Rachel Grainger

Rachel Grainger is a Senior Lecturer in Design History at the University of South Wales, Faculty of Business and Creative Industries, and a member of the Creative Industries Research and Innovation Group. She holds a PhD in the History of Design from Manchester Metropolitan University and has been an influential figure in design education and research for over two decades.

• PhD in History of Design, Manchester Metropolitan University (2005)

Her research centers on political advertising, propaganda, visual culture, and the history of design. She explores how visual rhetoric shapes political narratives, with a focus on British election campaigns, nostalgia, and gender representation. Her work combines semiotic analysis with cultural studies to unpack the ideological dimensions of advertising.

Her recent publications analyze themes such as nostalgia in political posters, the portrayal of childless female politicians, and transmedia marketing in opera. These works reflect a consistent engagement with visual interpretation, historical context, and audience reception across political and cultural domains.

She has received the ELTA award for Excellence in Enhancing the Student Learning Experience (2016) and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She has served on research committees including FRPC, FRASAC, and RAP, and represents her faculty on the Academic Board.

Rachel supervises PhD students in advertising, visual culture, and design history. She has led curriculum development in contextual studies and contributes to both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. Her academic service includes mentoring HEA fellows, peer review, and organizing research events such as the Undergraduate Research Conference.

She is actively involved in interdisciplinary projects, including Bronwen's Wish, an initiative to build a wellness center, and collaborations with the Welsh National Opera. Her research network spans media, politics, design, and sustainability.