James E. Bennett – författare

For over half a century, organizations and individuals promoting ex-gay, conversion and/ or reparative therapy have pushed the tenet that a person may be able to, and should, alter their sexual orientation. Their so-called treatments or therapies have taken various forms over the decades, ranging from medical (including psychiatric or psychological) rehabilitation approaches, to counselling, and religious healing.Gay Conversion Practices in Memoir, Film and Fiction provides an in-depth exploration of the disturbing phenomenon of gay conversion ‘therapy’ and its fictional and autobiographical representations across a broad range of films and books such as But I’m a Cheerleader! (1999), This is What Love in Action Looks Like (2011) and Boy Erased (2018). In doing so, the volume emphasizes the powerful role the arts and media play in communicating stories around conversion practices. Approaching the timely and urgent subject from an interdisciplinary perspective, contributors utilize film theory, queer theory, literary theory, mental health and social movement theory to discuss the medicalization and pathologizing of queer people, the power of institutions ranging from church, psychiatry and family (sometimes in alliance), and the real and fictional voices of survivors.

For over half a century, organizations and individuals promoting ex-gay, conversion and/ or reparative therapy have pushed the tenet that a person may be able to, and should, alter their sexual orientation. Their so-called treatments or therapies have taken various forms over the decades, ranging from medical (including psychiatric or psychological) rehabilitation approaches, to counselling, and religious healing.Gay Conversion Practices in Memoir, Film and Fiction provides an in-depth exploration of the disturbing phenomenon of gay conversion ‘therapy’ and its fictional and autobiographical representations across a broad range of films and books such as But I’m a Cheerleader! (1999), This is What Love in Action Looks Like (2011) and Boy Erased (2018). In doing so, the volume emphasizes the powerful role the arts and media play in communicating stories around conversion practices. Approaching the timely and urgent subject from an interdisciplinary perspective, contributors utilize film theory, queer theory, literary theory, mental health and social movement theory to discuss the medicalization and pathologizing of queer people, the power of institutions ranging from church, psychiatry and family (sometimes in alliance), and the real and fictional voices of survivors.

"Making Film and Television Histories" approaches film and television texts as primary historical media with the potential to bring historical topics alive through their interplay between past and present. It is a major text, the first to situate in a clear historical context selected New Zealand and Australian films and television programs ranging from highly successful films such as "Gallipoli", "The Piano", "Australia", "Once Were Warriors" and "Heavenly Creatures" to less well-known texts that form the basis for intriguing examinations of history, representation and identity. This book is designed for all those with an interest in Australian or New Zealand history, film or television, and is written by leading scholars in these interdisciplinary fields, as well as filmmakers involved in the production of some of the films and TV shows discussed. With ten thematically structured sections and covering over 40 film and tv texts in clear and focused chapters, "Making Film and Television Histories" will be of particular value to teachers and trainee teachers wishing to inspire students to engage with history by putting to use audiovisual media in the classroom.

This book contributes to the global turn in First World War studies by exploring Australians’ engagements with the conflict across varied boundaries and by situating Australian voices and perspectives within broader, more complex contexts.