My current research focuses on how 'world imaginations' are practiced in an era of climate crisis, which draws upon Global South epistemologies (pluriversal thinking) and ideas associated with 'new materialism' (assemblage theory). These will form the basis for my next monograph. Building on my own trans experiences, I also have an interest in 'transness' as a cultural standpoint. This is focused on case studies of trans performance (defined as performances made by and for gender variant individuals) and what they offer as an approach to trans and nonbinary performance making. 

Subjects, methods and approaches include: 

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• Beyond Scenography, Hann, R. 1 Aug 2018
• On Atmospherics: Staging Stormzy and nonbinary thinking, Hann, R. 22 Dec 2021, In: Ambiances: International Journal of Sensory Environment, Architecture and Urban Space
• Gender-Assemblages: The scenographics of Sin Wai Kin, Hann, R. 13 Dec 2022, Analysing Gender in Performance, Cham, Switzerland, Palgrave Macmillan
• Debating critical costume: Negotiating ideologies of appearance, performance, and disciplinarity, Hann, R. 2 Jan 2019, In: Studies in Theatre and Performance
• Modelling Kiesler’s Endless Theatre: approaches to paradata for heritage visualization, Hann, R. 19 Aug 2021, In: Theatre and Performance Design

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• Organising a conference, workshop, ...: Tangible Utopias Symposium 2021

• David Callaghan Technology and Live Audiences: Developing an Understanding Start Date: 05/09/2022 End Date: 22/09/2023
• Rain Howard Performative exercise practices and non-binary gender expressions Start Date: 01/10/2023
• Roma Hardaker Trans embodiment and combat sports: Queer subversion, intimate violence and haptic encounters at the edge of legibility. Start Date: 01/10/2023
• Katherine Sagovsky Rewilding Play: Somatic Improvisation, Performance, and Eco-consciousness Start Date: 01/10/2022
• Urs Dierker Futuring Costume: A Critical Approach for Sustainable Futures of Opera Productions Start Date: 01/10/2022
• Alex Wheeler Start Date: 01/10/2021 End Date: 05/11/2021
• Eleanor Field Mess as method: Exploring Mess and Scenographic Processes. Start Date: 01/10/2021
• Brighid Black Arche-lithic performance: artists’ performance practice in caves and mines Start Date: 01/10/2021
• Hannah Waters Materialising Multiplicity: Anarchiving the ‘Lost History’ of Jean Spencer’s Feminist Art Practice Start Date: 18/01/2021

Rachel welcomes applications for conventional & practice-as-research PhD proposals within the fields of scenography, performance in an era of climate crisis, trans* and non-binary performance, twentieth-century modernism, costume, practice research, the digital humanities (virtual archaeology), & architecture.

Rachel is currently supervising several PhD projects.
As principal supervisor at Northumbria:

• Hannah Waters (movement practice and assemblage thinking) (funded by RDF)
• Brighid Black (Arche-lithic performance and mines)
• Eleanor Field (digital scenography and mess) (funded by RDF)
• Kate Sagovsky (eco-somatics and improvisation) (funded by AHRC)
• Urs Dierker (costume and ecological thinking) (funded by AHRC) 
• Rain Howard (nonbinariness, performance and exercise) (funded by AHRC) 
• Roma Hardaker (trans embodiment and contact sports) (funded by AHRC) 

Co-Supervisor at Northumbria: 

• Jo Hauge (neurodivergent performance) (funded by RDF)
• Bryony Taylor (institutional trauma and theatre) (funded by RDF)
• Eliza Sweeney (affective environments and wellbeing) (funded by RDF)

Supervisor at other universities: 

• Ele Slade (social scenographics) (Surrey, funded by AHRC)
• Michelle Man (light and dance) (Surrey)
• Anna-Helena McLean (Feminisms, physiovocality, and Gardzienice) (Guildhall) 
• Gemma Kerr (Housing estates and performance) (Surrey, funded by AHRC techne)

Completed projects:

• Dr James Burrows (memes and performance) (Edge Hill)
• Dr Emma Deeks (blogs and feminism) (Edge Hill)
• Dr Melissa Addey (historical fiction and creative writing) (Surrey)
• Dr Kirk Woolford (PhD by publication, digital media arts and place) (Surrey)
• Dr Meg Cunningham (scenography and immersive theatre) (Surrey)
• Dr Susannah Henry (autoscenography) (Guildhall)
• Dr Willoh Osmond (Live Action Role Play and performance) (Surrey)

• Philosophy PhD August 31 2011
• Fellow (FHEA) Higher Education Academy (HEA) 2010

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
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