RESEARCH
Conducting groundbreaking research on the sociocultural impact of film and media, examining issues such as representation, ideology, and audience reception.
I explore how visual media, particularly cinema, constructs everyday life, using sociological theory and creative methodologies to analyze both the content and form of visual representations. This approach has allowed me to work in both academic and creative spaces, applying sociological theory to the practice of sociological filmmaking and drawing on public sociology principles to create visual narratives that reflect the sociological imagination. I aim to bridge the gap between macro-sociological and micro-sociological approaches, offering new insights into the lived experiences of individuals within complex social structures.
In my PhD thesis, I examined the affective and visual dimensions of everyday life in Iran by bringing together critical theory and visual analysis. Grounded in Tehran’s urban context, the project used cinema as both a site and a method of inquiry to explore the tension between representation and lived experience. Drawing on a Foucauldian analysis of power relations, along with critical discourse theory from Laclau and Mouffe, and the urban sociology of Lefebvre and Simmel, I investigated how affective states such as boredom, dissatisfaction, traumatisation, victimhood culture, and uncertainty function not only as moods but also as political structures that shape subjectivity on the urban periphery. These affective problematics give rise to distinct subject positions, including the marginalised subject, the opportunistic subject, the democratic subject, and the bored subject. Each reflects a particular mode of navigating and making sense of daily life under conditions of precarity. By situating the experiences of Iran’s “poor middle classes” and urban precariat within broader theoretical and comparative frameworks of urban marginality, I demonstrate how everyday struggles for dignity and honour become central to the organisation of social life.
While my PhD focuses primarily on textual analysis, my Master’s dissertation theorizes sociological film according to the principles of public sociology. In my Master’s, I aimed to develop a framework grounded in the concept of sociological imagination to explore what defines a sociological film and how such a film can be created. I argued that a sociological film is one that can engage with the public and promote sociological imagination.
Blending my filmmaking experiences, which led to my Master’s dissertation, with my expertise in reading visuals, as demonstrated in my PhD, and my creativity in constructing theoretical frameworks, I am currently working on a book titled Visualizing Social Narratives: Sociology Meets Documentary. In this book, I explore the intersection of sociology and documentary filmmaking.
Research Assistant, Research Development Plan Assessment Project
In collaboration with esteemed colleagues Christine de Matos, Gerard Hoyne, and Annette Pierdziwol, I contributed to a high-impact project funded by the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). The project aimed to critically evaluate the quality of research outputs at the University of Notre Dame Australia. My role was multifaceted: I facilitated focus group sessions with university staff, transcribed and de-identified data, and led the thematic analysis using NVivo, providing valuable insights to inform future research strategies.
Research Assistant, Screening the World Research Group
As part of the Screening the World Research Group, I partnered with Dr. Benjamin Nickl on an exciting project exploring the impact of Korean and Japanese film festivals in Australia. I played a pivotal role in developing and administering research questionnaires, transcribing and analyzing interviews, and using discourse analysis to uncover key trends and cultural narratives within the film festival scene. This work allowed me to blend my passion for cinema with a strong sociological lens.
Leadership Fellow, Communities of Support: First Generation Students and the Transition to University Project
In my role as Leadership Fellow, I worked closely with Prof. Mike McDonnell and Dr. Kieryn McKay to create a supportive environment for low-SES, first-year, and first-in-family students transitioning to university. I mentored undergraduate volunteers, designed and implemented key support activities, and crafted sociologically grounded questionnaires to evaluate the experiences of these students. My work contributed to a broader initiative aimed at enhancing social mobility and ensuring a more inclusive educational environment.
