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Elizabeth Bridgen

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Elizabeth Bridgen MA

Principal Lecturer

Summary

Elizabeth Bridgen is Principal Lecturer in Public Relations at Sheffield Hallam University. Her research explores the lived experience of public relations practitioners with particular focus on gender, diversity, marginalised occupations, and technologies.
 
She is the co-editor (with Dejan Verčič) of Experiencing Public Relations: International Voices and with Sarah Williams is editing a collection of work which explores the daily life of women in public relations across the globe. Women's Work in Public Relations is to be published by Emerald in 2023. You can find out more about the project here.

Liz Bridgen

About

Elizabeth has edited books and her work has been published in academic collections and in journals such as the Journal of Media Practice and PRism. She has written on practice issues for numerous books and websites including Platinum - the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) at 60, PRStack and Comms2Point0. She has delivered refereed papers at most of the leading public relations academic conferences including EUPRERA, the BCN Public Relations conference, Barcelona, and BledCom, and is currently working with an external partner to develop a research project for the CIPR which focuses on social mobility.
 
She previously lectured at De Montfort University, Leicester, and the University of Akureyri, Iceland. Prior to moving into an academic career she worked in corporate communications in the UK and Iceland.

 

 

Teaching

Department of Media Arts and Communication

College of Social Sciences and Arts

Journalism and Public Relations

BA (Hons) Journalism, Public Relations with Media

Research

 My research explores the lived experiences of people working in the public relations and communication industries with a particular focus on gender, diversity, and the impact of technology on everyday life.
 
FORTHCOMING PUBLICATIONS:
Bridgen, E. (2023) Pitch imperfect: Power relations in the public relations pitching process. Journal of Media Practice and Education (in press)
 
Bridgen, E. (2022) “It’s Trivial, Bitchy and Dull.” Why women leave public relations and the renegotiation of identities. In Topic M. (2022) Towards a new understanding of masculine habitus and women and leadership in public relations. London: Routledge
 
Bridgen, E. and Williams, SW (ed) (2023) Women’s work (in public relations): An edited collection. London: Emerald
 
Book chapters and articles in progress:
Bridgen, E. “It’s just a job” Public relations careers in the sex industry – for Bridgen, E. and Williams, SW (ed) (2023) Women’s work (in public relations): An edited collection. London: Emerald
 
(With Sarah Roberts) An article for Porn Studies which uses positioning theory to consider how Porn Peddlers were positioned by their own action other agents when they had their affiliation revoked by UK cycling organisation British Cycling (due 2023)
 
BOOKS IN PROGRESS
I am currently editing a book which highlights and records the lived experience of women working in public relations around the world. Women's Work in Public Relations will be published by Emerald Publishing in mid-2023. You can find out more about the project here: https://womensworkinpr.wordpress.com/
 
JOURNAL ARTICLES IN PROGRESS
•Help! I’m being used as an asset! Telling stories about the Taylor Bennett Foundation training programme.
 
BOOKS
Bridgen, E., & Verčič, D. (2017). Introduction: experiencing public relations. In Bridgen, E., & Vercic, D. (Eds.) Experiencing public relations: International voices. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Experiencing-Public-Relations-International-Voices/Bridgen-Vercic/p/book/9781138632448
 
BOOK CHAPTERS
Topic, M. (2022). It’s trivial, bitchy and dull. – women, the exit from public relations and the renegotiation of identities. In Towards a new understanding of masculine habitus and women and leadership in public relations. Routledge
 
Bridgen, E. (2018). Impact of Diversity Initiatives on Practitioners and Practice. In Platinum, The Chartered Institute of Public Relations at 60
 
Bridgen, E., & Verčič, D. (2017). Introduction: experiencing public relations. In Bridgen, E., & Vercic, D. (Eds.) Experiencing public relations: International voices. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Experiencing-Public-Relations-International-Voices/Bridgen-Vercic/p/book/9781138632448
 
Bridgen, E. (2017). Public relations as ‘dirty work’. In Bridgen, E., & Vercic, D. (Eds.) Experiencing public relations: International voices. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Experiencing-Public-Relations-International-Voices/Bridgen-Vercic/p/book/9781138632448
 
CONFERENCE PAPERS (RECENT)
“It’s just a job” Public relations careers in the sex industry – presented at BledCom Public Relations Conference, Slovenia, June 2022

 

Publications

Journal articles

Baird, S., & Bridgen, E. (2023). Levelling up the public relations profession. Chartered Institute of Public Relations. https://newsroom.cipr.co.uk/pr-profession-must-work-harder-to-level-up--new-cipr-research-finds/

Bridgen, E. (2022). Pitch imperfect: power relations and ceremonial values in the public relations pitching process. Media Practice. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/25741136.2022.2124032

Book chapters

Bridgen, E. (2022). It’s trivial, bitchy and dull. – women, the exit from public relations and the renegotiation of identities(1). In Topić, M. (Ed.) Towards a new understanding of masculine habitus and women and leadership in public relations. Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Towards-a-New-Understanding-of-Masculine-Habitus-and-Women-and-Leadership/Topic/p/book/9780367752392

Bridgen, E. (2022). It’s trivial, bitchy and dull. – women, the exit from public relations and the renegotiation of identities(1). In Topić, M. (Ed.) Towards a new understanding of masculine habitus and women and leadership in public relations. Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Towards-a-New-Understanding-of-Masculine-Habitus-and-Women-and-Leadership/Topic/p/book/9780367752392

Bridgen, E. (2018). Impact of Diversity Initiatives on Practitioners and Practice. In Platinum. (1). CIPR

Bridgen, E., & Verčič, D. (2017). Introduction: experiencing public relations. In Bridgen, E., & Vercic, D. (Eds.) Experiencing public relations: International voices. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Experiencing-Public-Relations-International-Voices/Bridgen-Vercic/p/book/9781138632448

Bridgen, E., & Verčič, D. (2017). Introduction: experiencing public relations. In Bridgen, E., & Vercic, D. (Eds.) Experiencing public relations: International voices. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Experiencing-Public-Relations-International-Voices/Bridgen-Vercic/p/book/9781138632448

Bridgen, E. (2017). Public relations as ‘dirty work’. In Bridgen, E., & Vercic, D. (Eds.) Experiencing public relations: International voices. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Experiencing-Public-Relations-International-Voices/Bridgen-Vercic/p/book/9781138632448

Bridgen, E. (2017). Public relations as ‘dirty work’. In Bridgen, E., & Vercic, D. (Eds.) Experiencing public relations: International voices. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Experiencing-Public-Relations-International-Voices/Bridgen-Vercic/p/book/9781138632448

Books

Bridgen, E., & Vercic, D. (Eds.). (2017). Experiencing public relations: international voices. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Experiencing-Public-Relations-International-Voices/Bridgen-Vercic/p/book/9781138632448

Other activities

Student Recruitment Lead, Department of Media, Arts and Communication

Postgraduate supervision

I am interested in supervising projects relating to public relations and marginalised groups/occupations as well as qualitative research into the public relations industry.

 

Media

Elizabeth is senior lecturer in public relations and teaches both postgraduate and undergraduate PR programmes. She previously lectured at De Montfort University, Leicester, and Haskolinn Akureyri, Iceland. Prior to moving into an academic career, she worked in corporate communications in the UK and Iceland.

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