Dr Catherine Baker researches the international politics and contemporary history of national identity, popular entertainment, LGBTQ+ cultures and racialisation
The University of Hull is a research-led institution located in the historic city of Hull, East Yorkshire, at the heart of the UK’s Humber region. Our mission is to tackle global challenges through transformative, interdisciplinary research that delivers real-world impact. From climate change and renewable energy to health innovation, social justice, and digital technologies, our research addresses issues that matter locally, nationally, and internationally. Hull’s strategic location on the Humber estuary—a hub for renewable energy and maritime industries—positions us as a key player in advancing sustainability and economic growth. We collaborate with partners across the globe to drive innovation, inform policy, and create solutions for a fairer, more sustainable future. As a member of international research networks and a leader in knowledge exchange, the University of Hull empowers researchers to think beyond boundaries and shape change worldwide. Our commitment to excellence ensures that our discoveries not only enrich academic understanding but also improve lives and communities across the globe.
My research focuses on understanding how narratives of national, European and LGBTQ+ belonging have related to each other since the end of the Cold War, at scales from personal identifications with nationhood and other forms of collective identity to the international politics of mega-events. I am a qualitative researcher with most experience in textual, audiovisual and musical sources and oral history interviewing.
Key interests include:
Construction of national identity through media, popular culture and entertainment
Popular culture and the creative industries during and after war and conflict
Mega-events such as the Eurovision Song Contest and the Olympics
LGBTQ+ cultures and their relationship to nations and ‘Europe’
Dynamics of racialisation and whiteness on semi-peripheries of Europe
Local/international relationships in international intervention and peacebuilding