Dr. Ian R. Matthews is a cultural studies teacher and lecturer specialising in cinema, gaming, and literature. With an approach based in semiology and psychoanalytic theory, his thesis focused on the representation of women in sf cinema and with a particular emphasis on the Denis Villeneuve film, Blade Runner 2049. Graduating Sobresaliente Cum Laude in January 2026, he is currently working on two books based on this research titled Commodified Agency: The History of Women in SF and Finding Joi: A Feminist Analysis of Blade Runner 2049 respectively. He is also engaged with further research into Red Dead Redemption 2 and its links to Arthurian literature and an analysis of contemporary Body Horror TV and cinema. Other recent publications include Gender and Julie Taymor’s The Tempest, a study of the 2010 film adaptation of Shakespeare’s play, and Encoded Empathy in Gaming Narratives, an investigation into the emotional rationale behind our drive to play videogames.

With an equal interest in working in English Language study (specifically English as a Second or Other Language), Pedagogy, and Media and Politics, he has worked at schools, colleges, and universities in Spain, the U.K., the U.S., Japan, and Singapore and spent a number of years as an Education Technologist creating both physical and digital sensory spaces that promote, enhance, and enable access to education for special needs and gifted and talented learners. He has presented at multiple international conferences on the subjects of digital pedagogies, game cultures, and empathy.