Francesca Sobande Books

What does it mean to be Black in Scotland today? How are notions of nationhood, Scottishness, and Britishness implicated in this? Why is it important to archive and understand Black Scottish history? Reflecting on the past to make sense of the present, Francesca Sobande and layla-roxanne hill explore the history and contemporary lives of Black people in Scotland. Based on intergenerational interviews, survey responses, photography, and analysis of media and archived material, this book offers a unique snapshot of Black Scottish history and recent 21st century realities. Focusing on a wide range of experiences of education, work, activism, media, creativity, public life, and politics, Black Oot Here presents a vital account of Black lives in Scotland, while carefully considering the future that may lie ahead.

The book delves into the complex role of media in the lives of Black women in Britain, drawing from interviews and archival research. It examines historical activism and television portrayals, while also addressing contemporary experiences on platforms like YouTube and Twitter. Sobande's analysis highlights the intricate balance between the communal, counter-cultural, and commercial aspects of digital culture, revealing the multifaceted impact of media on identity and representation.

This is an urgent project which uses the covid-19 pandemic as a case study to explore consumer culture, cultural citizenship and brand response.

How is morality understood in the marketplace? Why do brands speak out about certain issues of injustice and not others? And what is influencer culture’s role in social and political activism? Big Brands Are Watching You​ investigates corporate culture, from the branding of companies and nations to television portrayals of big business and the workplace. Francesca Sobande analyzes media, interviews, survey responses, and ephemera from the history of advertising as well as exhibitions in London, brand stores in Amsterdam, a music festival in Las Vegas, and archives in Washington, DC, to illuminate the world of branding.