Department of Interdisciplinary Humanities

Research & Expertise

Research in the Department of Interdisciplinary Humanities draws on a broad range of approaches, theories, and methods from the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Expertise in the department covers time periods from the classical world to the contemporary moment, and a wide variety of global contexts, including Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe.

With a broad range of specialisms – including cultural competency, visual cultures, and critical pedagogies – our projects and research centres are at the forefront of exciting collaborations that show the value of thinking differently about societal challenges.

Penelope's Web: myths for the modern age

Dr Emily Pillinger explores how contemporary music can transform our understanding of mythology by giving voice to Penelope, a character from Homer's Odyssey. Informed by Margaret Atwood's retelling, the Penelope's Web project developed operatic scenes through workshops with school pupils, university students, singers and a weaver, breathing new life into a story that has been told for thousands of years. This research shows the value of cultural exchange and shows why the best tales last the test of time.

Read more in Spotlight on Arts & Humanities

Propaganda in action: recognising political messaging

Dr Daniel Mandur Thomaz traces the impact of US Cold War propaganda in Brazil, showing how the delivery method is just as powerful as the message. This notion of 'propaganda-spectacle' informed workshops for Brazilian teachers, which aimed to enhance their understanding of how 20th century propaganda influences political messaging today. These workshops supported teachers to design classroom activities that help pupils to engage critically with historical materials and stay alert to propaganda in the digital age.