Chair, AUT Centre for Creative Writing
Phone: +64 9 921 9999 ext 6620
Email: pmountfo@aut.ac.nz
Qualifications:
- Doctor of Philosophy (Auckland)
- Master of Arts Hons. (Canterbury)
- Bachelor of Arts (Canterbury)
Biography:
Paul is Chair of the AUT Centre for Creative Writing and leader of the BA English and New Media Studies and BA Creative Writing. He is Vice-president of the Popular Culture Association of Australia and New Zealand (PopCAANZ), editor of the
Journal of Asia-Pacific Popular Culture (Penn State U Press, US), and sits on the editorial boards of
The Australasian Journal of Popular Culture (Intellect, UK) and
The IAFOR Journal of Asian Studies (IAFOR: Nagoya, Japan).
Paul’s research interests are in popular culture studies, transmedia and fan practices. He has published widely in the areas of comics, sci-fi, fantasy and related storyworlds and franchises. His most recent book project has been
Planet Cosplay: Costume Play, Identity and Global Fandom (Intellect Books: UK, 2018). He has also spoken widely at conferences internationally, including the 2017 opening keynote at the European Popular Culture Association annual conference at London University of Arts, College of Fashion.
In 2006 he was awarded the inaugural Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching for his approach to research led, student directed learning. He was one of three shortlisted for best lecturer (Applied Humanities) in 2007, and in 2010 he received the AUTSA/Awesome Best Post Graduate Supervisor at AUT award.
Research Areas:
- Popular Genres
- Transmedia storytelling
- Storyworld and franchises
Research Projects
Paul’s current and past supervision of research projects range from creative literature to web-based media.
PhD - In progress
- 2017 - PhD, Two Rivers / Turangawaewae: A Place to Stand, a Voice to Write
- 2017 - PhD, The Pocket Atlas of Personal
- 2017 - PhD, Only in Moonlight
PhD – Graduated
- 2018 - PhD, Idoko Ojabi, Black River
- 2017 - PhD, Zana Bell, Finding Billie
- 2015 - PhD, Rod Fee, The Assault on Mount B: Understanding the role of story in self-delusion in our personal histories
- 2011 - PhD, Lisa Williams, Beyond Words: an investigation into aspects of meaning articulated through the material forms of 'old' media as expressed in a polysemous narrative
Masters - Graduated
- 2016 - MCW, Maria Kim, From Autumn to Summer; MCW, Esmee Myers, Mindless; MCW, Panisa Pitigaisorn, Darkness Within
- 2015 - MCW, James George, Sleepwalkers Songs; MCW, Nicole Michelle, Little Bird; MCW, Katelyn Notman, Tumble/Losing the Plot
- 2014 - MCW, Katie Henderson, Arlitz and Righting the Self; MCW, Samantha Harris, The Chaos of Writing Fiction; MCW, Mark Johnson, FireWall; MCW, Maxine Fleming, The Real Story
- 2013 - MCW, Karen Tay, Ice Flowers
- 2012 - MPhil, Belinda Nash, Sweet Nothing; MCW, Andrew Dryden, Closer: A Collection of Letters; MCW, Maggie Tarver, Arnwood 1&2; MCW, Sam Orchard, Stories of Queen Identities in Aotearoa; MCW, Carin Newbould, Celebrating 42; MCW, Allison Oosterman, Maccabe’s Heirs; MCW, Craig Neilson, Circle; MCW, Jucinda Jackson, How Not to be a Princess; MCW, Malual Garang, The Dispersed Seeds;MCW, Anthony Browne, My Brother's Keeper; MCW, Irena Tovic, The multiplicity of “I”
- 2011 - MCW, Susan Younger, Beyond Belief: An Exegesis to Roimata: A Novel; MCW, Stephanie Wilken, Strings of Time [Co-supervisor; Awarded; MCW, Sarah Shepherd, Fleeting Glimpses, Fragile Moments: An Exegesis to Stay; MCW, Melanie Seligman, Rules and Rebellion: An Exegesis to Gauntlet Road; MCW, Rachel Peacocke, The Grafton Light; MCW, Helen McNeil, Learning to Stand Upright Here: Who we are and Who is Our Land; MCW, Gayle King-Tamehana, Post-Colonialism, A Matter of Perspective: Native Narratives in A Language of Violence and Pain; MCW, Jodie Dalgleish, Pathways to Principalship; MCW, Alana Cooke. The Country of the Past: An Exegesis to “Great and Glorious Intent”; MCW, Alan Brash Sex, Vows and Jellybeans Screenplay; MCW, Julie Scott, Character and Genre: An Exegesis to A Change of Stars