Staff Profile

Background

I am currently a Senior Lecturer in Media Culture Heritage, specialising in Museum, Gallery and Heritage Studies, I am also the Head of Research for Media Culture Heritage.

I am lead co-editor of the Routledge Book Series, Critical Heritages of Europe: https://www.routledge.com/Critical-Heritages-of-Europe/book-series/COHERE 

I am the Project Leader and Principal Investigator of en/counter/points: (re)negotiating belonging through culture and contact in public space and place. Funded by HERA under the Public Spaces: Culture and Integration in Europe call with c.1million Euro, the project runs from May 2019 to October 2022.

Previously I was the Head of Impact for Media Culture Heritage (2017-2020) and Erasmus/International Exchanges Coordinator for Media Culture Heritage (2014-2017).

From 2016-2019 I was the Deputy Project Coordinator of the EU funded Horizon 2020 project: COHERE - Critical Heritages: representing and performing identities in Europe (https://research.ncl.ac.uk/cohere/). In addition I was the Leader of the Dissemination Work Package and undertook research as Co-Investigator within Work Package 1 (led by Prof Chris Whitehead).

From 2011-2015, I was a researcher on the EU FP7 funded MeLA: European Museums in an Age of Migration project (http://www.mela-project.polimi.it/).

I have a PhD in Museum Studies (Newcastle University 2007), an MA (Hons) in German and History of Art (Edinburgh University 1999) and an MA in Museum Studies (Newcastle University 2001). My postgraduate MA and PhD were both fully funded by scholarships from the AHRC. During my undergraduate degree I undertook an ERASMUS year at Leipzig University, Germany and a key part of my PhD research involved in depth research visits to the Institute for Museum Research in Berlin (funded by the DAAD - German Academic Exchange Service) and to major museums around Germany and the UK. 

Prior to my academic career, I gained professional experience within the cultural heritage sector internationally, incuding work at:

• the Alte and Neue Pinakothek - two major art museums in Munich, Germany
• The Royal Commission for the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), for the National Monuments Record Scotland - a national architectural and archaeological archive
• the Palace of Holyroodhouse - a historic royal palace and major tourist attraction in Edinburgh
• AKG Images - a commercial arts and history picture library with offices in London, Berlin and Paris

Memberships

At Newcastle University I am Steering Group member for the Cultures of Memory Research Group, and the Newcastle University Centre of Research Excellence (NuCORE) in Heritage.

I am a member of: Association of Critical Heritage Studies; Memory Studies Association; Museums Association; Museums & Galleries History Group; SIEF; ICOM

Research Interests

My research interests are interdisciplinary and span the full breadth of what is understood as 'heritage', memory and public culture.

Within this I have particular specialist knowledge and interests in: difficult histories (in particular in relation to German history); migration, diversity and representation; populism and contested identities, belonging and memory; cultural policy; museum architecture; museology; built heritage. 

In 2020 I was awarded a DAAD grant to undertake a 3-month fellowship at CARMAH, Humboldt University Berlin.

In October 2019 I was made an associate fellow of the Leibniz-Zentrum fuer Zeithistorische Forschung in Potsdam, Germany.

From September - December 2016 I held a Leibniz Research Alliance 'Historical Authenticity' Fellowship http://www.leibniz-historische-authentizitaet.de/verbund/fellows/ at the Zentrum fuer Zeithistorische Forschung, Potsdam, Germany undertaking independent research on the topic: 'Affective authenticity? Museums, objects and memories of historical and contemporary migration'

Major research project work includes:

From 2019-2022 I am the Project Leader and Principal Investigator of en/counter/points: (re)negotiating belonging through culture and contact in public space and place. Funded by HERA under the Public Spaces: Culture and Integration in Europe call with c.1 million Euro.

From 2016 - 2019 I was the Deputy Project Coordinator, Dissemination Work Package Leader and Co-Investigator on CoHERE: Critical Heritages performing and representing identities in Europe (https://research.ncl.ac.uk/cohere/). Funded by the European Commission under Horizon 2020 with 2.4 million Euro.

From 2011 - 2015 I worked as Research Associate on MeLA: European Museums in an Age of Migration (http://www.mela-project.polimi.it/). Funded by the European Commission under FP7 with 2.6 million Euro.

In 2008 I assisted PI Aron Mazel on the 'Embedding Apartheid' research project examining the influence of the Afrikaner Broederbond secret society on museums, culture and public life during Apartheid-era South Africa. 

PhD Supervision 

Completed PhDs:

2022:

Phil Deans: From a Museum on the World's last War, to a Museum on the Two World Wars: The Wartime Activities and Reinvention of the Imperial War Museum, 1939-1946

Alistair Robinson: Making present (art) history public / Making public (art) history present:  How museums of modern art construct the history of the visual art of our time

I currently supervise the following research postgraduate students:

Verena Niepel: The effects of values promoted in Berlin's art scene. the example of migrated artists from Turkey since 2002 (working title) 

Samantha Vaughn: Silence and Selectivity: Communicating Communist history in the museum and the making of meaning (working title)

Heather Proctor: The role of the arts and political memory in forming mixed ethnic identity (working title)  

I would welcome proposals from potential PhD students in any of my areas of interest (see the 'profile' and 'research' tabs on this page. 

Current teaching:

Since 2015 I have been teaching on the following modules in Media, Culture, Heritage:

Bachelors level:

MCH 3073 - Research Dissertation: Media, Communication and Culture (formerly COM 3073) - Dissertation Supervisor

MCH 2078 - Shock and Awe: conflict, disaster and emotions in media and public culture - Module Leader, lecturer and seminar leader

MCH3068 - Identity and Belonging - Module leader, lecturer and seminar leader

MCH2011 - Memory Matters - lecturer

Masters level:

MCH8058 - Research Methodologies in Media, Culture and Society 

MCH8501 - Understanding Challenges in Museum, Gallery and Heritage Studies

MCH8503 - Communicating and Learning in Museum, Gallery and Heritage Studies

MCH8504 - Caring for Collections in Museum, Gallery and Heritage Studies

MCH8532 - Understanding Academic and Applied Research in Museum, Gallery and Heritage Studies

MCH8599 - Research Dissertation in Museum, Gallery & Heritage Studies - dissertation supervisor

MCH8600 - Professional Practice and Research Project - supervisor

Previous teaching:

Undergraduate

Between 2008 and 2015 I taught on the following modules in Fine Art:

FIN1007 Preliminary Studies in Art History 1 - Seminar leader and lecturer

FIN1008 Preliminary Studies in Art History 2 - Seminar leader and lecturer

FIN3036 - Art & War - Lecturer

FIN3029 - Exhibiting Art - Lecturer 

FIN3097 - Art History Dissertation - Dissertation Supervisor

Postgraduate

Between 2008 and 2016 I taught on the following Masters level modules:

ICS8001 Issues & Ideas in Museum, Gallery & Heritage Studies - Module leader, Seminar leader and lecturer

ICS8003 Communication & Interpretation in Museum, Gallery & Heritage Studies - Practicals leader

ICS8012 History in Museums - Lecturer

ICS8024 Heritage Management 1 - Lecturer 

ICS8099 Dissertation in Museum, Gallery & Heritage Studies - Module leader and dissertation supervisor

Teaching Roles and Pastoral care

Since 2010 I have also acted as a personal tutor to UGT and PGT students

Between 2012 and 2016 I was the Erasmus & Study Abroad Coordinator for Media, Culture, Heritage

• Eckersley S, Vos C, ed. Diversity of Belonging in Europe: Public Spaces, Contested Places, Cultural Encounters. Abingdon: Routledge, 2022. In Press.
• Eckersley S. Museums as a public space of belonging? Negotiating dialectics of purpose, presentation and participation. In: Eckersley S; Vos C, ed. Diversity of Belonging in Europe: Public Spaces, Contested Places, Cultural Encounters. Abingdon: Routledge, 2022. In Press.
• Eckersley S, Mears H. Toolkit on Belonging for museum professionals. 2022.
• Eckersley S. Zugehoerigkeit. In: Sabrow M; Saupe A, ed. Handbuch Historische Authentizitaet. Goettingen: Wallstein, 2022, pp.571-582.
• Eckersley S, Vos C, Szymanska-Matusiewicz G, Leveratto J, Saupe A, De Cesari C, Glowacka-Grajper M, Gotti F, Mears H, Meissner K, Wawrzyniak J. Embedding belonging into research responding to crises. en/counter/points Reflection Paper. en/counter/points project, 2022.
• Eckersley S, Leveratto J, Saupe A, Gotti F, Meißner K, Davenport B. Redeveloping central spaces and marginal places: facilitating civic engagement in urban transformation. Policy Brief 2. 2022.
• Eckersley S, Vos C, Szymańska-Matusiewicz G, Głowacka-Grajper M, Wawrzyniak J, Mears H, Davenport B. Supporting inclusive spaces: enabling recognition in diverse cultural and community spaces, en/counter/points. Policy Brief 1. 2022.
• Whitehead C, Eckersley S, Daugbjerg M, Bozoğlu G, ed. Dimensions of Heritage and Memory: Multiple Europes and the Politics of Crisis. Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2020.
• Eckersley S. Encountering authenticity in the ‘contact zone’? Museums, refugees and participation. In: Kimmel, D. & Brueggerhoff, S, ed. Museen - Orte des Authentischen? Museums - Places of Authenticity?. Mainz: Propylaeum, 2020, pp.291-302.
• Eckersley S. A Place at the Table? Food in Museums as an 'Ersatz Politics' of Difficulty. In: Porciani, I, ed. Food Heritage and Nationalism in Europe. Abingdon: Routledge, 2019.
• Eckersley S. Between appropriation and appropriateness: instrumentalizing dark heritage in populism and memory?. In: De Cesari, C; Kaya, A, ed. European Memory in Populism: Representations of Self and Other. Abingdon: Routledge, 2019, pp.210-238.
• Eckersley S, Bozoğlu G. Difficult heritage in Europe: paradoxical dimensions of time, place and memory. In: Whitehead, C., Eckersley, S., Daugbjerg, M., and Bozoğlu, G, ed. Dimensions of Heritage and Memory: Multiple Europes and the Politics of Crisis. Abingdon: Routledge, 2019.
• Whitehead C, Daugbjerg M, Eckersley S, Bozoğlu G. Dimensions of European Heritage and Memory: a Framework Introduction. In: Whitehead, C., Eckersley, S., Daugbjerg, M., and Bozoğlu, G, ed. Dimensions of Heritage and Memory: Multiple Europes and the Politics of Crisis. Abingdon: Routledge, 2019, pp.1-25.
• Whitehead C, Bozoğlu G, Daugbjerg M, Eckersley S. Final Thoughts: Heritage as a Dimension of Collectivity and Belonging. In: Whitehead, C., Eckersley, S., Daugbjerg, M., and Bozoğlu, G, ed. Dimensions of Heritage and Memory: Multiple Europes and the Politics of Crisis. Abingdon: Routledge, 2019, pp.208-229.
• Zito AR, Eckersley S, Turner S. The Instruments of European Heritage. In: Whitehead, C., Eckersley, S., Daugbjerg, M., and Bozoğlu, G, ed. Dimensions of Heritage and Memory: Multiple Europes and the Politics of Crisis. Abingdon: Routledge, 2019, pp.50-71.
• McDonald I, Whitehead C, Daugbjerg M, Bozoğlu G, Eckersley S. Who is Europe? Staging the Making of Europe in Creative Documentary Film. In: Whitehead, C., Eckersley, S., Daugbjerg, M., and Bozoğlu, G, ed. Dimensions of Heritage and Memory: Multiple Europes and the Politics of Crisis. Abingdon: Routledge, 2019, pp.182-207.
• Whitehead C, Eckersley S, Bozoglu G. Negotiating Instrumental and Realist perspectives in European Heritage Research. Economia della Cultura 2018, XXVIII(4), 551-566.
• Eckersley S. Book review ‘Having and belonging: Homes and Museums in Israel’ by Judy Jaffe-Schagen, Berghahn. International Journal of Heritage Studies 2017, 23(6), 601-602.
• Eckersley S. Changing Places, Changing People: Critical Heritages of Migration and Belonging. Anthropological Journal of European Cultures 2017, 26(2), 1-5.
• Eckersley S. 'People-Place-Process' and Attachment in the Museum: A new Paradigm for Understanding Belonging?. Anthropological Journal of European Cultures 2017, 26(2), 6-30.
• Whitehead C, Lloyd K, Eckersley S, Mason R. Introduction: Museums, migration and identity in Europe. In: Museums, Migration and Identity in Europe: Peoples, Places and Identities. Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2015, pp.1-6.
• Whitehead C, Eckersley S, Lloyd K, Mason R, ed. Museums, Migration and Identity in Europe: Peoples, Places and Identities. London: Routledge, 2015.
• Whitehead C, Mason R, Eckersley S, Lloyd K. Place, Identity and Migration and European Museums. In: Whitehead C; Lloyd K; Eckersley S; Mason R, ed. Museums, Migration and Identity in Europe. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2015, pp.7-59.
• Eckersley S. Walking the tightrope between memory and diplomacy? Addressing the post-Second World War Expulsions of Germans in German Museums. In: Whitehead C; Lloyd K; Eckersley S; Mason R, ed. Museums, Migration and Identity in Europe. Farnham, Surrey: Routledge, 2015, pp.101-122.
• Eckersley S, Corsane G. Memorialisation in Eastern Germany: displacement, (re)placement and integration of macro- and micro-Heritage. In: Convery, I., Corsane, G. & Davis, P, ed. Displaced Heritage: Responses to disaster, trauma and loss. Woodbridge: Boydell and Brewer, 2014, pp.29-40.
• Whitehead C, Mason R, Eckersley S, Lloyd K. Museums and Identity in History and Contemporaneity. Milan: Politenico di Milano, 2014.
• Whitehead C, Mason R, Eckersley S, Lloyd K, ed. "Placing" Europe in the Museum: people(s), places, identities. Milan: Politecnico di Milano, 2013.
• Eckersley SC. Opening the doors to hold the fort: museums and instrumental cultural policy in 19^th century Britain and Germany. Museum History Journal 2012, 5(1), 77-104.
• Whitehead C, Eckersley S, Mason R. Placing Migration in European Museums: Theoretical, Contextual and Methodological Foundations. Milan: Politecnico di Milano DPA, 2012.
• Eckersley SC. Policy Review “Supporting Excellence in the Arts: from measurement to judgement”. Cultural Trends 2008, 17(3), 183-187.
• Reid SC. (Re) creating positive cultural landscapes in Germany: the role of iconic museum buildings. In: Forum UNESCO Cultural Landscapes in the 21st Century. 2006, Newcastle University.
• Reid SC, Eckersley SC. Visite du Musée juif de Berlin. Les Cahiers du Judaïsme 2005, 17, 109-120.