind and Social Sci
College of Human and Social Futures
Focus area
Screen and Cultural Studies
Contact Details
rebecca.beirne@newcastle.edu.au | |
Phone | (02) 4921 5081 |
Fax | (02) 49216933 |
Office
Room | GP223 |
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Building | General purpose |
Location | Callaghan University Drive Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia |