Associate Professor Elizabeth Gray staff profile picture

Contact details +6469519163

Associate Professor Elizabeth Gray BA, MA, PhD

Director of Teaching & Learning

Massey Business School - Deputy PVC's Office

My areas of research interest include written and oral communication demand in scientific and business workplaces and the teaching of oral communication competencies at tertiary level.  I have undertaken a national study of the oral communication skills expected of accounting graduates, by New Zealand accounting employers (reported in Business Communication Quarterly and Accounting Education, as well as other academic and practitioner outlets).

I am presently engaged in a long-term study of non-profit organisations and their digital communications with their stakeholders.  My collaborators and I have partnered with almost forty New Zealand non-profits to investigate their goals and practices regarding electronic newsletters, and we have surveyed over 16,000 recipients of these newsletters to better understand their reading practices and preferences.

I also undertake research in nineteenth-century women's poetry and journalism. I have written a book on Victorian women’s poetry (Christian and Lyric Tradition in Victorian Women's Poetry, Routledge 2010), and in 2012 published a book project on women’s journalism in the nineteenth century (Women and Journalism at the Fin de Siecle: Making a Name for Herself, Palgrave Macmillan 2012).  My work in this area has been funded in part by a Marsden FastStart Grant.  I am presently working on two nineteenth-century journalists, Alice Meynell and Dora Greenwell, and continuing work on a project on the intersection of journalism and poetry.

I teach professional writing, editing and publishing at undergraduate level, and also undertake graduate supervision.  My research interests include women's journalism history, workplace communication competencies (particularly oral communication), and stakeholder communication for non-profit organisations.

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Professional

Contact details

  • Location: 5E09, Block 5
    Campus: Wellington

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts - Massey University (1993)
  • Master of Arts - Massey University (1995)
  • Doctor of Philosophy - University of Virginia (2000)

Prizes and Awards

  • In 2015 I was the co-winner of the Christopher Newell Prize (awarded by the Australian and New Zealand Communication Association for the best paper dealing with matters relating to disability and communication, or to questions of equity, diversity and social justice as they pertain to communication), for the conference paper Gray, F. E., Hopkins, K., and Kirkwood, C., “Readable, audible, clickable: Accessible communication for the non-profit health sector.” The paper was subsequently expanded and published in Communication Research and Practice, 1.4, 2015. - Australia and New Zealand Communication Association (2015)

Research Expertise

Research Interests

History of journalism (with a particular emphasis on the role of British women in the journalism industry in the nineteenth century)

Victorian women's poetry (1830-1900), with a particular emphasis on devotional and religious poetry)

Oral communication competencies in the workplace

Oral communication demand in accountancy

Stakeholder communication for non-profit organisations

Electronic newsletters

Thematics

Design – for Commerce, Community and Culture

Area of Expertise

Field of research codes
British and Irish Literature (200503): Communication and Media Studies (200100): Communication Studies (200101): Communication Technology and Digital Media Studies (200102):
Journalism and Professional Writing (190300): Journalism Studies (190301):
Languages, Communication And Culture (200000): Literary Studies (200500):
Professional Writing (190302): Studies In Creative Arts And Writing (190000): Technical Writing (190303)

Keywords

Oral communication competencies in the workplace

Demand for oral communication skills in accountancy

Stakeholder communication for non-profit organisations

Electronic newsletters

British women's journalism history (particularly 1850-1900)

Victorian women's poetry

The journalism and poetry of Alice Meynell

The essays and poetry of Dora Greenwell

Research Projects

Summary of Research Projects

Position Current Completed
Project Leader 0 6

Completed Projects

Project Title: Not-For-Profit Organisations & Electronic Newsletters: Enhancing or Diminishing Communication?

This on-going project is investigating the use of electronic newsletters by New Zealand non-profit organisations, aiming to assess the strategic and practical effectiveness of this communication tool, and produce best practices to guide non-profits. The first stage of the research involved interviews with representatives from three non-profit organisations, seeking information as to the organisations' reasons for moving to the use of e-newsletters, their goals for the newsletters, and their perceptions of the level of subscribers' understanding of and support for the organisations' initiatives. We subsequently surveyed the recipients of the three organisations' e-newsletters. This survey inquired into recipients' reading patterns regarding electronic newsletters, what their preferences were in terms of length, frequency, and type of content, and their perceptions of the organisations' goals in producing e-newsletters. We have discovered that non-profit organisations are not always successfully communicating or achieving their strategy and goals by means of the electronic newsletters, and often have a poor understanding of how the e-newsletters are perceived and read. We are now examining the recipients' views regarding the effectiveness of the e-newsletter as a means of building relationship with the organisation.
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Date Range: 2012 - 2013

Funding Body: Massey University

Project Team:

Project Title: Not-For-Proft Organisations & Electronic Newsletters: Enhancing or Diminishing Communication?

This on-going project is investigating the use of electronic newsletters by New Zealand non-profit organisations, aiming to assess the strategic and practical effectiveness of this communication tool, and produce best practices to guide non-profits. The first stage of the research involved interviews with representatives from three non-profit organisations, seeking information as to the organisations' reasons for moving to the use of e-newsletters, their goals for the newsletters, and their perceptions of the level of subscribers' understanding of and support for the organisations' initiatives. We subsequently surveyed the recipients of the three organisations' e-newsletters. This survey inquired into recipients' reading patterns regarding electronic newsletters, what their preferences were in terms of length, frequency, and type of content, and their perceptions of the organisations' goals in producing e-newsletters. We have discovered that non-profit organisations are not always successfully communicating or achieving their strategy and goals by means of the electronic newsletters, and often have a poor understanding of how the e-newsletters are perceived and read. We are now examining the recipients' views regarding the effectiveness of the e-newsletter as a means of building relationship with the organisation.
Read Project Description Hide Project Description

Date Range: 2012 - 2013

Funding Body: Massey University

Project Team:

Project Title: Oral communication in accountancy

This project investigated the importance of oral communication competencies for students intending to begin a career in accountancy in New Zealand. Through a survey sent to over 700 New Zealand accountancy employers, followed by in-depth interviews with employers who volunteered for further contact, the project sought answers to the following questions: 1.To determine how much importance New Zealand accountancy employers place on oral communication skills in their graduate hires. 2.To determine what specific kinds of oral communication skills are required by New Zealand accountancy employers. 3.To determine the degree to which accountancy employers are finding the required oral communication skills in newly graduated accountancy students. The research produced a list of 27 distinct oral communication skills valued by employers of accountancy graduates, with listening skills and the ability to convey a professional attitude of respect and interest in clients ranked as the most important. The first output from this research, a 2010 article published in Business Communication Quarterly, has to date been cited over 30 times.
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Date Range: 2007 - 2008

Funding Body: Massey University

Project Team:

Research Outputs

Journal

Tyler, F., Gray, FE., & Strong, C. (2024). Familiarity and Fear: A Study of Historic Newsroom Naming Practices in Child-murder Cases in New Zealand. Media History. 30(1), 16-30
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Galy-Badenas, F., Gray, FE., & Cassidy, F. (2021). An intersectional approach to media coverage of politics in New Zealand: the case of Metiria Turei and Paula Bennett. Media International Australia.
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Yến-Khanh, N., Phelan, S., & Gray, E. (2022). Neoliberalism and authoritarian media cultures: a Vietnamese perspective. Media, Culture and Society. 44(2), 230-246
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F., Phelan, S.
Gray, FE., Murray, N., & Hopkins, K. (2021). Affordances of e-Newsletters for NPO General-Public Stakeholders. Voluntas. 32(5), 1165-1181
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F., Murray, N.
Galy-Badenas, F., & Gray, FE. (2020). Media Coverage of Rachida Dati and Najat Vallaud-Belkacem: An Intersectional Analysis of Representations of Minority Women in the French Political Context. Women's Studies in Communication. 43(2), 181-201
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., & Simpson, M. (2019). Introduction. Communication Research and Practice. 5(1), 1-3 Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rcrp20/5/1
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., & Hopkins, K. (2019). Transported: New Zealand non-profit organizations, digital platforms and the limitations of metaphor. New Media and Society. 21(3), 750-769
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2017). Alice Meynell: Production, reproduction, and the world of work in the 1890s. Victorians. 132, 148-161
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., Hopkins, K., & Kirkwood, C. (2015). Readable, audible, navigable: Accessible communication for the non-profit health sector. Communication Research and Practice. 1(4), 335-348
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2017). Journalism and Poetry in the Nineteenth Century: Calls to action. Journalism Studies. 18(7), 807-825
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., & Hopkins, KJ. (2014). Non-profit organisations and relationship cultivation: Do electronic newsletters have a role to play?. PRism Online PR Journal. 11(1) Retrieved from http://www.prismjournal.org/
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2014). Religious Imaginaries: The Liturgical and Poetic Practices of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Christina Rossetti, and Adelaide Procter. Women's Writing.
[Book Review]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., & Hessell, N. (2014). Introduction. Nineteenth-Century Gender Studies. 10(2), 1-7 Retrieved from http://www.ncgsjournal.com/issue102/introduction.htm
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.Edited by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2014). With thrilling interest: Victorian poets report the news. Nineteenth-Century Gender Studies. 10(2), 1-16 Retrieved from http://www.ncgsjournal.com/issue102/gray.htm
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.Edited by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., & Hamilton, L. (2014). Communication in Accounting Education. Accounting Education. 23(2), 115-118
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2013). Pioneerinnen des Journalismus. Message: International Journal for Journalism. (4), 108-109 Retrieved from http://www.message-online.com/archiv/message-4-2013/
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, E. (2012). Poetry and politics in The Women's Penny Paper/Woman's Herald, 1888-1893: 'One swift, bright fore-gleam of celestial day'. Victorian Periodicals Review. 45(2), 134-157 Retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/victorian_periodicals_review/v045/45.2.gray.pdf
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, EF., & Murray, N. (2011). 'A distinguishing factor': Oral communication skills in new accountancy graduates. Accounting Education. 20(3), 275-294
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F., Murray, N.
Gray, F. (2010). Review of - A Companion to Victorian Poetry. Australasian Victorian Studies Association Journal. 15(1), 47-49 Retrieved from http://www.nla.gov.au/openpublish/index.php/AJVS/issue/view/154
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2010). Speak up listen up. Chartered Accountants Journal of New Zealand. 88(6), 50-51
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2010). Specific oral communication skills desired in new accountancy graduates. Business Communication Quarterly. 73(1), 40-67
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2009). Speak up, listen up. Chartered Accountants Journal. 88(6), 50-51
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2007). Catholicism and ideal womanhood in Fin-de-Siecle women's poetry. English Literature in Transition, 1880-1920. 50(1), 50-72
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2007). Review of communicating gender diversity: A critical approach. Gender in Management: An International Journal. 23(7), 544-548
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2007). Catholicism and ideal womanhood in fin-de-siècle women's poetry. English Literature in Transition, 1880-1920. 50(1), 50-72
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., Emerson, LE., & MacKay, BR. (2006). 'They don't have much in their kitbags': Equipping science students for the workplace. Australian Journal of Communication. 33(1), 105-122
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2006). "Syren strains": Victorian women's devotional poetry and John Keble's the Christian year. VICTORIAN POETRY. 44(1), 61-76
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2005). Paradise remade: Victorian woman, religious poetry, and the uses of Heaven. Australasian Victorian Studies Journal. 11, 23-40
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2005). Poetical remains: Poets' graves, bodies, and books in the Nineteenth Century, By Samantha Mathews. Reviewed by F. Elizabeth Gray. Australasian Victorian Studies Journal. 11, 178-180
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., Emerson, L., & MacKay, B. (2005). Meeting the demands of the workplace: Science students and written skills. Journal of Science Education and Technology. 14(4), 425-435
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Emerson, LE., Gray, FE., & MacKay, BR. (2004). Teaching communication skills to tertiary science students. Newsletter. Association for Women in the Sciences NZ (AWIS). , 7-9
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2004). Beautification through beautification: Poetry in the christian lady's magazine, 1834-1849. Victorian Poetry. 42(3), 261-282
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2003). Making Christ: Alice Meynell, poetry, and the Eucharist. Christianity and Literature. 52(2), 159-179
[Journal article]Authored by: Gray, F.

Book

Gray, FE., & Scott, J. (2023). Developing an all-voices plan: A case study of embracing community to uphold academic integrity. In Academic Quality and Integrity in the New Higher Education Digital Environment: A Global Perspective. (pp. 75 - 93).
[Chapter]Authored by: Gray, F., Scott, J.
Gray, FE. (2012). Alice Meynell, Literary Reviewing, and the Cultivation of Scorn. In Palgrave Studies in Nineteenth-Century Writing and Culture. (pp. 71 - 90).
[Chapter]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2012). Introduction. In Palgrave Studies in Nineteenth-Century Writing and Culture. (pp. 1 - 20).
[Chapter]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2012). Women in Journalism at the Fin de Siècle Making a Name for Herself. In Palgrave Studies in Nineteenth-Century Writing and Culture. (pp. 1 - 259).
[Chapter]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2017). Digital Media in Nonprofit Organisations. In A. Farazmand (Ed.) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. (pp. 1 - 8). : Springer International
[Chapter]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2016). Promoting women: Profiles and feminism in The Women's Penny Paper/Woman's Herald. In S. Joseph, & RL. Keeble (Eds.) Profile pieces: Journalism and the 'human interest' bias. (pp. 151 - 163). New York: Routledge
[Chapter]Authored by: Gray, F.
(2016). Communication in accounting education.
[Edited Book]Authored by: Gray, F.Edited by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2015). Alice Meynell. In DF. Felluga, PK. Gilbert, & LK. Hughes (Eds.) Encyclopedia of Victorian Literature. : Blackwell
[Chapter]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2015). Dora Greenwell. In DF. Felluga, PK. Gilbert, & LK. Hughes (Eds.) Encyclopedia of Victorian literature. : Blackwell Publishing
[Chapter]Authored by: Gray, F.
Jongen, C., McCalman, J., Bainbridge, R., & Clifford, A. (2018). Introduction. In SpringerBriefs in Public Health. (pp. 1 - 11).
[Chapter]Authored by: Gray, F.Edited by: Gray, F.
Gray, E. (2012). Alice Meynell, literary reviewing, and the cultivation of scorn. In FE. Gray (Ed.) Women in journalism at the Fin de Siècle: Making a name for herself. (pp. 71 - 90). : Palgrave MacMillan
[Chapter]Authored by: Gray, F.Edited by: Gray, F.
Gray, E. (Ed.) (2012). Women in journalism at the Fin de Siecle: Making a name for herself. Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan
[Edited Book]Edited by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE.(2010). Christian and lyric tradition in Victorian women's poetry. New York and London: Routledge
[Authored Book]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., Emerson, LE., & MacKay, BR. (2008). Oral communication competencies in the science classroom and the scientific workplace. In CL. Petroselli (Ed.) Science Education Issues and Developments. (pp. 223 - 238). New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
[Chapter]Authored by: Emerson, L., Gray, F.

Thesis

Gray, FE. (2000). Owning him king: Tractarianism and Victorian women's religious poetry. (Doctoral Thesis, University of Virginia)
[Doctoral Thesis]Authored by: Gray, F.

Conference

Gray, FE., & Hopkins, K.'We're on the road to... where?' Im-mobilisation and platform proliferation in the non-profit sector. . Newcastle, Australia
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE.Alice Meynell and the Voluntary Obedience of Genre. . Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., & Hopkins, K.Is email dead? Dinosaur technologies and relationship cultivation.. . Melbourne, Australia
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE.‘Sentimental twaddle upon the subject’: Dora Greenwell, poetry, and journalism in the 1860s.. . Wilmington, DE
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2014). ‘If you write it, they will come’: The promises and pitfalls of electronic newsletters for non-profit organisations. In J. Snyder (Ed.) Proceedings of the 79th Annual International Convention. Philadelphia, United States of America: Association for Business Communication
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., & Hopkins, KJ. (2013). Who's going to read this anyway? Non-profits, electronic newsletters, and the elusive reader. In T. Lee, K. Trees, & R. Desai (Eds.) Refereed Proceedings of the Australian and New Zealand Communication Association Conference: Global Networks-Global Divides: Bridging New and Traditional Communication Challenges. (pp. 131 - 131). Australia: Australian and New Zealand Communication Association Conference
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Gray, F.
Hopkins, KJ., Gray, E., & Gardner, D. (2013). Managing organisation-public relationships in the social sphere: Public relations vs. customer service.. In K. Trees, R. Desai, & T. Lee (Eds.) Refereed Proceedings of the Australian and New Zealand Communication Association conference: Global Networks-Global Divides: Bridging New and Traditional Communication Challenges. : 2013 Australian and New Zealand Communication Association Conference: Global Networks-Global Divides: Bridging New and Traditional Communication Challenges
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, E.Creativity and business communication: Teaching for wider horizons. . Hamilton, New Zealand
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, F.(2011). Signature style: Women, Journalism, and Identity at the Fin de Siecle. . Adelaide, SA, Australia
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, F.(2010). Investigating the intersection of creative and professional writing. . Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2009). Making yourself heard: Oral communication in the global accountancy workplace. In PT. Flew (Ed.) Communication, Creativity and Global Citizenship: Refereed Proceedings of the Australian and New Zealand Communication Association Conference. (pp. 1313 - 1324).
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2009, July). Making yourself heard: Oral communication in the global accountancy workplace. Presented at Australia & New Zealand Communication Association Conference. Brisbane, QLD.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., Emerson, LE., & MacKay, BR. (2008). ''Talking the talk'' industry and student perspectives on oral communication in science education. In J. Tebbutt (Ed.) Communications, Civics, Industry: 2007 Proceedings of Australian and New Zealand Communication Association Conference. (pp. 1 - 11).
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Emerson, L., Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2008, November). 'No confederacy and no direction': Nature and the working class in Alice Meynell's London impressions. Presented at North American Victorian Studies Association Annual Meeting. Yale University, New Haven, CT.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., & Emerson, LE. (2007, July). Talking the talk: Industry and student perspectives on oral communication in science education. Presented at Australian & New Zealand Communication Association Annual Conference. Melbourne, VIC.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., Emerson, LE., & MacKay, BR.(2007). 'Talking the talk': Industry and students perspectives on oral communication in science education. . Melbourne, VIC
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Emerson, L., Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2007). Does PowerPoint corrupt absolutely? Using presentation software to strengthen writing skills. In E. Gray, & L. Emerson (Eds.) Proceedings of the Tertiary Writing Network Colloquium 2006. (pp. 132 - 147).
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2005, February). Envisioning the other side: Paradisal states in late Victorian women's poetry. Presented at Australasian Victorian Studies Association Conference. University of Auckland, Auckland, NZ.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2005, April). We get no Christ from you: Victorian women, intertexuality and devotional poetry. Presented at Victorians Institute Conference. University of North Carolina, Greensboro, NC.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2005, February). Paradise remade: Nineteenth-Century women, Christianity, and poetry. Presented at Carol Christ Research Symposium. Massey University, Palmerston North, NZ.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE., Emerson, LE., & MacKay, BR. (2004). What does an employer want? Research into the 'market' for writing skills. In DW. Ed (Ed.) Writing for a Change: Proceedings of the 6th Biennial Tertiary Writing Network Colloquium. (pp. 183 - 189). Wellington, NZ
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Emerson, L., Gray, F.
Gray, E., Emerson, LE., & MacKay, BR. (2004, December). What does an employer want? Research into the 'market' for writing skills. Presented at 6th Biennial Tertiary Writing Network. Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, NZ.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Gray, F.
Gray, FE. (2000, March). "Pangs of utterless desire": Christina Rossetti's fantasies of martyrdom. Presented at Vision, Dreams, and Nightmares: The Nineteenth Century Studies Association 20th Annual Conference. Marymount University, Arlington, VA.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Gray, F.

Teaching and Supervision

Teaching Statement

In addition to my current teaching responsibilities, I have in the past taught and coordinated courses in communication in the sciences, technical communication, management communication, intercultural communication, and a range of literary courses including Victorian Literature.

Summary of Doctoral Supervision

Position Current Completed
Main Supervisor 0 2
Co-supervisor 0 2

Completed Doctoral Supervision

Main Supervisor of:

  • 2020 - Francine Tyler - Doctor of Philosophy
    Killing innocents : An analysis of historical news reporting of multiple-child murders in New Zealand and the legislation that changed the crime reporting framework
  • 2013 - Margaret Emerre - Doctor of Business and Administration
    Collaboration in scientific research: The views and practices of researchers in the College of Sciences, Massey University, Turitea Campus: A case study

Co-supervisor of:

  • 2021 - Flora Galy-Badenas - Doctor of Philosophy
    Gender and ethnicity in politics: An intersectional approach to French and New Zealand media coverage
  • 2020 - Khanh Nguyen - Doctor of Philosophy
    Representation of autism in Vietnamese online news media between 2006 and 2016