Professor Adrian Lee Yuen Beng

Professor Adrian Lee Yuen Beng

  • Associate Dean (Research and Postgraduate Studies)
Department of Film and Performing Arts
Google Scholar ORCID Scopus ResearchGate Web of Science
SDGs Focus
No Poverty
Quality Education
Gender Equality
Reduced Inequalities

Biography

Professor Adrian Lee is a self-described full-time academic, part-time filmmaker, leisure-time columnist and lifetime Manchester United Red Devil. An Associate Professor at the School of Arts, Sunway University, he has been actively researching Malaysian cinema, UN SDGs, media and cultural studies and creative industries. He authored Malaysian Cinema in the New Millennium: Transcendence Beyond Multiculturalism and co-edited the book Media and Elections: Democratic Transition in Malaysia and has published in journals such as Asian Journal of Communication, Kajian Malaysia and Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences. He has worked on international and national research grants and spoken as a presenter, guest lecturer, workshop conveyor, and keynote speaker across different cities and countries, such as Kuala Lumpur, Cambridge, Melbourne, Osaka, Jakarta, South Korea and Singapore. His collection of short documentaries titled Reel Heritage Series has been part of official selections at various festivals in Malaysian and abroad. He is an academic assessor and external examiner at various Malaysian universities and sits on the editorial boards of communication journals in Malaysia. To date, he has graduated diploma, undergraduate and Masters and PhD students.

Academic & Professional Qualifications

  • PhD, The University of Melbourne, Australia (2012)
  • Master of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia (2006)
  • Bachelor of Communication (Hons), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia (2004)

Research Interests

  • Cinema studies
  • Media studies
  • Sustainable Development Goals
  • Cultural studies
  • Gender and queer studies
  • Broadcast production
  • Creative cities and industries
  • Cultural and Heritage Preservation
  • Research-Creation

Notable Publications

Books:

  • Democratic Transition and Political Change. Malaysia’s Media at Election Crossroads. James Gomez, Mustafa K. Anuar, Yuen Beng Lee (Eds). (2018). SIRD. Malaysia.
  • Malaysian Cinema In The New Millennium: Transcendence beyond Multiculturalism. (2022). Hong Kong University Press.
     

Scopus journal-indexed articles:

  • 2023. Examining Hegemony, Ideology, and Class in Mani Ratnam’s Raavanan (2010). Suvannabhumi.
  • 2022. Art and Real Life: Trauma and Reconcilliation in The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. 
  • 2020. Chinese Cultural Preservation, Identity and Community: Examining the roles of Sin Chew Daily in Bridging Chinese Education, Cultural and Religious Rights of the Chinese Community in Malaysia. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. 
  • 2018. Malaysian Chinese Language Newspapers and National Identity: A Study of the Roles of Sin Chew Daily in Chinese Cultural Preservation and Nation Building. Kajian Malaysia.
     

Non-indexed refereed journal articles:

  • 2022. Teaching from Home and Emotional Wellbeing during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Digital Native and Digital Immigrant Lecturers in Malaysia’s Perspectives. Journal Of Techno-Social. 
  • 2020. Of Rajuk, Durhaka and Demasculinization. Examining Class and Gender Inequality in Hussain Haniff’s Hang Jebat (1961). PENDETA Journal of Malay Language, Education and Literature.
  • 2019. Chinese Press and Malaysian Politics: Sin Chew Daily and the Malaysian 13th General Election. International Journal of Management and Applied Science. 
  • 2018. Social and Cultural Implications of Gentrification in George Town Penang. International Journal of Cultural and Creative Industries. Special Issue on Asia.

Book chapters:
 

  • 2021. A Qualitative Study on the Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Religious Coping of Catholic Senior Citizens in Malaysia. Psychology and Social Behaviour. Covid-19 Crisis and Management in Malaysia. Routledge Focus
  • 2019. Thomas Barker, Lee Yuen Beng. Creating within constraints: Creative industries policy in Malaysia. In Routledge Handbook on Cultural and Creative Industries in Asia. Routledge
  • 2018. Yasmin Ahmad: Changing the Landscape of Malaysian Cinema Through Love, Hope and Humanism. Gender/Sexuality as Esthetic Impetus in South and Southeast Asian Cinema: Gaze and Memories – Asia’s Leading Women Filmmakers. Considering Locality of Queerness). BUFF FORUM
  • 2018. Introduction. Media and Elections. Media and Elections: Democratic Transition in Malaysia. SIRD
  • 2018. Writing in the Public Sphere: Letters to the Editor in Malaysia’s Mainstream Press. Media and Elections: Democratic Transition in Malaysia. SIRD
  • 2018. Watching the Watchdog: Television News and the 2013 Malaysian General Election. Media and Elections: Democratic Transition in Malaysia. SIRD
  • 2018. Print Media and Gender Stereotyping: Portrayal of Women Candidates during the Malaysian 13th General Election. Media and Elections: Democratic Transition in Malaysia. SIRD

More than 100 media articles:

  • Aliran Online
  • Puthiya Idhayam e-Magazine
  • Business Today
  • The Edge
  • The Herald
  • Malay Mail Online
  • The Malaysian Insider
  • Alter Asia

Technical reports:

  • 2023. The Implementation of APPGM-SDG Solutions Projects At the Central Region. Discussing the Regional Report and Impact Evaluations of APPGM-SDG Projects at Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Pahang. 19 Technical Reports written for the APPGM – SDG Impact Evaluation Programme 2023.
  • 2021. Research and writing of the technical report titled “SP12 Women Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship Training by University College Foundation Sabah (UCSF)”. For APPGM – SDG Impact Evaluation Programme 2021
  • 2021. Research and writing of the technical report titled “SP16 Inter-Agency Government Dialogue by Pertubuhan Pembangunan Komuniti dan Pembelajaran Berterusan”. For the APPGM – SDG Impact Evaluation Programme 2021
  • 2021. Research and writing of the technical report titled “SP17 Garis Panduan Untuk Komuniti Pengurusan Covid-19 di Selangor Darul Ehsan/Production on a Guide on Post-Covid Community Crisis Management by Persatuan Penggerak Rakyat (PPR)”. For APPGM – SDG Impact Evaluation Programme 2021

Research grants:

  • The Lancaster University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) Internationalisation Fund. Mapping of Film Festivals in Malaysia – an Animated Guide. £2500. 
  • Monitoring and Evaluation with a Gender Focus of Sustainable Development Goals (MEG-SDG). IKMAS (UKM), PSSM and UNESCO. RM18, 000
  • A Communication Model Promoting Gender Equality in Indonesian and Malaysian Horror Films 1998 - 2017. Penelitian Kerjasama International (IMPLEMENTASI) Grant. Telkom University. RP50 million. 
  • Examining the identity and roles of women in Malaysian horror cinema. USM Bridging Grant. RM5000. 
  • The Lancaster University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) Internationalisation Fund. Upcycling and Poverty Alleviation in Malaysia. £2500.
  • Visual and Popular Culture in the Context of 1950 – 60s Malayan/Malaysia Identity and Cold War in Southeast Asia. RM50,000. USM RUI Grant. 
  • The Impact of Covid19 on Religious Participation, Coping, Religiosity and Psychological Well-Being among Catholic Senior Citizens in Malaysia. Catholic Research Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. RM50,000. 
     

Research Evaluators:

  • Localising SDGs: Monitoring and Evaluation with a Gender Focus of Sustainable Development Goals (MEG-SDG). IKMAS (UKM), Kumpulan Rentas Parti Parlimen Malaysia (APPGM), PSSM and UNESCO. 
  • Localising SDGs: Monitoring and Evaluation with a Gender Focus of Sustainable Development Goals (MEG-SDG). IKMAS (UKM), Kumpulan Rentas Parti Parlimen Malaysia (APPGM), PSSM and UNESCO. 

 

Creative Works:

  • The Little Dhoby of Penang
  • Barber Kubur
  • 14 Days 
  • USM 50th Anniversary Video. 
  • USM Eco-Crete. 
  • Merisik
  • Angels
  • The Homeless Entrepreneur
  • Forthcoming: Sembang Kopitiam. 39A Bread and Butter Malaysian Stories






     

Gallery