The Politics of Casting in the Media: conference addresses key debates

An online conference run by the University of South Wales (USW) aims to address key debates faced by the media when it comes to casting for the creative industries.

Hosted over two days, from 20 to 21 November, the interdisciplinary event will shed light on, and gain a deeper critical understanding of, media casting as a myriad and multifaceted practice. The conferences traces histories of casting from around the globe and addresses current key debates that casting in media faces today, exploring systems of casting and the identities of those cast, or indeed marginalised, across media pertaining to gender, race, sexuality, class, age, disability, and/or nationality.

The conference will welcome a range of international delegates and attendees, adding further depth to the study of media casting by covering various wide-reaching topics including media representations, processes of casting within specific nationalities, debates around diversity and inclusion, the role of celebrity, and audience engagement with casting.

Internationally renowned scholars, Dr Kristen J Warner from the University of Alabama and Dr Shelley Cobb from the University of Southampton, will be the keynote speakers at the event. Their sessions aim to support meaningful conversations and relationships between academia, industry, and wider external bodies that impacts both scholarly knowledge and production cultures within the creative industries.

Dr Shelley Cobb will explore film industry research that uses data to highlight the lack of diversity in film and television. Her session will consider the relationship between on screen representation and behind the camera participation.

She said: “Various data show that when the director, writer or producer is a woman, then the film is much more likely to have a woman as cinematographer or editor than a film with only men in the top production roles. Data also shows that when at least one woman is in the role of director, writer, or producer, the percentage of women in speaking roles on screen is higher than films without any women in those roles.

“These examples of women working with women seem to suggest that ‘positive homophily’ might be the way forward for improving equality and diversity in the film industry. However, film industry diversity policies such as the Inclusion Rider and the BFI’s Diversity Standards assume that the producers and makers of films are straight, white men looking for ‘diverse’ talent.”

The Politics of Casting in Media takes place from Saturday 20 November at 9.30am until Sunday 21 November at 7pm, and is free to register. To book a place, go to Eventbrite.