Research
The College is a focus for unique interdisciplinary and collaborative research in design, communication, media, the visual and performing arts. It forms a hub for cross-university research in pedagogy, engineering, health and linguistics.
Research focuses around innovative creative and cultural practices as well as furthering our knowledge and understanding of the impact and value of the arts and humanities in cultural, social and political terms. We believe the arts and humanities have a transformative effect on our lives, and we inform, mediate and transform the world around us.
In the REF2014 for Art, Design, History, Theory and Practice, we were ranked 6th in the UK for impact with two-thirds of our research deemed World Leading and Internationally Excellent.
In the field of Politics and International Studies one-third of our research was ranked, and in total 40% more staff were submitted since the previous exercise in 2008.
Our thriving research culture supports staff and students who undertake research at the leading edge of our subjects, providing real-world solutions for some of our most deep-rooted social and cultural problems.
Find out more about our School focused research:
- School of Art and Design
- School of Humanities
- School of Media and Performing Arts
- School of Psychological, Social and Behavioural Sciences
College Research Centres
Centre for Dance Research
Research in C-DaRE is rooted in dance practice, and encapsulates paradigm shaping research exploring the mobilization of the terms dance¹ and choreography¹. This includes the remediation of the performing body employing digital technologies, the conceptualizing of movement practices within an expanding international culture of performance, somatic discourse, and the reception of dance for different environments. Much of our research is in collaboration with leading UK and international dance artists, choreographers and professional arts organisations.
Centre for Arts, Memories and Communities
CAMC is home to a vibrant research culture that weaves together three strands of scholarship: Critical Practices, Cultural Memory and Well-being and the Arts. Our research is both transdisciplinary and multidisciplinary: we pursue excellence with our unique disciplines, and we share the belief that exchanges across disciplinary boundaries can transform discrete scholarly fields and can improve the lives and experiences of the individuals and communities with whom we engage. Members of CAMC are internationally recognised as leaders in the fields of: Art History, Curatorial Studies, Design and Design Futures, English Literature and Language, Gender and Women's Writing, Material and Cultural Studies and Practice Research.
Centre for Post-Digital Cultures
The Centre for Postdigital Cultures (CPC) brings together media theorists, practitioners, activists and artists. It draws on cross-disciplinary ideas associated with open and disruptive media, the posthuman, the posthumanities, the Anthropocene and the Capitalocene to help both 21st century society and the university respond to the challenges they face in relation to the digital at a global, national and local level. In particular, the CPC endeavours to promote the transformation to a more socially just and sustainable ‘post-capitalist’ knowledge economy.
Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations
Research is grounded in the needs of the individuals, communities and organisations it serves, and focuses on bringing people together and providing new evidence, ideas and ways of thinking to help them in responding to the issues they face. We have many active partnerships beyond academia with community groups, faith groups, governments and the corporate sector.
