Stephen Carleton

Associate Professor Stephen Carleton is an academic and playwright affiliated with The University of Queensland’s School of Communication and Arts, part of the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. He holds multiple leadership roles, including Director of HDR Students, Centre Director of the Centre for Critical and Creative Writing, and Affiliate of the Research Centre in Creative Arts and Human Flourishing. His research focuses on 21st-century Australian playwriting, Gothic drama and Eco-criticism, and spatial inquiry into the Australian North, alongside collaborations like the Cultural Atlas of Australia.

Carleton holds a PhD (2008) in Drama and Theatre Studies from UQ, alongside earlier degrees from UQ and La Trobe University. His plays, including Bastard Territory and The Turquoise Elephant, have garnered awards such as the Matilda Award and Griffin Theatre Award. He has received grants like the 2010 ARC Discovery Grant for the Cultural Atlas project, exploring spatial narratives in Australian arts.

His scholarly work spans Gothic drama across multiple countries, postcolonial theatre, and climate fiction (cli-fi). Recent projects include absurdist cli-fi plays examining climate denial and a trilogy of 'cli-fi' works. Carleton’s creative and academic outputs are deeply intertwined, reflecting his commitment to both performance and critical analysis.

• Grants: ARC Discovery Grant (2010), Early Career Research Grant (unspecified)
• Labs/Teams: Cultural Atlas of Australia (with Jane Stadler and Peta Mitchell), Centre for Critical and Creative Writing.