Research Interests

I am working on a number of funded projects with partners in NUIM and other universities around Ireland. These projects are exploring the production and consumption of media in the global context with a particular focus on new media, including the internet and digital games. The following are ongoing research projects:

1. Serving Society: Effective Management of Future Communciations Networks and Services

 (2007-2010) Funded by the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions.

This project focuses on innovative internet users and is part of a larger inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional project on networking technologies and the "Future Internet." It proposes to take a holistic view of communications services, users and the requirements they place on the communications infrastructure over which they are delivered. Strand 3 of this project will focus on exploring advanced internet use and user groups. See http://servingsoc.tssg.org

Project involves Micheal O Foghlu, Waterford IT - Telecommunications Software & Systems Group, Douglas Leith, David Malone - NUI Maynooth - Hamilton Institute, Mikael Fernstrom, Liam Bannon - Interaction Design Centre, University of Limerick.

2. Social and spatial structures of collaboration and innovation in the Knowledge Economy

(2007-2009) Funded by the European Union 7th Framework Programme - Priority 2 - Information Society Technologies, phase II.
See http://www.opaals.org/index.php

This project will study the social and spatial structures of collaboration and knowledge flow that underpin innovation among SMEs in the biotechnology and digital media sectors in Ireland. This task will study how social worlds structure innovation processes in particular contexts. Our project is part of a European network of excellence called OPAALS (Open Philosophies for Associative Autopoietic Digital Ecosystems), whose focus is on developing the science and technology behind Digital Ecosystems.

Project involves Sean Ó Riain, Chris Van Egeraat, NIRSA, NUIM, Antonella Passani, Lorena Rivera León, T6 Società Cooperativa, Italy , Javier Val, Istituto Tecnologico de Aragon, ITA, Spain. Paolo Dini, London School of Economics, UK.

3. Irish broadcasting and the 'New Ireland'; Mapping and visioning cultural diversity

(2007-2008). Funded by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland.

The aim of this research is to explore the current and possible future development of forms of 'cultural diversity policy' in Irish broadcasting at a time of unprecedented socio-cultural change in Ireland.. In particular the project will examine current broadcasting production and regulatory policies in this area and pattersn of media use by Polish, Chineses and Nigerian communities in Ireland. Project involves Dr. Rebecca Chiyoko King-ÓRiain (Sociology), Dr. Gavan Titley (Media Studies) and Abel Ugba, University of East London.

4 'Building the Knowledge economy and society'.

A joint programme of research and postgraduate education between NUIM and NUIG, UCC, DCU, DkIT, IT Sligo, University of Limerick and Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Part of the National Social Sciences Platform (NSSP) - Funded by the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (2007-2010).
See http://www.nuim.ie/nirsa/issp/issp.html

5. The production and consumption of Digital Games

Currently investigating freelance work in the games industry. Ongoing work as content manager of the website www.gamedevelopers.ie.

6. NUIM Sociology Postgraduate Skills and Employment Survey

(2007)Funded by the Department of Sociology, NUIM.

This project seeks to explore postgraduate experiences, skill development and employment outcomes through a survey of previous sociology postgraduates in NUIM in 2007. The project aims to develop recommendations which could inform future postgraduate courses and develop job related skills courses, without compromising the academically driven content of postgraduate programmes. With Maria Griffin, Dr. Rebecca King-Ó Riain and Dr. Laurence Cox.

POSTGRADUATE PROJECTS

I am currently helping students to develop postgraduate projects in the areas of social networking sites and massively multiplayer online games. I am co-supervising a PhD thesis in the area of film policy in Ireland.

I am interested in supervising postgraduate students in areas related to my ongoing projects including the production and consumption of media and technology in society, gender and technology, virtual/online studies.

Publications

Books:

Kerr, A. (2006) The Business and Culture of Digital Games.
GameWork/Gameplay. Sage Publications: London.

 Articles in Refereed Journals:

Kerr, A, Brereton, P, and Kucklich, J. (2006) 'New Media: New Pleasures?' In the International Journal of Cultural Studies, Vol 9(1).

Kerr, A (2003) 'Live Life to the power of PS2. Locating the Games Industry in the New Media Environment.' In Irish Communications Review,.Vol. 9 (1).

Kerr, A. & Flynn, R. (2003) 'Revisiting Globalisation through the Movie and Digital Games Industries.' In Convergence: The Journal of Research into New Media Technologies Vol.8 (1).

Preston, P. & Kerr, A. (2001) 'Digital Media, the Nation State and Local Cultures: The development of multimedia content in Ireland.'
Published in Media, Culture and Society Vol. 23(1).

Kerr, A. (2000) 'Media Diversity and Cultural Identities. The Development of Multimedia 'Content' products in Ireland'. Published in New Media and Society Vol. 2(3).

Chapters in Edited Collections:

with Crowley, A (forthcoming) 'Snakes and ladders: a system of innovation analysis of Ireland's games industry' in Rutter, J. & Bryce, J (Eds), Digital Game Industries, London: Ashgate.

Kerr, A. (2007) 'From Boston to Berlin ? Creativity and Digital Media Industries in the Celtic Tiger' in Lovink, G. and Rossiter, N (Eds) My Creativity Reader, Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures.

Kerr, A. (2007) 'Transnational flows: media use by Poles in Ireland' in Horgan, J., O'Connor, B., and Sheehan, H., (eds) Mapping Irish Media: Critical Explorations: Dublin: UCD Press.

Kerr, A. (2006) 'Spilling Hot coffee. Grand Theft Auto as contested cultural product' in Garrelts, N. (Ed) in A Strategy Guide for Studying the Grand Theft Auto Series, McFarland press: Jefferson.

Kerr, A. (2006) 'The Business of Making Games.' Chapter in Rutter, J. & Bryce, J. (Eds.) Understanding Digital Games. Sage Publications: London.

Kerr, A (2005) 'New Media.' Chapter in Shaw, H. (Ed.) The Irish Media Guide, Gill and MacMillan.

Kerr, A. (2004) 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun!' Chapter in Oudshoorn, N., Rommes, Els and Sloten, I. (Eds.) Strategies of Inclusion: Gender in the Information Society. Vol III: Surveys of Women's User Experience. Norway: Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim.

Kerr, A (2002) 'The business of culture. New media industries in Ireland.' Chapter in Peillon, M. and Corcoran, M. (Eds.) Ireland Unbound. A Turn of the Century Chronicle, Institute of Public Administration, Ireland.

Kerr, A. (1999) 'The Development of Multimedia in Ireland'. Chapter in Europe Appropriates Multimedia. A Study of the National Uptake of Multimedia in Eight European Countries and Japan. Williams, R. & Slack, R. (Eds) Norway: Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim.

Papers Delivered

'Innovation in the digital media sector: redefining knowledge inputs and policies.'
Paper presented at Euro CPR 2007 conference, Seville, March 2007. with Preston, P, and Cawley, A. 'Contraflows? Media Use by Poles in Ireland'
Presented at the Sociology Association of Ireland conference, University of Limerick, May, 2007 with Titley, G, and King-O'Riain, R. 'Spilling Hot Coffee? Grand Theft Auto as contested cultural product'
Presented at the Sociology Association of Ireland conference, Sligo, May 2006. 'Spilling Hot Coffee? Digital Games and Grand Theft Auto as contested cultural products'
Presented at the Political Economy section of the International Association of Media and Communications Researchers, 20-25th July, 2005, Taipei, Taiwan. Charles, D, Kerr, A. et al. 'Player-Centred Game Design: Adaptive Digital Games and Emergent Gameplay'
presented at the Digital Games Research Association conference, Vancouver, 17-20th June, 2005. Kerr, A, Brereton, P. et al. 'Intermedial Pleasures: The Enjoyment of Digital Games in the Context of Home Media Use'
presented at the Digital Games Research Association conference, Vancouver, 17-20th June, 2005. Kerr, A 'Cool, risque and male? Digital games, inclusion and women.'
Part of a panel 'De-coding the Digital Divides and Gender: European Perspectives on In/Exclusion in ICT',
presented at the International Communications Association annual conference, New York, May 26-30, 2005. Kerr, A. 'Authoring Games.' Part of a panel on 'The Many Faces of the Auteur: Authorship in Film, TV and Video Games'
presented at the Society for Cinema and Media Studies annual conference, London, March 31-April 3rd, 2005.

Teaching

Media and Society, 2nd year
Fieldwork, 2nd year
The Internet and Society, 3rd year
Technology and Culture, 3rd Year
Global Media and Globalisation, MA.
 

Professional Membership

International Association for Media and Communciations Research
International Communciations Association
Digital Games Research Association
Sociology Association of Ireland
Irish Media Research Network

Contact Details

Room 21 Auxilia
NUI Maynooth, Maynooth
Co. Kildare
Tel: 01 708 6140

Contact Dr. Aphra Kerr