About
Hannah Theaker is a Lecturer in History and Politics at the University of Plymouth, affiliated with the School of Society and Culture within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business. She previously held the Plumer Junior Research Fellowship in Oriental Studies at St Anne's College, University of Oxford. Her research focuses on empire, rebellion, migration, and the interplay of religion and ethnicity in China's northwest, particularly analyzing the consequences of 19th-century state-driven Muslim resettlements following the Great Northwestern Rebellions (1860–1872) and contemporary Sinicization policies affecting Chinese-speaking Muslims.
Teaching responsibilities include courses on modern Chinese politics (PIR 314: Mao to Now), refugee studies (PIR 500X), global development (IRL 204), and historical research methods (HIST 522). She supervises research in late imperial China, ethnic politics, and related interdisciplinary topics.
Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary relevance, emphasizing engaged scholarship that addresses present-day issues through historical frameworks. Research interests also extend to environmental history and postcolonial studies.
