Beyond the Spectacle: Rethinking Media Representations of HIV/AIDS and Social Suffering (in HIV/AIDS in Memory, Culture, and Society), Palgrave Macmillan. 2024.
This chapter presents an examination of the portrayal of HIV/AIDS as social suffering in media representations. It elucidates how cultural representations, social experiences, and political processes shape public perceptions of HIV/AIDS, often perpetuating stigma and influencing policy. The chapter critiques the commodification of suffering in the media and the resultant distortion of social realities. By appropriating the narratives of those living with HIV/AIDS, media narratives often construct a spectacle that divorces audiences from the authentic experiences of people living with HIV/AIDS. The chapter argues for a transformation in the representation of social suffering to counteract its trivialisation, advocating for more nuanced and empathetic portrayals that can inspire a collective responsibility and action towards addressing social suffering, particularly in the context of HIV/AIDS. It underscores the potential of media to redefine public engagement with social issues and to foster a global cosmopolitanism that recognises and responds to suffering beyond the spectacle.
Viral Echoes: Revisiting the Cultural Memory of HIV/AIDS (in HIV/AIDS in Memory, Culture, and Society), Palgrave Macmillan. 2024.
This chapter engages with the intricate interplay between HIV/AIDS and cultural memory through a contemporary lens, integrating insights from diverse disciplines such as HIV/AIDS studies, artivism, media studies, medical humanities, and queer studies. It critically examines the evolution of HIV/AIDS narratives, from its initial identification to the transformative developments in treatment and societal responses. It outlines the significant impact of activism, particularly within the gay community, in shaping public health policies and the crucial role of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in altering the trajectory of the pandemic. Despite advancements, the persistence of stigma, discrimination, and unequal access to treatment underscores the ongoing challenges in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. The authors highlight the power of cultural representations in shaping and preserving the collective memory of HIV/AIDS, showcasing how art, media, and literature have contributed to public awareness and understanding. They emphasise the importance of transcultural memory in fostering a global dialogue on HIV/AIDS, reflecting on the significance of memorial practices and the role of media in circulating memory across borders. The chapter also explores innovative medical strategies, such as PrEP, in preventing HIV transmission, underscoring the dynamic nature of HIV/AIDS narratives and their adaptation over time. By revisiting the cultural memory of HIV/AIDS, the chapter contributes to a deeper understanding of its impact on society and highlights the importance of remembering the past to inform future responses to the pandemic.
LGBTQI+ Sexualities and a Diversity-Focused Approach in English for Academic Purposes (in Diversity and Inclusion in English Language Education), Routledge. 2023.
This chapter aims to expand on previously published research on diversity-focused approaches in English language education. This approach has emerged from a critique of the shortcomings of inclusive practices as practices that are subject to hetero/homonormative assumptions about sexual orientation and gender identity. This chapter provides examples of how such an approach has been adopted and applied in an EAP context. The chapters aims to provide readers with considerations about the applicability of such an approach, and it invites classroom practitioners to consider adopting it in ways that suit their own local contexts.
A framework toward inclusive practices in EFL: The example of LGBTQI+ identities (in English for 21st century skills), Express Publishing. 2021.
Equality, diversity, and inclusion are at the core of all educational reforms taking place at this moment around the world. However, the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) industry has not yet followed through. This chapter focuses on the inclusion of LGBTQI+ references in EFL materials as an example of inclusive practice but aims to be adaptable to any other groups affected by exclusion. Despite recent attempts to address this issue in international and local conferences, coursebooks seem to be hesitant to include LGBTQI+ references which can challenge the visibility of such identities from the EFL classroom. In justifying the need for inclusion of LGBTQI+ references in the EFL classroom, this chapter draws on motivation, queer studies, and materials development theories. In doing so, it confirms the invisibility of LGBTQI+ references in published mainstream English Language Teaching (ELT) coursebooks and it explains how learners’ motivation is affected by this invisibility. Once the need for inclusion of LGBTQI+ identities is established, the chapter offers a practical framework for materials design and overall equality, diversity, and inclusion practices in the 21st century classroom. These can be used by classroom practitioners in order for them to provide their learners with lessons and learning environments which are inclusive for all. Additionally, this framework focuses on raising learners’ awareness of the linguistic aspect of discriminatory behaviour toward LGBTQI+ individuals and, in effect, eliminate it.