Research

Dr Gabriel’s research interests are interdisciplinary and broadly focused on the dynamics of race, gender and culture in media, communication and higher education. These areas of inquiry are approached from a critical race and Black feminist standpoint to analyse the relationships between race, power, privilege and inequality.

Research Specialisms

Dr Gabriel specializes in mixed methods and qualitative-interpretative research using critical, transformative and emancipatory paradigms, heavily informed by Black feminism and critical race theory. She employs a range of innovative research methods including critical ethnography, autoethnography, virtual ethnography, cyberethnography, experiential learning, conversational learning and participatory witnessing, alongside traditional methods such as focus groups, interviews and case studies.

Research Leadership

Dr Gabriel developed the Ivory Tower Project on race and gender inequality for Black British Academics, leading two research teams on two major publications: ‘Inside the Ivory Tower‘ (2017) and ‘Transforming the Ivory Tower’ (2020).

Publications

Journal Articles
Gabriel, D., & McDougall, J. (2020). Can We Talk? A White, Middle Class Male’s Perspective on Transforming the Ivory Tower: models for gender equality & social justice, Media Practice & Education Issue 21:3
Gabriel, D. (2019). Enhancing higher education practice through the 3D Pedagogy Framework to decolonize, democratize and diversify the curriculum. International Journal of Technology & Inclusive Education. Vol.8 Issue 2.
Gabriel, D. (2018). Pedagogies of Social Justice and Cultural Democracy in Media Higher Education. MERJ, Vol. 8 Issue 1, pp. 35-48.
Gabriel, D. (2016). Blogging While Black British and Female: a Critical Study on Discursive Activism. Information, Communication and Society. DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2016.1146784
Gabriel, D. (2015). Challenging the Whiteness of Britishness: Co-creating British Social History in the Blogosphere. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies.
Scholarly Articles
Gabriel, D. (2020) Race, racism and resistance: Why Black Lives Matter in higher education and the role of media education as a catalyst for change, Three- D MeCCSA Newsletter, Issue 34.
Gabriel, D. (2017). Experiential and conversational learning: things you can do with social media. Gender and Education Association.
Gabriel, D. (2017). The othering and objectification of Diane Abbott MP. UK Election Analysis 2017. Centre for the Study of Journalism, Culture & Community. Bournemouth University.
Gabriel, D. (2016). Belonging, racism and white backlash in the 2016 US Presidential Election. US Election Analysis 2016. Centre for the Study of Journalism, Culture & Community. Bournemouth University.
Gabriel.D. (2009). Race equality in the UK: why we still have a long way to go. Issues Today. No. 29. Racial Discrimination. Cambridge.Independence Educational Publishers.
Books (Forthcoming)
Gabriel, D. (2021). Critical Media Education for Social Justice. London: Routledge
Books
Gabriel, D. (2020). Transforming the Ivory Tower: Models for Gender Equality and Social Justice. London: UCL Press
Gabriel, D., & Tate, S.A. (eds), (2017). Inside the Ivory Tower: Narratives of Women of Colour Surviving and Thriving in British Academia. London: Trentham Books.
Gabriel, D. (2007). Layers of Blackness: Colourism in the African Diaspora. London: Imani Media.
Book Chapters (Forthcoming)
Gabriel, D. (2021). Do Black Lives Really Matter? Social closure, White privilege and the making of a Black underclass in higher education in  Handbook of Critical Race & Whiteness Studies. Tate et al. (ed). USA: Routledge.
Book Chapters
Gabriel, D. (2020). Teaching to transgress through 3D Pedagogy™: decolonising, democratising and diversifying the higher education curriculum in Transforming the Ivory Tower: Models for Gender Equality and Social Justice. (ed). Gabriel, D. London: UCL Press
Gabriel, D. (2017). Overcoming objectification and dehumanization in academia in Inside the Ivory Tower: Narratives of Women of Colour Surviving and Thriving in British Academia. (eds).Gabriel, D., & Tate, S.A. London: Trentham Books
Gabriel, D. (2016). Race, Racism and Resistance in British Academia in A Critical Study of (Trans) National Racism: Interdependence of Racist Phenomenon and Resistance Forms. (eds), Fereidooni, K & El, M. Wiesbaden: SpringerVS.
Gabriel, D. (2015) Alternative Voices, Alternative Spaces: Counterhegemonic Discourse in the Blogosphere; in Media, Margins and Civic Agency, (eds), Thorsen, et al.  London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Pilot Studies
Gabriel, D. (2018). Ivory Tower Reader Survey Report. Black British Academics.
Gabriel, D. (2015). Pilot Study on Black Doctoral Researchers. Black British Academics.
Gabriel, D. (2015). Black Sister Network Academic & PGR Consultation Survey Report. Black British Academics.
PhD Thesis
Gabriel, D. (2014). Blogging while Black and British: An exploratory study on the use of Blogs as social cultural and counterhegemonic practice. Unpublished doctoral thesis. University of Salford. Manchester: UK.
Conference Papers
MeCCSA Conference, Brighton, Jan 2020
Keynote Speaker:‘Race, racism and resistance in media interactions and environments and the Power of 3D Pedagogy™: Decolonising, Democratising and Diversifying Media Education and Practice’.
19th International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations, Patras, Greece, June 2019
‘Sense of Belonging: the impact on race, ethnicity and culture on doctoral education for students of colour’.
Canada International Conference on Education, University of Toronto, June 2018.
‘Enhancing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Teaching and Learning Through Critical Pedagogy and Reflective Practice’ (workshop)
18th International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations, Austin, Texas June 2018
‘Enhancing Teaching and Learning Through 3D Pedagogy Workshops that Decolonise, Democratise and Diversify the Curriculum’
1918-2018:100 Years of the Women’s Vote in Britain: How Far Have We Come School of Law & Social Sciences, Centre for Social Justice & Global Responsibility London South Bank University, June 2018
‘Women of Colour in the Ivory Tower: How Far Have We Come and How Far Have We to Go?’
18th Int’l Conference on E-learning and Innovative Pedagogies,  New York March 2018
‘Promoting Social Transformation in Communication Practice: Pedagogies of Social Justice & Cultural Democracy’.
Global Conference on Education, Research and Policy, Washington, DC. April 2017
Keynote Speaker: ‘Embedding Inclusion, Equality and Liberation in Media Higher Education’.
IAFOR International Conference on Education; Hawaii, Jan 2016
‘Social Justice Pedagogy and Cultural Democracy: Promoting Inclusion and Equality in Further and Higher Education’ (co-presented with Aisha Richards).
3rd International Conference on Advances in Women’s Studies, Buffalo USA Aug 2016
‘Inside the Ivory Tower: Women’s Empowerment and Leadership Through the Black Sister Network’.
4th International Conference on Communication, Media, Technology & Design, Grand Excelsior Hotel Sharjah, Dubai May 2015
‘Challenging the Whiteness of Britishness: Co-creating British Social History in the Blogosphere’.
Cyberspace 2014, Masaryk University, Czech Republic on November 2014
‘Blogging While Black, British and Female: Identity, Representation and Social Impact in the Blogosphere’.
Media & Politics Group Annual Conference Nov 2013, Bournemouth University 
‘Alternative Voices in Alternative Spaces: Counterhegemonic Discourse in the Blogosphere’.
Crossroads in Cultural Studies Conference July 2012 Sorbonne University, Paris
‘African Caribbean Bloggers in the UK: Alternative Voices on the Web’. (original title of PhD thesis) – presentation of preliminary findings

Research Supervision

Dr Gabriel is interested in supervising research students in any areas relating to her interests and specialisms as outlined above.
Current Research Students
Kimberley McFarland (EdD) : ‘Exploring how educators can use experiential e-learning to teach entrepreneurial and business literacy to high school students’.

Internal Examinations

Transfer viva (MRes to Ed.D) Sep 2017; Kimberley McFarland.
Rupert Cope MRes Examination :Watching the Wind Blow By: A Theoretical Framework for Improving Energy Justice in the UK | March 2019 

External Examinations

Ganiyat Oluwabukola Tijani-Adele PhD Viva: Women in Nigerian News Media: Status, Experiences, Structures | De Montfort University | Jan 2019

Awards

Winner of the James Thomas Memorial Prize for Best Paper at the Political Studies Association Media & Politics Group Annual Conference (2013)

Research Memberships

External Research  Roles

  • Advisory Board, Developing the Long-Term Research Agenda: Covid-19, The Health Foundation, Nuffield Foundation & Wellcome Trust (2020-)
  • Peer Reviewer for the Journal of Decolonising Disciplines (2019-date)
  • Peer Reviewer for Critical Studies in Television (2018-date)
  • Editorial Board, Int’l Journal of Crisis Communication  (2017-18)
  • Advisory Board, AHRC Common Cause Project: ‘Enriching the Arts & Humanities Through Collaborations Between Universities and BAME Community Partners’. (2016-2018)
  • Editorial Board,  International Race and Education Book Series at MSUP (2016-date)

Successful Funding Bids

May 2018: Bournemouth University.  ‘Enhancing Educational Practice Through 3D Pedagogy Workshops‘ (workshops; completed July 2018)
Feb 2017: Bournemouth University. ‘Generating Research Impact Through Engagement With The Communication Industries‘ (Public Engagement; completed July 2017)
April 2015: Bournemouth University. ‘Cultural Democracy Framework For Race Equality‘ (Public Engagement; completed 2015)
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