Successful LADA applicant and postgraduate researcher, Ellie Rose, discusses her research with us and how the award supports her current project and future goals.
My research journey was motivated by a fascination for the impact of representations on social and cultural understandings, particularly relating to gender. My work has therefore primarily been situated in feminist media studies and screen media, with past research having examined violence against women and female character’s intimate relationships. My current project examines the mobilisation of outdated and problematic tropes of motherhood in contemporary transmedia franchises; focally Star Wars, Jurassic Park, The DCEU and The MCU. These franchises are situated in a ‘post-Marvel’ landscape, wherein the financial and commercial success of Marvel triggered a reconstruction of franchises to prioritise interconnected content.
This research stemmed from my frustration over Wanda Maximoff’s character development in Marvel’s Doctor Strange 2; her narrative arc is dictated by the idea that she could only control her powers and maintain her heroic morality when she was fulfilling her maternal role. I was so infuriated by this but even more so by how few people were talking about it. This inspired me to research maternal depictions in franchises in the hope of highlighting the systemic issues with representations of maternity and bringing about meaningful conversations about them. Through fostering these discussions, I believe my research can contribute to the advocation for important changes in the portrayal of women on screen.
In addition to my research, I am working towards gaining experience and qualifications in teaching, shadowing my academic supervisors and beginning applications for accreditation schemes. The LADA scheme has been instrumental in helping me pursue this. Not only has it provided me with access to incredibly helpful resources and support, but it has also afforded me the opportunity to develop my academic and professional profiles simultaneously. Through this and its reflective approaches, I believe the LADA scheme will help me to become an accomplished researcher.