Dr Barbara Mitra

Barbara Mitra

Principal Lecturer in Media & Film Studies, Joint Head of Department of English, Media & Film Studies

School of Humanities

English Media and Culture

Senior Leadership Team

Contact Details

email: b.mitra@worc.ac.uk
tel: 01905 542102

Dr Barbara Mitra is joint Head of Department (English, Media & Film Studies) and is a Principal Lecturer in Media & Film Studies. She has varied teaching and research interests and has published on issues relating to television, gender, advertising and children, and has become interested in social media, body image and eating disorders. 

Barbara's teaching includes specialist modules on gender and commercial issues of social media and she is also interested in the use of technology in relation to learning and teaching. She has spoken on local radio and schools on issues related to gender and body image, Facebook and television advertising and children. She has also made a number of films on various academic topics.

Teaching & Research

Specialist Teaching Areas

  • Gender,  social media, body image, eating disorders, television, children and media, advertising, teaching and learning, e-learning

Specialist Research Areas

  • Gender, body image, social media, eating disorders, advertising and children, television, in India

PhD and MRes

  • I welcome PhD and MRes topics in relation to the broad areas of gender, social media, body images, activism and digital cultures 

Professional Bodies

  • Feminist and Women's Studies Association
  • Media, Communications and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA)
  • European Communication Research and Education Association

Publications

Books and Book Chapters

  • Mitra, B. (Forthcoming, 2024) The relationship between social media, body image and gender IN B. Mitra, S. Young and M. Mirza (Eds.) Gender in the Digital Sphere: Representation, Engagement and Expression. London, Rowman and Littlefield International
  • Mitra, B., Young, S. and Mirza, M. (Eds.) (Forthcoming, 2024) Gender in the Digital Sphere: Representation, Engagement and Expression. London, Rowman and Littlefield International
  • McCarron, J. and Mitra, B. (Forthcoming, 2024) Analysing the #MeToo Campaign IN Mitra, B., Young, S. and Mirza, M. (Eds.) Gender in the Digital Sphere: Representation, Engagement and Expression. London, Rowman and Littlefield International.
  • Mirza, M and Mitra, B. (2021) Autoethnographic Stories in Academia from Two Women of Diasporas IN Reshmi Lahiri-Roy and Nish Belford (Eds.) Asian Women, Identity and Migration: Experiences of Transnational Women of Indian origin/heritage. Abingdon, Routledge.
  • Mitra, B., M. and Johnson, Rachel, E. (2015) Gender Construction in Kays Catalogues: 1920 to the New Millennium, Cambridge, Cambridge Academic Ltd.
  • Mitra, B. and Mirza, M. (2015) The Construction of Childhood Gender Identity through Advertising in Kays Catalogue (1920-200) In B.M. Mitra and R.E. Johnson (Eds.) Gender Construction in Kays Catalogues: 1920 to the New Millennium, Cambridge, Cambridge Academic Ltd.
  • Mirza, M. & Mitra, B. (2015) The Construction of feminine and masculine gender identities through Advertising in Kays Catalogue (1920-2000) In
  • M. Mitra and R.E. Johnson (Eds.) Gender Construction in Kays Catalogues: 1920 to the New Millennium,  Cambridge, Cambridge Academic Lrd/
  • Mitra,B. & Lewin-Jones, J. (2012) ‘Colin won’t drink out of a pink cup’ in Karen Ross (ed.), Blackwell Handbook of Gender, Sexualities and the Media . Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, pp.383-400.
  • Lewin-Jones, J. & Mitra, B. (2011) ‘Gender roles in children’s television commercials’ in K. Safford, M.Stacey & R. Hancock (eds.) Small-scale research in primary schools. A reader for learning and Professional Development/ Oxon: Routledge.

Journal Articles

  • Mitra, B., Archer, D., Hurst, J. and Lycett, D. (2023) The Role of Religion, Spirituality and Social Media in the Journey of Eating Disorders: A Qualitative Exploration of Participants in the “TastelifeUK” Eating Disorder Recovery Programme. Journal of Religion and Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01861-0
  • Mitra, B. (2022) It's not Autism. It's your Parenting. An Autoethnographic Exploration of the Relationships Between Professionals and Parents of an Autistic Child in the UK. Ought, the journal of autistic culture. Vol. 3(2), pp.30-43. Available at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/ought/vol3/iss2/6/
  • Mitra, B., Taylor, L., Milburn-Curtis, C. and McCarron, J. (2018) Gendering Worcester News, Journal of the Association for Journalism Education. Vol. 7 (1), pp. 29-38.
  • Mitra, B.M. and Golz, P. (2016) Exploring Intrinsic Gender Identity Using Second Life. Journal for Virtual Worlds Research.   9(2), pp. 1-17.
  • Mitra, B., Webb, M. & Wolfe, C.(2014) ‘Audience responses to the physical appearance of television newsreaders’ Participations, Journal of Audience and Reception Studies,  11(2), pp.45-57.
  • Mirza, M.& Mitra, B.(2013) ‘Curriculum 2013: Two Subject Leaders Reflect on the Process’ University of Worcester Teaching and Learning Journal Issue 8, pp.57-62.
  • Wolfe, C. & Mitra, B. (2012) ‘Newsreaders as Eye Candy’ in Journal of the Association for Journalism Education(1)1, pp.92-99.
  • Mitra, B. Lewin-Jones, J. Barrett, H. & Williamson, S. (2010) ‘The use of video to enable deep learning’ Research in post-compulsory education Issue 15(4) pp.405-414
  • Lewin Jones, J. and Mitra, B. (2009) ‘Gender Roles in Television Commercials and Primary School Children in the UK’ Journal of Children and MediaVolume 3(1)pp.35-50.
  • Barrett, H., Lewin-Jones, J., Mitra., B & Williamson, S. (2009) ‘Evaluating the Use of Video in Learning and Teaching: the Blended Learning Research Project’, Worcester Journal of Learning and Teaching, Issue 2.
  • Mitra, B. (2005) ‘The Influence of Television Commercials on Clothing in India’Worcester Papers in English and Cultural Studies October(3), University of Worcester.

Reports 

External Responsibilities