About

I am a Reader (Associate Professor) in Media and Communication at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, with specialism in food communication, media, politics and lifestyle. I hold a PhD in Linguistics from Lancaster University (2012, ESRC doctoral grant), specialising in Critical Discourse Analysis under supervision of Dist. Professor Ruth Wodak, and a MA in Language Studies by Research, also from Lancaster University, under supervision of Professor Geoffrey Leech. I also have background in cultural studies and anthropology.

At QMU, I currently teach across media and communications undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, especially in relation to politics and popular culture. During 2014-2024, I was part of the team that developed and taught a distinct but successful postgraduate programme MSc Gastronomy, which focused on food in relation to science, economics, politics, communication and culture. I am an experienced MA and PhD supervisor, with an interest in a broad area of discourse, politics, food and the media. In recognition of my teaching experience, I was awarded Senior Fellowship of HEA in 2019.

In 2018, I set up and now Chair the Programme Committee for the biennial Conference on Food and Communication, which was organised for the fourth time in Lille in 2025. During 2023-25, I was President of the Association for the Study of Food and Society. Since 2025, I am also a series editor (with Ashli Stokes) of a new book series Food, Media, and Communication (Peter Lang). I am currently a member of the core academic team at the Scottish Alliance for Food (funded by the SFC, 2023-27) and the Theme co-Lead for the theme Culture, Heritage and Behaviour) (2024-27).

My work has received recognition in the UK and internationally. I have been successful in attracting funding for my projects (e.g. Carnegie, SFC, SCAF, The Republic of Slovenia, ASFS). My monograph ‘Discursive Construction of Class and Lifestyle’ (2017) was a finalist in Category Authors/Professionals at the Gourmand Awards 2019, and the edited collection ‘Food and Cooking on Early Television in Europe’ (2022) was shortlisted by MeCCSA for the Outstanding Achievements Awards 2023 in Category Edited Collection.

My most recent project is I Farmer: Narratives about Self, Land and the Future of Farming (with D McBey & B McCormick, Aberdeen University, SCAF-funded).

I am currently also the Associate Head of Division of Media, Communications and Performing Arts at QMU (2024-).