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Dr Helen Merrick

PhD History (UWA)

Image of Staff Member
    • Role:
    • Senior Lecturer
    • Department:
    • Department of Internet Studies
    • Location:
    • Humanities 408
    • Telephone:
    • +61 8 9266 3593

Dr Helen Merrick joined Internet Studies in 2001, after working in a number of other Western Australian Universities teaching cyberculture, women's studies and history. Previously she worked for the Women in Leadership program at Edith Cowan University, and was the Acting Director of the Centre for WA History at UWA. In addition to teaching in the Department of Internet Studies, Helen supervises a number of PhD students, and pursues research interests in feminist theory, science fiction, feminist science studies, sustainability and online cultures.

Research Interests

My research interests are broadly in the area of cultural studies of science and technology. Many of my publications use science fiction as a way of exploring various cultural and scientific concerns. I am interested in the intersections between science fiction and feminist science studies, and the potential of science fiction as a tool for thinking about sustainability. Other interests include online cultures, innovation in online teaching and learning, and women in science.

Publications

Books (Authored, Research)

  • Merrick, H. 2009. The Secret Feminist Cabal: A cultural history of science fiction feminisms. Seattle, WA: Aqueduct Press.

Book Chapters (Authored, Research Quality)

  • Genoni, P, Willson, M, and Merrick, H. 2009. E-Research and Scholarly Community in the Humanities. In E-Research Transformation in Scholarly Practice, eds Nicholas W Jankowski. London: Routledge.
  • Merrick, H. 2009. The female “Atlas” of Science Fiction?: Russ, feminism and the SF Community. In On Joanna Russ, eds Farah Mendlesohn, 48-63. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press.
  • Merrick, H. 2009. Fiction: 1964-1979. In The Routledge Companion to Science Fiction, eds Mark Bould, Andrew M Butler, Adam Roberts and Sherryl Vint. London: Routledge.
  • Merrick, H. 2008. Queering nature: close encounters with the alien in feminist sf’. In Queer Universes: Sexualities in Science Fiction, eds Wendy Gay Pearson, Veronica Hollinger, Joan Gordon, 216-232. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.
  • Merrick, H. 2007. Modest Witnesses? Feminist Stories of Science in Fiction and Theory. In SciFi in the mind's eye: reading science through science fiction, eds Margaret Grebowicz, 213-229. Illinois, USA: Carus Publishing Company.
  • Merrick, H. 2003. Gender in science fiction. In The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction, eds Edward James, Farah Mendlesohn, 241-252. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
  • Merrick, H, and Willson, M. 2001. All Wired-Up: Reflections on Teaching and Learning Online. In Politics of a Digital Present: An Inventory of Australian Net Culture, Criticism and Theory, eds Hugh Brown, Geert Lovink, Helen Merrick, Ned Rossiter, David Teh. Michele Willson, 69-78. Melbourne: Fibreculture Publications.
  • Merrick, H. 2000. Fantastic Dialogues: Critical Stories about Feminism and Science Fiction. In Speaking Science Fiction: Dialogues and Interpretations, 1st Edition, eds Sawyer, A. and Seed, D., 52-68. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.
  • Merrick, H. 1999. From Female Man to Feminist Fan: Uncovering herstory in the annals of sf fandom’. In Women of Other Worlds: Excursions through science fiction and feminism, eds Helen Merrick, Tess WIlliams, 115-139. Perth , WA: University of Western Australia Press.
  • Merrick, H. 1997. The Readers Feminism Doesn’t See: Feminist Fans, Critics and Science Fiction. In Trash Aesthetics: Popular Culture and its Audience, eds Deborah Cartmell, Ian Hunter, Heidi Kaye, Imelda Whelehan, 48-65. London: Pluto Press.

Refereed Articles (Scholarly Journals)

  • Merrick, H. 2010. Science Stories, Life Stories: Engaging the sciences through feminist science fiction. Women's Studies International Forum 33(2): 141-148.
  • Merrick, H, Willson, M, and Genoni, P. 2006. Scholarly communities, e-research literacy and the academic librarian. The Electronic Library 24(6): 734-746.
  • Willson, M, Genoni, P, and Merrick, H. 2005. The use of the Internet to activate latent ties in scholarly communities. First Monday 10(12).
  • Merrick, H. 2005. Alien(ating) Naturecultures: Feminist SF as Creative Science Studies. Reconstruction: studies in contemporary culture 5.4.
  • Merrick, H. 2004. 'We was cross-dressing 'afore you were born!' Or, how sf fans invented virtual community. Refractory: A Journal of Entertainment Media 6: 1-10.
  • Larbalestier, J, and Merrick, H. 2003. The Revolting Housewife: Women and Science Fiction in the 1950s. Paradoxa Studies in World Literary Genres 18: 136-156.
  • Merrick, H. 1998. Slumming with the Space Cadets: An argument for feminist science fiction. Outskirts 3.
  • Merrick, H. 1996. A Story No-one Would Believe’: The Diaries of Hannah Culwick. Limina 2: 28-41.

Fully written papers (Refereed Conference proceedings)

  • Genoni, P, Willson, M, and Merrick, H. 2005. Community, communication and collaboration: scholarly practice in transformation. The Next Wave of Collaboration: Educause Australasia 2005, 05/04/2005. Auckland, NZ: Educause Australasia.
  • Merrick, H, Willson, M, and Genoni, P. 2004. Virtual symposia: an investigation into scholarly communities online. Breaking Boundaries: Integration & Interoperability: 12th Biennial Conference and Exhibition, 03/02/2004. Melbourne, Victoria: Victorian Association for Library Automation.
  • Kinnear, A, and Merrick, H. 1999. Global Sustainability and the Corporate University: Academic Women as Informed Outsiders. Winds of Change: Women & the Culture of Universities, 13/07/1998. Sydney: Equity & Diversity Unit, University of Technology, Sydney.