Personal statement

I teach and research across the interdisciplinary areas of Childhood and Youth Studies, Audience and Fan Studies, and Trauma Theory and Visual Culture. As a Senior Lecturer in Media Communications,  I serve as Module Leader for Audiences and Fans, Writing For The Media, Media Ethics, and Exhibitions and Public Audiences, and am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Since completing my PhD thesis on cultural histories of childhood sexual abuse and its contentious relationship to comedy, my research into humour studies, shock cultures, digital media and visual cultures of violence has been published in First Monday, Galactica Journal, Blind Field Journal, and the Palgrave Macmillan collections Discourses of Anxiety Over Childhood and Youth Across Cultures (2020), and The Palgrave Handbook for Violence in Film and Media (2022).

In 2023, I guest edited a special issue of The International Journal Of Creative Media Research on Digital Nostalgia and Creative Technology. My current research is exploring the subject of affect theory, nostalgia, and material cultures of grief and horror, with a particular focus on children's television and children's mascots. I am currently working towards a single-authored academic monograph on this subject, alongside a short story collection exploring themes of horror and sentimentality.

In the 2023-2024 academic year, I joined the Wellcome Trust's We Are The People team as a Research Fellow, exploring the subject of disability arts and LGBTQIA+ experiences of accessibility. In addition to this, I am a member of The Research Centre for Mental Health, Wellbeing and Creativity due to my ongoing interest in mental health, trauma theory and participatory media.

I am always happy to hear from prospective PhD students working in these areas and beyond.

Academic qualifications

  • PhD, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, 2019
  • MA, St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, 2014
  • BA (Hons), Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London

Professional memberships

  • Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Teaching specialisms

  • Childhood and Youth Cultures
  • Online Harms and Media Ethics
  • Trauma Theory and Mental Health
  • Comedy Studies, Horror and Transgressive Media

Research and academic outputs

Go to ResearchSPAce

"Today people want sensationalism": dialogic ethics of authorship, imperialism and genre conventions in 'Cannibal Holocaust' (1980)
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Lamont, B.R (2024) '"Today people want sensationalism": dialogic ethics of authorship, imperialism and genre conventions in 'Cannibal Holocaust' (1980).' In: McKenna, M, ed. Screening controversy. Routledge, Abingdon. (Forthcoming)

Unseeable abuse: the impossible act of visualising childhood sexual abuse in digital cultures and technology
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Lamont, B.R (2022) 'Unseeable abuse: the impossible act of visualising childhood sexual abuse in digital cultures and technology.' In: Choe, S, ed. The Palgrave handbook of violence in film and media. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, pp. 379-394. ISBN 9783031053894

Uncertain abuse and insider credentials: examining ambiguous cultural representations of childhood sexual abuse in the 2005 British comedy series 'Nathan Barley'
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Lamont, B.R (2020) 'Uncertain abuse and insider credentials: examining ambiguous cultural representations of childhood sexual abuse in the 2005 British comedy series 'Nathan Barley'.' In: Tsaliki, L and Chronaki, D, eds. Discourses of anxiety over childhood and youth across cultures. Springer, Cham, pp. 279-295. ISBN 9783030464356

Introduction
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Lamont, B.R (2023) 'Introduction.' The International Journal of Creative Media Research, 10. ISSN 2631-6773

Hazy pop cultural memories: an analysis of the shifting reader receptions of the prosumer publishing of Jane Pratt from 'Sassy Magazine' (1988-1996) to 'xoJane' (2011-2016)
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Lamont, B.R (2023) 'Hazy pop cultural memories: an analysis of the shifting reader receptions of the prosumer publishing of Jane Pratt from 'Sassy Magazine' (1988-1996) to 'xoJane' (2011-2016).' The International Journal of Creative Media Research, 10. ISSN 2631-6773

From raped childhood to ruined childhood: developing an aesthetic of childhood trauma in digital culture from 2001 to 2018
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Lamont, B.R (2022) 'From raped childhood to ruined childhood: developing an aesthetic of childhood trauma in digital culture from 2001 to 2018.' First Monday, 27 (6). ISSN 1396-0466

Amusing abusers and humourless survivors: analysing the role of comedy in media representations of sexual violence
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Lamont, B.R (2021) 'Amusing abusers and humourless survivors: analysing the role of comedy in media representations of sexual violence.' Galactica Media: Journal of Media Studies, 3 (3). pp. 344-373. ISSN 2658-7734

Can we approach the subject of child sexual abuse ethically in academia? Towards a queer ethics of CSA analysis
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Lamont, B.R (2021) 'Can we approach the subject of child sexual abuse ethically in academia? Towards a queer ethics of CSA analysis.' Iowa Journal of Cultural Studies, 21 (1). pp. 49-62. ISSN 2168-569X

Traumatic nostalgia and nostalgic trauma: consuming and abusing cultures of childhood on screen
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Lamont, B.R (2020) 'Traumatic nostalgia and nostalgic trauma: consuming and abusing cultures of childhood on screen.' Blind Field Journal.

The memetic molester: creating and characterising the child sex abuser through digital humour and transgressive media through a close reading analysis of Pedobear
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Lamont, B.R (2019) 'The memetic molester: creating and characterising the child sex abuser through digital humour and transgressive media through a close reading analysis of Pedobear.' First Monday, 24 (8). ISSN 1396-0466

Traumatic comedy and comic trauma
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Lamont, B.R (2018) 'Traumatic comedy and comic trauma.' Rookie Magazine, 87.

Editorial
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Lamont, B.R (2018) 'Editorial.' Doll Hospital Journal, 5.

Women in body horror
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Lamont, B.R (2017) 'Women in body horror.' Token Magazine, 2.

Editorial
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Lamont, B.R (2017) 'Editorial.' Doll Hospital Journal, 4.

Editorial
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Lamont, B.R (2016) 'Editorial.' Doll Hospital Journal, 3.

Editorial
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Lamont, B.R (2015) 'Editorial.' Doll Hospital Journal, 2.

Outsider/insider
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Lamont, B.R (2015) 'Outsider/insider.' The Hair Pin.

Editorial
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Lamont, B.R (2015) 'Editorial.' Doll Hospital Journal, 1.

Body meets dress, dress meets body
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Lamont, B.R (2014) 'Body meets dress, dress meets body.' Unknown Quantities Journal, 2. ISSN 2055-1479

Crimes and misdemeanours
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Lamont, B.R (2014) 'Crimes and misdemeanours.' Rookie Magazine, 33.

Curating childhood
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Lamont, B.R (2012) 'Curating childhood.' Cura Magazine, 11.

Make room! The art of LGBTQIA+ accessibility in the southwest of England
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Lamont, B.R, Taylor, L and Simmons, B (2023) Make room! The art of LGBTQIA+ accessibility in the southwest of England. In: Migrant Youth, Education, Culture & Identity Network Event, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Online harms: how can we best support university staff and students?
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Lamont, B.R (2023) Online harms: how can we best support university staff and students? In: Colloquium for Global Philosophies, June 2023, Bath Spa University, Bath, UK.

‘Arab Blues’ Scottish premiere with Sad Girl Cinema
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Lamont, B.R (2020) ‘Arab Blues’ Scottish premiere with Sad Girl Cinema. In: Dardishi Festival, 22 February 2020, CCA Theatre, Glasgow, UK.

Sad Girl Cinema
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Lamont, B.R (2019) Sad Girl Cinema. In: Matchbox Cineclub, BFI Film Feels Season, 21 July 2019, CCA Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland.

Sad Girl Cinema
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Lamont, B.R (2017) Sad Girl Cinema. In: Scottish Queer International Film Festival, 27 September - 1 October 2017, CCA Theatre, Glasgow, UK.

Typography and trauma: conversations on Doll Hospital Journal
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Lamont, B.R (2017) Typography and trauma: conversations on Doll Hospital Journal. In: Writefest, 6 - 12 March 2017, Houston, TX, USA.

Is mental health political? A panel discussion
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Lamont, B.R, IGGYLDN, _, Daisy, H, Frances, L and Langdon, S (2017) Is mental health political? A panel discussion. In: Arts Students' Union Mental Wellbeing Events Series, 19 January 2017, London College of Fashion, UK.

Doll Hospital Journal: an introduction
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Lamont, B.R (2016) Doll Hospital Journal: an introduction. In: Mentality, December 2016, Off The Record, Bristol, UK.

Misogyny and memory: how has the figure of the survivor become ‘gendered’ in digital spaces?
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Lamont, B.R (2016) Misogyny and memory: how has the figure of the survivor become ‘gendered’ in digital spaces? In: Gender and Digital Cultures, 17 November 2016, Cardiff University, UK.

Beyond 'The bell jar': a mental health writing workshop
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Lamont, B.R (2016) Beyond 'The bell jar': a mental health writing workshop. In: Bombay Literary Review World Tour, 13 August 2016, Waterstones, Cheltenham, UK.

How has the digital landscape shifted our attitudes towards childhood sexual abuse survivors?
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Lamont, B.R (2016) How has the digital landscape shifted our attitudes towards childhood sexual abuse survivors? In: Writing Gender and Self, 10 - 11 June 2016, Bath Spa University, UK.

Transferring trauma: understanding internet monsters in American culture
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Lamont, B.R (2015) Transferring trauma: understanding internet monsters in American culture. In: Cine Excess IX: Historical Trauma, Hysterical Texts, 12 - 14 November 2015, University of Brighton, UK.

Women and mental health
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Lamont, B.R (2014) Women and mental health. In: Feminism in Theory and Action, 1 November 2014, Wadham College, University of Oxford, UK.

Final Boy Zine
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Lamont, B.R (2020) Final Boy Zine.

Sick! Living with Invisible Illness [group exhibition]
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Lamont, B.R (2017) Sick! Living with Invisible Illness [group exhibition]. Sun Pier House, Kent, UK, 5 - 27 July 2017.

Visual Activism [group exhibition]
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Lamont, B.R (2016) Visual Activism [group exhibition]. In: NEFELE Festival: 1st European Art Festival for Mental Health, Bouzianis Museum, Athens, Greece, 1 - 16 October 2016.

We Are What We Archive [group exhibition]
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Lamont, B.R (2016) We Are What We Archive [group exhibition]. Inference Archive, New York City, NY, USA, 29 September 2016 - 15 January 2017.

Glenside Hospital Museum: Open Doors Show [group exhibition]
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Lamont, B.R (2015) Glenside Hospital Museum: Open Doors Show [group exhibition]. In: Bristol Open Doors, Glenside Museum, Bristol, UK, 12 September 2015.

Hidden Visions [group exhibition]
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Lamont, B.R (2015) Hidden Visions [group exhibition]. The Chelsea Gallery, London, UK, 14 – 19 April 2015.

Girls Get Busy: In Colour! [group exhibition]
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Lamont, B.R (2013) Girls Get Busy: In Colour! [group exhibition]. @rt B@by Online Gallery, February 2013.

Ancient Child: Bethany Lamont
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Lamont, B.R (2012) Ancient Child: Bethany Lamont. Philadelphia Street Gallery, Bristol, UK, September 2012.

Strange Magic [group exhibition]
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Lamont, B.R (2012) Strange Magic [group exhibition]. Space 15 Twenty, Los Angeles, CA, USA, July 2012.

Don't Take Me Too Lightly! [curator]
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Lamont, B.R (2012) Don't Take Me Too Lightly! [curator]. Central Saint Martins, London, UK, June 2012.