My career spans academic leadership, teaching, and student support at the University of Newcastle, strategic communication consulting, and current research into AI’s impact on human connection.
My academic experience centres on one-on-one and cohort-level academic support, honours and postgraduate supervision, curriculum design for diverse and non-traditional student cohorts, and pathway-building between vocational and university study.
This sits alongside a long professional career in strategic communication, PR, and community engagement at senior levels in the public service, health, tourism, financial and community sectors.
My work has earned international and national recognition for innovation and impact. My qualifications include a PhD in Media and Communication (UoN), a G.Cert in Tertiary Teaching, and an MA in Journalism (UTS).
Current Research: Phantom Social Capital
The new concept I’ve developed is called Phantom Social Capital. That’s what AI is building through the use of its AI synthetic actors interacting with us and flooding our human social world with counterfeit human connection. It’s connection that often feels smooth and frictionless, but it is structurally hollow.
My work is examining the repercussions of AI operating as a substitute for human exchange at scale. I’ve identified it’s displacing the reciprocal, accountable, and trustworthy aspects of the human communication that have historically held social life together. It’s replaced genuine social glue with a brittle substitute and most people don’t see it.
The costs of AI’s erosion of our stockpiles of genuine social capital are landing on society. The profits from its deployment of Phantom Social Capital primarily stay private.
You can read my findings and analysis in articles on this website. I’m bringing content across from Substack as there are increasing barriers to people having access to my work there. You can still read it on Phantom Social Capital on Substack.
Current Writing Projects:
Writing a book for general audiences on how we are constantly positioned in both our communications with humans, and now also in our visible and invisible interactions with generative and agentic AI.
Watch out for the release of 30th Anniversary Edition of my 1996 novel that was a finalist in the Australian Vogel Award!
Contact: melanie _ james @ icloud.com
Connect and full bio/CV: LinkedIn (opens in new tab)
I live north of Sydney in Newcastle, Australia – a city situated on a beach and a harbour!
Books & Publications
- Contributing author, The Routledge International Handbook of Positioning Theory (2024)
- Contributor, The International Encyclopedia of Strategic Communication (Wiley, 2018)—entries on “Emergent Strategy” and “Strategic Readiness”
- Positioning Theory and Strategic Communications (Routledge, 2014)
- 40+ peer-reviewed publications across communication, education, health, psychology, and social sciences
Leadership & Recognition
- Former Head of School, Design, Communication and IT, University of Newcastle
- edX Global Award for Outstanding Contribution to Online Education (project team leader)
- PR Institute of Australia Educator of the Year
- Multiple PRIA Golden Target Awards for national strategic communication campaigns
- Visiting Scholar, United Nations University (Belgium); Visiting Research Fellow, University of Technology Sydney
Creative Writing
- Finalist, University of New Orleans Press Non-Fiction Award
- Finalist, Australian Vogel Literary Award
Dr Melanie James PhD Author | Educator | Researcher 