Awardees

GWNZ Fellowship, 2020

Taylor Annabell

Taylor has completed her first year as a PhD student at King’s College London researching the dynamics of social media and memory through the perspectives and experiences of young women.

The purpose of her research is to contribute to the field of memory studies through the concept of digital memory work and offer empirical insight into how memory is conceptualised and operates through a distributed network of agency. The way that digital media technologies alter and disrupt existing binaries, theories and methods is a central contemporary concern in the field. Furthermore, she intends to develop a mnemonic literacy toolkit in collaboration with research participants that may offer strategies to other young women in how to navigate social media in a healthy, positive way. Taylor presented initial findings at three conferences this year including the prestigious Third Annual Memory Studies Conference in Madrid. Peer feedback affirmed the conceptual value of the research. Taylor intends to pursue a career in academia. Moving to study in London has given Taylor access to supervision from experts and the networks of student and scholars engaged in the field. Taylor hopes to return to New Zealand to contribute to memory studies research.

Read about Taylor’s doctoral research