Feona Attwood

Feona Attwood is a distinguished academic whose work has significantly shaped the fields of media and cultural studies, particularly around issues of sexuality, gender, and digital culture. With a PhD in English and extensive teaching and leadership experience across institutions such as Sheffield Hallam University and Middlesex University, she has built a formidable academic profile that bridges both research and curriculum innovation. Her research interests span pornography, sexualization, intimacy, and the cultural politics of sex in media, with a distinct focus on how these subjects intersect with digital technologies and popular culture. Attwood has played an instrumental role in developing pioneering courses on gender and media and has supervised numerous PhD students, reflecting her deep commitment to mentoring and academic development. Her projects, often interdisciplinary in nature, have been supported by respected bodies including the ESRC and the Leverhulme Trust, underscoring the scholarly impact and public relevance of her work. Attwood’s prolific publication record includes influential books like Mainstreaming Sex, Porn.com, and Controversial Images, along with journal articles in top-tier publications such as Sexualities, Feminist Media Studies, and Journal of Gender Studies. She has been a key figure in editorial roles, serving as a founding editor of Porn Studies, the first academic journal dedicated to the study of pornography, which has become a landmark in the field. Her work has been consistently concerned with rethinking the terms of public and scholarly debates around sex and sexuality, positioning her as a leading voice in contemporary discussions around sexual cultures and media. In addition to academic achievements, she has also contributed to public discourse through media appearances, consultancy work, and knowledge exchange initiatives. Attwood’s career is marked by her ability to navigate and connect scholarly research, teaching excellence, and public engagement, making her a highly influential figure in cultural and media studies. FEONA ATTWOOD is a Professor in the Media Department at Middlesex University, UK. Her research is in the area of sex in contemporary culture; and in particular, in onscenity; sexualization; sexual cultures; new technologies, identity and the body; and controversial media. She is the editor of Mainstreaming Sex: The Sexualization of Western Culture (2009), porn.com: Making Sense of Online Pornography (2010) and (with Vincent Campbell, I.Q. Hunter and Sharon Lockyer) Controversial Images (in press) and the co-editor of journal special issues on Controversial Images (with Sharon Lockyer, Popular Communication, 2009), Researching and Teaching Sexually Explicit Media (with I.Q. Hunter, Sexualities, 2009), and Investigating Young People’s Sexual Cultures (with Clarissa Smith, Sex Education, 2011). Her recent publications have focussed on online culture, aesthetics, sex and the media, and public engagement. She is leading an international research network on onscenity, funded by the AHRC and is at the start of an AHRC Fellowship project. Her current book project is Media, Sex and Technology.