探花直播 Centre for Media and Cultural Research
Innovative scholarship through critical inquiry and collaborative practice
探花直播 Centre for Media and Cultural Research has delivered rigorous, timely insights into contemporary and historical cultural life for more than 15 years.聽聽Across nine research clusters, including South Asian Media, Gender and Sexuality, Popular Music Studies, and Media, Journalism and Place, our goal is to produce distinctive, collaborative, and impactful research that changes the way we understand our mediated world, and how that shapes who we are.
Our research clusters
Our researchers produce high-quality outputs, industry commentary and practical art which are designed to enrich our understanding of identity and culture.
Cultural Activism and Alternative Politics
Exploring the significance of cultural theory for interpreting and reconceptualising contemporary politics.
Game Cultures
Studying聽both digital and non-digital games in contemporary and historical contexts.
Gender and Sexuality
Investigating the ways in which gender and sexuality are socially and culturally constructed.
History, Heritage and Archives
Exploring聽all aspects of archiving and cultural heritage practice.
Media, Journalism and Place
Exploring聽the relations between media, culture and the geopolitics of place.
South Asian Media
Exploring聽collaborations in South Asian and/or South Asian diasporic media cultures.
Popular Music Studies
Researching聽contemporary issues of significance to musicians, audiences, and the industries involved directly and indirectly in the production of popular music.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Arts
Exploring聽the intersectional experiences of cultural work, socially engaged arts and cultural practice and tackling inequalities.
Film and the Digital Image
Driving innovative research locally and internationally, supported聽by the BFI and connected to global film festivals and industry partners.
What does BCMCR do?
BCMCR is focused on the principles of interdisciplinarity, critical investigation, collective and collaborative practice and social activism, along with a commitment to disseminate our research to, and beyond, the academy. Our intellectual project is grounded in a range of concerns in Media and Cultural Studies, and articulated through research in 9 clusters: CEDIA, Cultural Activism, Alternative Politics; Film and the Digital Image; Game Cultures; Gender & Sexuality; History, Heritage & Archives; Media, Journalism & Place; Popular Music Studies; and South Asian Media. These areas of inquiry are nuanced through an annual or biennial research theme selected by centre members, allowing us to be both responsive and reflexive in our work.
Founded in November 2009, to offer a coherent space for the development of聽research in the field of Media and Cultural Studies at BCU, the Centre has grown and prospered, now boasting more than 60 members across its community of academic staff and postgraduate researchers. Alongside a range of universities both locally and globally, we work closely with a diverse group of creative and cultural businesses and organisations based in the West Midlands and beyond. These include 探花直播-based Sampad, Vivid Arts and the GAP Arts Project; national bodies such as the Crafts Council, British Library, and the British Film Institute; and international partners like Meedan (USA), the Women in Cinema Collective (India), and the Schwules Museum (Germany).
Research Projects
We are currently working on a number of projects within the 探花直播 Centre for Media and Cultural Research. View them all on our project page. You can also see our聽individual research groups to see a filtered list of projects aligned to our specialisms.
PhD Opportunities
Find out about how to apply to our PhD courses, our current opportunities and information on what our current PhD students are working on.
Find out moreResearch Environment
Find out more about conducting research at the 探花直播 Centre for Media and Cultural Research, including information about our work and current opportunities.
Find out moreNews and Events
The 探花直播 Centre for Media and Cultural Research聽runs a variety of research seminars, conferences and more across its research centres. View our latest events and how our research impacts the wider world.