Nicole Erin Morse is a scholar whose research focuses on the intersection of LGBTQ+ identities and media culture. Their work examines how LGBTQ+ individuals produce, consume, and politically engage with cinema, television, new media, and popular culture. Employing methods such as formal analysis, oral history, and videographic criticism, Dr. Morse investigates how LGBTQ+ people shape media representations, utilize media for advocacy, and interpret media as viewers.
Dr. Morse’s scholarship has been published in a variety of academic journals, including Porn Studies, Feminist Media Studies, and Discourse, as well as in edited collections exploring gender and sexuality in media. Their book, Selfie Aesthetics: Seeing Trans Feminist Futures in Self-Representational Art (Duke University Press 2022), analyzes how trans feminine artists employ “selfie aesthetics” to navigate transition, selfhood, and relationships through digital media.
In their forthcoming book, tentatively titled Bending the Bars: Queer Conspirators Against Carcerality, Dr. Morse explores how LGBTQ+ art collectives leverage media to challenge carceral systems. This project combines oral history, queer historiography, and formal analysis to examine the complex relationship between media representations of violence, audience identification, and solidarity.
Beyond academia, Dr. Morse is committed to public engagement. They regularly contribute to accessible publications such as FLOW and Collateral, and actively share their research with community organizations and diverse audiences. As an activist, they work with community organizations that work toward justice and liberation. As a mentor and advisor, Dr. Morse fosters collaborative learning environments and supports students in developing their research and communication skills. They have a particular passion for teaching academic and professional writing, empowering students to share their work with broader publics.