Karen Ross – författare

Undertaker Nina Sherwood is full of good advice. For example, never wear lip gloss when you’re scattering ashes. Nina is your average 30-year-old with a steady job, a nice home – and dead bodies in her basement. As an undertaker, she often prefers the company of the dead to the living – they’re obliging, good listeners and take secrets to the grave.Nina is on a one-woman mission to persuade her peers that passing on is just another part of life. But the residents of Primrose Hill are adamant that a funeral parlour is the last thing they need… and they will stop at nothing to close down her dearly beloved shop.When Nina’s ‘big break’ funeral turns out to be a prank, it seems like it’s the final nail in the coffin for her new business. That is, until a (tall, dark and) mysterious investor shows up out of the blue, and she decides to take a leap of faith.Because, after all, it’s her funeral…The perfect antidote to all those books about weddings, this book will make you laugh until you cry, perfect for fans of Zara Stoneley’s Bridesmaids, Four Weddings and a Funeral and The Good Place. What readers are saying about Five Wakes and a Wedding: ‘Uplifting with a smile’‘I thoroughly enjoyed reading it…a fun chick-lit with a completely different and unique premise.’‘This book intrigued me so much! The writing style was spot on and I really loved the pace, language, relatability and relationships throughout the book.’

Women, Politics, and Change is concerned with the relationship between women and politics from a variety of perspectives covering a wide range of geographical as well as political contexts. Essays span the theory/practice divide and everything between, from chapters which look at the broad theoretical discussions concerning symbolic and substantive representation of and by women within formal politics, through to empirically informed studies based on interviews with women parliamentarians and women activists. Contributors are keen to analyze the contribution that women have made and continue to make to the development of the democratic project, through their different perspectives and (sometimes different) concerns. Crucially, though, many of the contributions explore the tensions which still exist for women when they attempt to work effectively in contexts which have been traditionally hostile to women, and to examine the strategies which women devise to push a differently nuanced political agenda forward.Unusually, the political contexts that form the foci of this collection include both the 'usual suspects' of developed Western democracies but also news of and from other places, such as Kosova, China, Iran and Africa, where we still know relatively little about their political systems and even less about the gendered dimension of their political worlds. Closer to (the European) home, we can no longer speak of Westminster as the only seat of British Government. The past three years have seen the setting up of Assemblies in Wales, Northern Ireland and London and a Parliament in Scotland, and the role of women in both the background and the foreground of those new political structures has been significant.The book carries on where Women in Politics, an earlier title in this series, left off. Then, the contributions were exclusively British, whereas the great strength of this volume lies precisely in the diversity of its geographical foci, spanning several continents as well as exploring many different parliamentary, social, economic and cultural environments. This more inclusive focus reflects a shift in the Zeitgeist which is pushing outwards instead of inwards, at least as far as many women scholars are concerned, but also reflects a desire to map the differences that women can make and are making in the lives of the world's citizens, and to explore if sisters are doing it for others as well as themselves.

“a simple yet excellent overview of the multilayered path of audience research, tracing its evolution over the last century…” European Journal of Communication

*How has the concept of 'the audience' changed over the past 50 years?*How do audiences become producers and not just consumers of media texts?*How are new media affecting the ways in which audiences are researched?The audience has been a central concept in both in media and cultural studies for some considerable time, not least because there seems little point exploring forms of increasingly global communication in terms of their content if the targets of media messages are not also the focus of study. This book ranges across a wide literature, taking both a chronological as well as thematic approach, in order to explore the ways in which the audience, as an analytical concept has changed, as well as examining the relationships which audiences have with texts and the ways in which they exert their power as consumers. We also look at the political economy of audiences and the ways in which they are 'delivered' to advertisers as well as attending to the ratings war being waged by broadcasters and the development of narrowcasting and niche audiences. Finally, the book looks ahead to the future of audience research, suggesting that new genres such as 'reality TV' and new ICTs such as the internet, are already revolutionising the way in which research with audiences is taking place in the 21st century, not least because of the level of interactivity enabled by new media.

This title was first published in 2001. This text brings together a collection of empirical studies focusing on the relationships which minority ethnic audiences have with and to media texts, both mainstream and minority. The media which comprise the focus for the essays include television, film, advertising, magazines and the press. The field of media studies has moved beyond the model of media consumer as passive recipient towards individuals and groups who are altogether more engaged, responsive and critical. But studies of the interactive media consumer often fail to consider the specific characteristics of "race" and ethnicity which come into play for minority ethnic audiences, and this book aims to add to the limited knowledge of the ways in which ethnic markers intervene in textual understanding and contestation.

Gendered Media addresses the broad topic of gender and media, where "gender" is not simply a shorthand for "woman" but also embraces masculinitiy/ies, queer, lesbian and gay identities. Karen Ross provides the necessary historical context against which to read recent sex- and gender-based media phenomena such as Big Brother, Terminator, girls' use of mobile phones, women news editors, the Wonderbra generation, the Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin phenomena, and so on. The book is an overview of the various aspects of gender and media in one volume. The book provides introductory overviews to the various themes around women, men, sexuality and the ways in which these attributes are cross-cut by other demographics such as age, ethnicity and disability. In this way, the book genuinely tries to provide a broad introduction to the ways in which gender, in all its facets, engages with media, in one accessible volume.

Gendered Media addresses the broad topic of gender and media, where "gender" is not simply a shorthand for "woman" but also embraces masculinitiy/ies, queer, lesbian and gay identities. Karen Ross provides the necessary historical context against which to read recent sex- and gender-based media phenomena such as Big Brother, Terminator, girls' use of mobile phones, women news editors, the Wonderbra generation, the Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin phenomena, and so on. The book is an overview of the various aspects of gender and media in one volume. The book provides introductory overviews to the various themes around women, men, sexuality and the ways in which these attributes are cross-cut by other demographics such as age, ethnicity and disability. In this way, the book genuinely tries to provide a broad introduction to the ways in which gender, in all its facets, engages with media, in one accessible volume.

This is a wide-ranging account of the complex relations between Black communities and popular media, analysing the ways in which Black communities have been portrayed in film and television and considering the contribution made by Black media professionals.

As the level of distrust and alienation between Jews and Palestinians has risen over the past fif een years, the support for grassroots organizations’ attempts to bring these two groups closer has stagnated. Jewish-Palestinian youth encounter programs that flourished in the wake of the Oslo Accords now struggleto find support, as their potential to create positive social change in Israeli society is still unknown.In Youth Encounter Programs in Israel, Ross attempts to assess that potential by considering the relationship between participation in Jewish-Palestinian encounters and the long-term worldview and commitment to social change of their participants. Taking a comparative approach, Ross examines the structure and pedagogical approaches of two organizations in Israel, Peace Child Israel and Sadaka Reut. In doing so, Ross explores how these different organizations shape participants’ national identity, beliefs about social change, and motivation to continue engaging in peace-building activities. Based on more than one hundred interviews with program staff and former participants as well as more than two hundred hours of program observation, Ross’s work fills an important gap in the literature and holds significant relevance for peace education and conflict esolution practitioners.

Gender, Politics, News: A Game of Three Sides explores the role of gender in the broader processes of political communication The only contemporary book focusing on the relationships between gender, politics, and news media which takes a global perspective An analysis of political journalism as a practice and the development of the field in terms of gendered workplace culturesOffers a solid framework for understanding women’s political representation, including real world case studies of women’s campaigns for the top political job across a range of different geographies and contextsCoverage of hot-button issues, such as political scandal and the role of new and social media in politics and elections, makes this a highly relevant and current work with resonances for a wide audience

Gender, Politics, News: A Game of Three Sides explores the role of gender in the broader processes of political communication The only contemporary book focusing on the relationships between gender, politics, and news media which takes a global perspective An analysis of political journalism as a practice and the development of the field in terms of gendered workplace culturesOffers a solid framework for understanding women’s political representation, including real world case studies of women’s campaigns for the top political job across a range of different geographies and contextsCoverage of hot-button issues, such as political scandal and the role of new and social media in politics and elections, makes this a highly relevant and current work with resonances for a wide audience

The Handbook of Gender, Sex and Media offers original insights into the complex set of relations which exist between gender, sex, sexualities and the media, and in doing so, showcases new research at the forefront of media and communication practice and theory. Brings together a collection of new, cutting-edge research exploring a number of different facets of the broad relationship between gender and mediaMoves beyond associating gender with man/woman and instead considers the relationship between the construction of gender norms, biological sex and the mediation of sex and sexualityOffers genuinely new insights into the complicated and complex set of relations which exist between gender, sex, sexualities and the mediaEssay topics range from the continuing sexism of TV advertising to ways in which the internet is facilitating the (re)invention of our sexual selves.

This edited collection draws on and expands the findings from a pan-European research project undertaken during 2012-13 which was funded by the European Institute for Gender Equality and aimed to explore three key issues in relation to gender and media: women’s inclusion in decision-making positions within media industries; how women are represented in the media; and what policies and mechanisms are in place to support women’s career development and promote gender equality. The research looked at 99 major media organisations across the EU including public and private sector broadcasters (TV and radio) as well as a number of major newspaper groups. Researchers also monitored TV programmes (factual only but including entertainment genres) across one week and coded 1200 hours of TV. In addition to elaborating the results from 16 of the participating nations, the collection includes a set of context-setting essays and a summarizing conclusion as well as a reflection on the purpose and utility of gender indicators. It is the first major work to look across the European media landscape and explore both employment and representation, providing a unique glimpse into the contemporary media scene in relation to gender equality, including examples of good and less good practice.

This title was first published in 2001. This text brings together a collection of empirical studies focusing on the relationships which minority ethnic audiences have with and to media texts, both mainstream and minority. The media which comprise the focus for the essays include television, film, advertising, magazines and the press. The field of media studies has moved beyond the model of media consumer as passive recipient towards individuals and groups who are altogether more engaged, responsive and critical. But studies of the interactive media consumer often fail to consider the specific characteristics of "race" and ethnicity which come into play for minority ethnic audiences, and this book aims to add to the limited knowledge of the ways in which ethnic markers intervene in textual understanding and contestation.

This edited collection draws on and expands the findings from a pan-European research project undertaken during 2012-13 which was funded by the European Institute for Gender Equality and aimed to explore three key issues in relation to gender and media: women’s inclusion in decision-making positions within media industries; how women are represented in the media; and what policies and mechanisms are in place to support women’s career development and promote gender equality. The research looked at 99 major media organisations across the EU including public and private sector broadcasters (TV and radio) as well as a number of major newspaper groups. Researchers also monitored TV programmes (factual only but including entertainment genres) across one week and coded 1200 hours of TV. In addition to elaborating the results from 16 of the participating nations, the collection includes a set of context-setting essays and a summarizing conclusion as well as a reflection on the purpose and utility of gender indicators. It is the first major work to look across the European media landscape and explore both employment and representation, providing a unique glimpse into the contemporary media scene in relation to gender equality, including examples of good and less good practice.

Women and Media is a thoughtful cross-cultural examination of the ways in which women have worked inside and outside mainstream media organizations since the 1970s. Rooted in a series of interviews with women media workers and activists collected specifically for this book, the text provides an original insight into women’s experiences. Explains the ways that women have organized their internal and external campaigns to improve media content (or working conditions) for women, and established womenowned media to gain a public voice. Identifies key issues and developments in feminist media critiques and interventions over the last 30 years, as these relate to production, representation and consumption. Functions as both a research case study and a teaching text.

Women and Media is a thoughtful cross-cultural examination of the ways in which women have worked inside and outside mainstream media organizations since the 1970s. Rooted in a series of interviews with women media workers and activists collected specifically for this book, the text provides an original insight into women’s experiences. Explains the ways that women have organized their internal and external campaigns to improve media content (or working conditions) for women, and established womenowned media to gain a public voice. Identifies key issues and developments in feminist media critiques and interventions over the last 30 years, as these relate to production, representation and consumption. Functions as both a research case study and a teaching text.

Comprised of original research in diverse genres and medias, Women and Media: International Perspectives brings together eight international scholars to explore key issues of the gender-media relation. Provides important insights into how gender is implicated in media industries.Address key issues of the gender-media relation, from an analysis of news media’s coverage of women politicians, to the marketing of ‘girl power’, to strategizing for equality in newsrooms.Highlights the theme that media have the potential both to reinforce the status quo in power arrangements in society but also to contribute to new, more egalitarian ones.Includes an introduction by the editors that carefully maps the contours of the international struggle between feminists and the media, section overviews, bibliographies, key terms, and discussion questions.

The Media and the Public explores the ways a range of media, from the press to television to the Internet, have constructed and represented the public. Provides a new synthesis of recent research exploring the relationship between media and their publicsIdentifies ways in which different publics are subverting the gatekeeping of mainstream media in order to find a voice and communicate with othersSituates contemporary media-public discourse and relationships in an historical context in order to show the origin of contemporary public/political engagementCreates a theoretical expansion on the role of the media in accessing or denying the articulation of public voices, and the ways in which publics are harnessing new media formats to produce richer and more complex forms of political engagement

The Handbook of Gender, Sex and Media offers original insights into the complex set of relations which exist between gender, sex, sexualities and the media, and in doing so, showcases new research at the forefront of media and communication practice and theory. Brings together a collection of new, cutting-edge research exploring a number of different facets of the broad relationship between gender and mediaMoves beyond associating gender with man/woman and instead considers the relationship between the construction of gender norms, biological sex and the mediation of sex and sexualityOffers genuinely new insights into the complicated and complex set of relations which exist between gender, sex, sexualities and the mediaEssay topics range from the continuing sexism of TV advertising to ways in which the internet is facilitating the (re)invention of our sexual selves.

Women's involvement in national politics is a relatively new phenomenon. This book is unique in the privileged and central position it gives to women parliamentarians' own testimonies and experiences in relation to their media relationships and strategies. The book explores the relationships which women politicians have with their local, regional, and national news media; examines the gap between what women politicians say they are doing when they implement a media strategy and what actually happens in terms of how they are portrayed and represented by journalists, and constructs an explanatory framework to interpret the changing relations between women politicians and the news media.

This book offers chapters on the dialectics of gender and newsroom culture, bringing a feminist analysis to that relation. The text aims to bring coherence and insight to a still relatively under-researched topic. The contributors come from a diverse range of geographies, approaches and contexts. Together, the chapters provide a timely intervention i the debates around gender and journalism, extending the analysis to produce a genuinely East-West, North-South set of analyses on this important topic.

This book offers chapters on the dialectics of gender and newsroom culture, bringing a feminist analysis to that relation. The text aims to bring coherence and insight to a still relatively under-researched topic. The contributors come from a diverse range of geographies, approaches and contexts. Together, the chapters provide a timely intervention i the debates around gender and journalism, extending the analysis to produce a genuinely East-West, North-South set of analyses on this important topic.

This collection discusses and analyzes the efficacy of media education around the world, paying particular attention to whether and how it improves the critical thinking skills of students. Many books describe the importance of media education, but few evaluate its effectiveness. Implicit is a belief that without a thorough understanding of the extent to which media education achieves its aims, or fails to do so, its potential cannot be fulfilled.

This collection discusses and analyzes the efficacy of media education around the world, paying particular attention to whether and how it improves the critical thinking skills of students. Many books describe the importance of media education, but few evaluate its effectiveness. Implicit is a belief that without a thorough understanding of the extent to which media education achieves its aims, or fails to do so, its potential cannot be fulfilled.