Roehampton Business School Academic shortlisted for Global Equality and Diversity Award

  • Sunday, October 22, 2017

Professor Carole Elliott's research on Challenging Gendered Media Mis(s)representations of Women Professionals and Leaders has been nominated for the Global Equality & Diversity Awards (GED) Research Award. 

The research was funded by the ESRC, and co-investigators were Professor Sharon Mavin (Newcastle University), Dr Valerie Stead (Lancaster University) and Dr Jannine Williams (University of Bradford). The GED awards are now in their fourth year and recognise outstanding individuals and organisations developing and adopting new approaches to equality and diversity in business.

Professor Elliott's research focuses on how women are portrayed in the media and how this impacts how women are viewed and view themselves, particularly in relation to leadership. The research formed part of a seminar series which brought together leading international researchers, journalists and lobbyists with the aim of:

  • raising awareness and understanding of gendered stereotypes of women and their effects;
  • challenging the gendered construction of women leaders in the media;
  • identifying future research agendas for academics and practitioners in management and business.

The seminar series concluded in June of this year, and the outcomes included an edited book (Gender, Media and Organization: Challenging Mis(s)Representations of Women Leaders and Managers, and a number of journal articles. 

Professor Elliott said ‘If we cannot "see" women professionals and leaders in our everyday lives then women in these roles remain invisible and unusual and progress towards gender equality in the UK will continue to be slow. The media plays a critical role in society and has great influence in shaping individuals' realities, including within workplaces. Media representations of women professionals and leaders are often absent or gendered, sexualised and contradictor. To be shortlisted for this award is an honour, and provides another avenue for us to highlight the portrayal of women in the media’.

This year's ceremony will take place at the Royal Victoria Dock in London on Thursday, 30 November 2017.