Dr Barbara Leon

Dr Barbara Leon
Dr Barbara Leon
Dr Barbara Leon

BA (Hons), MA, MSc, PgCert, PhD, FHEA

Lecturer

Accepting PhDs

About

Biography

I hold a BA (Hons) and MA in History of Art from the University of Oviedo, where I graduated in 2012, followed by an MSc in Research Methods in Humanities from UNED. In 2020, I completed my Ph.D. in History of Art at the University of Oviedo.

My journey at the University of Aberdeen began in 2016 as a Visiting Student at the Centre for Modern Thought. In early 2017, I transitioned to the Department of Film & Visual Culture, where I later took on a role as a Teaching Assistant. By 2018, I expanded my teaching to include Spanish and Latin American Studies, further broadening my academic scope.In September 2021, I was appointed Teaching Fellow in both Spanish & Latin American Studies and Film & Visual Culture. A year later, in September 2022, I advanced to Lecturer in Film & Visual Culture. Since September 2024, I have held the position of Lecturer in Film, Visual Culture, Spanish, and Latin American Studies.

As part of my commitment to public engagement and innovative teaching, I developed Eurovision: Media, Memory, Euphoria and Identities, the first and only university course of its kind in the UK and Europe. This course explores the Eurovision Song Contest as a lens for analyzing cultural identities, memory, and heritage within visual and popular culture.Through a multidisciplinary approach, students examine Eurovision’s role in national narratives, European unity, and socio-political conflicts.

To create an immersive experience, I use interactive teaching. Each week, I dress to match the topic, adding performance and engagement that mirrors Eurovision’s spectacle. This enhances participation while reinforcing identity, performance, and visual culture.

The course has attracted significant interest, boosting the university’s visibility and bridging scholarship, media studies, and public discourse.

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Qualifications

  • PgCert in Higher Education Teaching & Learning 
    2023 - University of Aberdeen 
  • MA Art and Social Practice 
    2022 - University of the Highlands and Islands 
  • PhD History of Art 
    2020 - University of Oviedo 
    Thesis: The study of the city through photography: from Surrealism to Postmodernism
  • MSc Research Methods in History, History of Art and Geography 
    2014 - UNED 
  • BA (Hons) & MA History of Art 
    2012 - University of Oviedo 

Memberships and Affiliations

Internal Memberships

Co-Director - George Washington Wilson Centre for Art and Visual Culture (2024 - )

Postgraduate Programme Coordinator - MSc Creative and Cultural Communication

Deputy Race Equality Champion - School of Languages, Literature, Music, Film and Visual Culture (2021-)

External Memberships

Member International Association for the Study of Popular Music

Grant Applications Reviewer Scottish Universities Insight Institute

Peer reviewer Forum for Modern Languages Studies. Oxford University

Peer reviewer  RevistArq Revista de Arquitectura de la Universidad de Costa Rica | ISSN 2215-275X

Peer reviewer  Estoa. Revista de la Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo. Universidad de Cuenca (Ecuador). e-ISSN: 1390-9274

Peer reviewer Res Mobilis. Revista internacional de investigación en mobiliario y objetos decorativos. Universidad de Oviedo. ISSN 2255-2057

Latest Publications

View My Publications

Prizes and Awards

Students' Union and University of Aberdeen Excellence Awards - Most Creative Assessment (shortlisted nominee)

Principal's Prizes for Research and Engagement - Outstanding Research Awards (nominee)

Award for 'The most useful improvement' Ministry of Innovation, Education and Science (Spanish Government) - 2014

Research

Research Overview

My research explores identities in postmodern and contemporary visual and popular culture, with a particular focus on the representation of cultural identities in global media. I examine how platforms like the Eurovision Song Contest and music videos construct and negotiate narratives of heritage, memory, and nationhood. My work also delves into the intersections of music, identity, and socio-political discourse, including the representation of Puerto Rico and Latin American cultural dynamics through artists like Bad Bunny.

Research Areas

Accepting PhDs

I am currently accepting PhDs in Film and Visual Culture, Spanish and Latin American Studies.


Please get in touch if you would like to discuss your research ideas further.

Email Me

Film and Visual Culture

Accepting PhDs

Spanish and Latin American Studies

Accepting PhDs

Research Specialisms

  • Visual Communication
  • Film Studies
  • Urban Studies
  • Spanish Society and Culture
  • Popular Music

Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.

Current Research

Currently, I am investigating how cultural identities are constructed and negotiated through media and film narratives. My work examines the role of music videos and large-scale global events, particularly the Eurovision Song Contest, as platforms for shaping national identity, collective memory, and transnational solidarity. I explore how Eurovision serves as both a cultural battleground and a site of unity, analyzing performances that reflect geopolitical tensions, such as Ukraine’s entries in the contest, which have become powerful expressions of resilience, historical trauma, and European belonging. Additionally, I am developing an in-depth analysis of Bad Bunny’s music videos, studying their portrayal of Puerto Rican identities in relation to colonial histories, gentrification, and diasporic narratives.

Beyond academic research, I actively engage with the public by attending Eurovision and related media events, offering expert commentary, and participating in discussions on cultural identity in popular culture. My work extends beyond the university setting through collaborations with media outlets, public talks, and outreach activities that bridge the gap between scholarship and wider audiences.

 

Eurovision Show - Riverside Radio London
Eurovision Show - Riverside Radio London
Intervention in BBC Radio Scotland
Intervention in BBC Radio Scotland

 

Past Research

Previous research has been focused on the aesthetics o the Surrealist movement alongside the photography produced by this group of artists, with special attention to the artist Man Ray. As a result of my MSc, I produced a dissertation titled The surreal erotic image through the photography of Man Ray. 

The use of photography as a method to study Art History and Visual Culture has been key to my current and previous research. Furthermore, my Ph.D. was entitled The study of the city through photography: From Surrealism to Postmodernism.

Knowledge Exchange

(For conferences and symposiums, please see publications)

- Art History Guest Lecture, University of Groningen: Ukrainian Magic: Visual Heritage in the Eurovision Song Contest, 16th September 2024 https://www.rug.nl/research/icog/research/research-centres/artsinsociety/news-and-events-ais/2024-09-16-leon-ukrainian-magic?lang=en 

- Identity and Myth of the Spanish Folklorica in Art and Visual Culture. Art History Research Seminar, University of Aberdeen, 25th of January 2023.

- Spanishness versus Tourism: Identities and representations in Visual Culture. Centre for Modern Languages Research Seminar, University of Aberdeen, 8th February 2023

- Methods of Research and the Masterpiece: from History of Art to Visual Culture. 17th October 2018. University of Aberdeen

- Coordinator of the Seminar "Restoration and sculpted bodies. how our perception has changed over time". 10th October 2018. University of Aberdeen

- Amnesiac Spaces and Ephemeral Aesthetics: Postmodern Cities. (Film and Visual Culture Research Seminar Series, University of Aberdeen) 15th March

Collaborations

University of Oviedo (Spain)

University of Groningen (The Netherlands)

Supervision

I am undertaking Ph.D supervision as first and second supervisor for two students in the Film and Visual Culture programme since 2024

Supervisees

Funding and Grants

Aberdeen Humanities Fund - 2024

Conference Travel Grant - University of Oviedo, 2015

EU Fund Postindustrial Development - University Access (Fees and Support) 2007-2012

EU Fund Postindustrial Development - English Language Studies in England (Fees, Accommodation, and Support)  2009-2012

Teaching

Programmes

Teaching Responsibilities

Coordination Fall 2024/2025

FS1008 Introduction to Visual Culture

SP30SD, SP40SD From Cultural Dictatorship to Almodovar Sexualities: Gender Narratives in Spanish Cinema

SP40A5 Spanish Language 7

 

 

Teaching Fall 2024/2025

FS1008 Introduction to Visual Culture

FS30SD/40SD Cinematic Cities

SP30SD/SP40SD From Cultural Dictatorship to Almodovar Sexualities: Gender Narratives in Spanish Cinema

SP40A5 Spanish Language 7

 

 

Non-course Teaching Responsibilities

Film & Visual Culture

Library Rep

Spanish and Latin American Studies Department

Library/bookstore Rep

Incoming Erasmus Coordinator

Website Coordinator

Publications

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