Prof Murphy joined the UoM as Assistant Lecturer in 1994. During that time, while lecturing, supervising students and carrying out administrative duties, she was also researching for a PhD at the University of London. Following the award of PhD in 2002, she was promoted to Lecturer. In February 2008 she was promoted to Senior Lecturer, and in 2009 she moved from the Centre of Communication Technology to the deBono Institute for the Design and Development of Thinking. In February 2010 she was appointed Director at the Institute, responsible for the Masters in Creativity and Innovation and International MSc in Strategic Innovation and Future Creation..
In November 2013 University Council approved the Department of Gender Studies, she joined this Department as a founding member. This was a team-driven exercise developing a Masters in Gender Studies (Research); Masters in Gender Studies (Taught); and PhD’s in gender focused research. In October 2014 she was elected to the University of Malta Academic Staff Association (UMASA) Executive Committee and appointed President, and in October 2016 was elected and appointed General Secretary. In Feb 2017 she was also appointed Research Associate with Institute for Mediterranean Studies.
She was appointed Head of Department in February 2016 and the department launched a Masters of Gender Studies, and Masters of Gender, Society and Culture.
In November 2017 she was appointed Assoc. Professor – she continued to be Head of Department, Research Associate with Institute for Mediterranean Studies and General Secretary of the Staff Association.
Prof Murphy is engaged in projects such as the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) as National Coordinator; COST Actions and other EU funded projects for the European Institute for Gender Equality. Alongside extensive teaching experience and research projects, she supports her department administratively and has nurtured links between it and other Universities, and between University and industry, by coordinating projects in gender, culture and media research. Working with bodies such as the Commission on Domestic Violence (wirer she recently completed guidelines for media producers reporting DV), Department of Health, National Commission for Promotion of Equality, the Employment and Training Corporation, the President’s Foundation.
Recent Publications: - Murphy, B. 2021, ‘Desperately seeking wellbeing: toxic media portrayals and the pursuit of happiness’, in Azzopardi, A., Clark, M., & Falzon, R., (Eds.) Perspectives on Wellbeing: applications in the field. [Forthcoming] (Peer reviewed). - Murphy B. 2020, 'media landscapes and striptease cultures: patriarchy. portrayal and bodies', in Gorman, C. (Ed.) Miss-representation, Women, Literature, Sex and Culture, New York: Peter Lang (Peer reviewed). - Murphy B. 2020, ‘Gender-positive advertising – challenging gender stereotyping in advertising?’, in Ross. K. (Ed.) The International Encyclopaedia of Gender, Media & Communication. New York: Wiley (Peer reviewed). - Murphy B. 2020, ‘Framing Couples: stereotypes, romance and idealised romance in the media’, in Abela A, Piscopo S., & Vella, S. (Eds.) Couple Relationships in a Global Context, Understanding love and intimacy across cultures. National Centre of Family Research of the President's Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society; Springer (Peer reviewed). - Murphy B. 2018, Reporting Domestic Violence: Media Guidelines for Journalists Media Content Producers, Commission for Domestic Violence. Ministry for European Affairs and Equality: Malta. https://meae.gov.mt/en/Public_Consultations/MEAE/PublishingImages/Pages/Consultations/ReportingDomesticViolence -GuidelinesforJournalistsandMediaContentProducers/Reporting%20Domestic%20Violence%20- %20consultation%20document.pdf - Murphy, B. 2017, ‘Malta: A critical mapping of women in the media - absences and contested occupancies - from Boardrooms to Broadcasts’. In Ross, K. and Padovani, C. (Eds.) Gender Equality and the Media: A Challenge for Europe. London: Routledge. (Peer reviewed) - Cutajar, J., Murphy, B. & Naudi, M. 2017, ‘Malta’ in Shaw, S. M., Barbour, N, Duncan, P., Freehling-Burton, K., and Nichols J. (Eds.) Women's Lives around the World, A Global Encyclopaedia. ABC-CLIO Greenwood Press. - Baldacchino, R., Cutajar, J., Murphy, B. & Naudi, M. 2016, ‘Gender and Sexuality: Mapping Histories and Departures’. In Briguglio, M. & Brown, M. (Eds.). Sociology of the Maltese Islands. Malta: Agenda. (Peer reviewed). - Murphy B. & Sammut, C. 2016, ‘Media Stories - histories, methods and practices’. In Briguglio, M. & Brown, M. (Eds.) Sociology of the Maltese Islands. Malta: Agenda. (Peer reviewed).
