Dr Emmie McFadden PhD, MA, BA
Course Leader BA Film Studies
Summary
I am passionate about teaching critical and theoretical frameworks for thinking about film. I maintain a teacher-driven/student-centred attitude to lectures, seminars and e-learning discussions, supporting constructive, forward-thinking dialogue that encourages attitudes of openness and diversity. I am dedicated to embedding spaces for open discussions on mental health and wellbeing into our curriculum. I am delighted to have been nominated for Sheffield Hallam University's Inspirational Teaching Award for the 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/15 academic years.
About
I am devoted to critically analysing film in terms of ideological representations of gender, race, sexuality, and nationality. My teaching focuses on exploring notions of 'hidden-ness' in film and film history, and I seek to uncover and make more visible the presence of so-called marginal identities both in the film itself and behind the camera. I am particularly interested in raising the long yet too-often-over-looked history of women in essential production roles in film. I am proud that two of my theory modules - Thinking About Movies (Level 5) and Film Theory (Level 6) are dedicated entirely to such enquiries and explorations.
I am currently writing my monograph, “Hidden” Irishness: Visualising the Irish in Britain, which draws attention to the many positive interrelations between British and Irish cinemas. The focus on the diaspora enables me to ground my research in cultural debates on national, racial, ethnic, and gender identities. I am particularly interested in depictions of bodies in both visual and verbal media, and I focus on developing textual analyses for identifying ‘invisible’ groups, such as ‘White’ migrants.
Being proactive in talking about mental health and wellbeing has become increasingly important to me in creating a warm and inclusive student experience. I have collaborated with students to celebrate Sheffield Mental Health week as well as to put on a special film screening event to raise money for Student Minds. I was delighted to be invited to speak as key note on film and wellbeing for Cinema For All Student Conference 2018. I am excited to be collaborating closely with wellbeing specialists to run sessions in mental health and wellbeing for academic staff and students in Stage and Screen.
Teaching
College of Social Sciences and Arts
Subject area
Film Studies/Stage and Screen
Courses
BA (Hons) Film Studies
Modules
Film Theory
Creative Screens
Thinking About Movies
Film Dissertation
Research
Monograph on Irish Cinema - “Hidden” Irish: Visualising the Irish in Britain
Publications
Journal articles
McFadden, E. (2011). Hyde and seek: English–Irish hybridity in Stephen Frears'Mary Reilly. Irish Studies Review, 19 (1), 65-73. http://doi.org/10.1080/09670882.2011.541650
McFadden, E. (2010). Shakespeare on Silent Film: An Excellent Dumb Discourse. COMPARATIVE DRAMA, 44 (2), 245-248.
Book chapters
Mcfadden, E. (2022). From Belfast to Maeve: Remembering as Re-Vision. In Pettitt, L., & Bastos, B.K. (Eds.) Maeve - Ireland on Film - Screenplays and Critical Contexts. Editora UFSC: https://livraria.ufsc.br/produto/1251/maeve
McFadden, E. (2013). Memory to film: Reviving theirish diaspor in Stephen Frears' Liam. In Project Muse 4. (pp. 93-108).
Theses / Dissertations
McFadden, E. (2011). The in-between : Film adaptation, Irish cinema and diaspora. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Spiedel, S.
Other publications
Mcfadden, E. (2021). Sites of Power: Memory, Storytelling and Identity. BFI
Mcfadden, E. (2021). Sites of Power: Memory, Storytelling and Identity. BFI
Postgraduate supervision
Current
1
Media
Emmie teaches Film Studies and her main research interests are Women and Film, Representations of Gender in Film, Queer Cinema, Human Rights and Film, Philosophy and Film, Film Adaptation, and Irish Cinema. She has conducted various interviews and Q&As with film directors and writers, including Mania Akbari, William Oldroyd, and Clio Barnard.