We are delighted to share the news that Dr Susan Liddy, Chair of Women in Film and Television Ireland and President of Women in Film and Television International, has co-edited a groundbreaking new publication: The Routledge Handbook of Motherhood on Screen.
Co-edited with Dr Deirdre Flynn of Mary Immaculate College (MIC), this first-of-its-kind handbook brings together 41 contributors from across the globe to examine representations of motherhood across film, television, animation, streaming platforms and even digital influencer culture. The result is a comprehensive and global study of motherhood in screen industries and digital spaces—one that expands the conversation around gender, media, and culture in bold new directions.
Spanning 33 chapters, the volume explores diverse portrayals of motherhood and tackles complex themes such as fertility, menopause, queer families, alternative motherhoods, porn, and culturally constructed ideas of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ mothering on screen.
Dr Susan Liddy, who also lectures in Media and Communication Studies at MIC and is Director of the Catalyst International Film Festival, contributed Chapter 11, titled ‘Representations of Later Motherhood in Irish Film’. The chapter critically examines two contemporary Irish films—A Bump Along the Way (2019) and Joyride (2022)—and highlights how these stories challenge narrow, stereotypical portrayals of Irish motherhood, ageing, and female sexuality through interviews with their women writers and directors.
Speaking about the scope and relevance of the book, Dr Liddy said:
“A fascination with how motherhood is represented on screen and the extent to which that has changed over time and differs across the world started Deirdre and I on a journey of discovery. We realised very quickly that this was a subject of huge interest to researchers in every corner of the globe… What we initially thought would be a single volume morphed into a definitive handbook on the subject and we were immersed in this world for nearly three years.”
This major international publication highlights Dr Liddy’s continued leadership in advocating for inclusion, diversity, and gender equity both on and off screen. It also further positions Ireland as a key contributor in global research conversations about media representation.
You can learn more about the book here: The Routledge Handbook of Motherhood on Screen
Congratulations to Dr Susan Liddy and Dr Deirdre Flynn on this important achievement!
