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Rachel Morley is an Associate Professor at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES), University College London. She holds a BA in French Language and Literature from the University of Oxford (1992), followed by BA, MA, and PhD degrees from UCL (1999, 2001, 2011). Her roles include Academic Director of Education and Student Experience at SSEES (2022–2027) and Co-Convenor of the UCL SSEES Cinema Research Group. Dr. Morley's research focuses on Cinema studies Cultural studies Feminist and queer theory Literary studies with emphasis on Soviet/Russian cinema, gender representation, and film historiography. She held a Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship (2020–2022) for her project on female subjectivity in contemporary Russian cinema. Her teaching spans Russian cinema, poetry, language, and translation. Past roles include Postgraduate Teaching Assistant at SSEES (1999–2009) and lecturer at the University of Cambridge (2006, 2008). She has also supported international students as SSEES International and Affiliate Tutor (2014–2018). Key Achievements: Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2016) Her work bridges film, literature, and cultural history, emphasizing underrepresented narratives and feminist perspectives in Russian and Soviet cinema.

• Cultural studies
• Literary studies
• Language studies
• +3 more

Jennifer Rushworth is an Associate Professor in French and Comparative Literature at University College London (SELCS). She holds a DPhil in Medieval and Modern Languages from the University of Oxford (2010–2013) and previously served as a Junior Research Fellow at St John's College, Oxford (2013–2017). Her research focuses on mourning, medievalism, music, and interdisciplinary studies spanning literary theory, cultural analysis, and philosophy. She has published extensively, including her monograph Proust’s Songbook (Penn Press, 2024). Her work aligns with Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), and 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Education: DPhil in Medieval and Modern Languages, University of Oxford (2010–2013) Her research integrates musicological, philosophical, and critical-theoretical approaches to modern literature. Recent work explores intersections between memory, aesthetics, and cultural heritage. She teaches courses on comparative literature, medievalism, and French literature. Her academic contributions emphasize interdisciplinary dialogue, with a focus on how literary and musical forms articulate historical and philosophical themes.

• Mourning
• Medievalism
• Music
• +4 more

Professor Helen Abbott is a Professor of Modern Languages at the University of Birmingham, serving as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Arts and Law. Her research focuses on the intersection of French poetry, music, and digital methods, particularly the work of Baudelaire. She has led major grants, including the AHRC-funded Baudelaire Song Project (2015-2019), exploring musical adaptations of Baudelaire's poetry. Abbott holds a BA from Cambridge, MA and PhD from King’s College London. She has supervised numerous PhD students and authored books such as Baudelaire in Song: 1880-1930 (2017). Awards include AHRC Standard Grant (£594,000) and an Early Career Fellowship. Her work bridges academia and practice, collaborating with musicians and digital researchers. She advises on doctoral programs and cultural initiatives, emphasizing interdisciplinary and public engagement.

• French Literature
• Musicology
• Digital Humanities
• +6 more

Dr. Doyle D. Calhoun serves as University Assistant Professor of Francophone Postcolonial Studies within the Department of French at the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, University of Cambridge, where he is also a Fellow of Peterhouse College. His scholarly profile spans African and Caribbean literary studies, cinema analysis, and historical sociolinguistics with a focus on resistance narratives. His educational trajectory includes a Ph.D. in French from Yale University (2022), an M.A. in Linguistics from KU Leuven, and undergraduate studies in Linguistics and French Literature at Boston College. Additional academic development occurred through residencies at Fondation Camargo (Cassis) and Bibliothèque Marmottan (Paris). Calhoun’s research centers on Francophone postcolonial resistance, particularly suicidal acts against French colonialism as documented in The Suicide Archive (2024). His work excavates silenced histories of Atlantic slavery, abolition movements, and Négritude philosophy through literary and cinematic archives, emphasizing Senegalese and Caribbean contexts. He explores how contemporary writers reconstruct erased narratives of enslaved resistance through transmedia practices. His recent publications reveal a methodological convergence between literary analysis, historical recovery, and decolonial theory. Articles frequently address archival silences in colonial documentation while examining how contemporary artists reimagine resistance through linguistic innovation, cinematic storytelling, and embodied protest. Key thematic clusters include the weaponization of silence, subversive uses of missionary linguistics, and the politics of memory in postcolonial contexts. 2024 Malcolm Bowie Prize (Society for French Studies) 2024 William R. Parker Prize (Modern Language Association) 2021 Ralph Cohen Prize (New Literary History) 2016 Vivien Law Prize (Henry Sweet Society) Calhoun actively mentors graduate students in African/Caribbean literatures and cinema studies, with current projects including Africa after 1848 and Florence . His grant history features academic residencies at Fondation Camargo and Bibliothèque Marmottan, alongside a 2021 scholarship from the latter institution. Public engagement includes the 2025 La Noire de... film symposium and contributions to Los Angeles Review of Books and Salon . He contributes to the Cambridge Language Collective and Polyglossia Magazine while organizing events through Peterhouse. His 2025 podcast appearances on Stegi Radio and New Books Network demonstrate active knowledge dissemination beyond traditional academic channels.

• Francophone Postcolonial Studies
• African Literature
• Caribbean Literature
• +5 more

Professor Caroline Rae at Cardiff University is a leading scholar in 20th-century French music , with a focus on composers like Debussy, Messiaen, Jolivet, and Boulez. She also specializes in the musical writings of Alejo Carpentier and Franco-Latin American cultural interactions . Her research combines archival studies, performance practice, and pianism. Education : DPhil (Oxford), MA (Oxon), Dipl. Mus (Hanover), ARCM Her research projects include monographs on André Jolivet and Debussy’s Préludes , supported by the British Academy and AHRC . Recent publications span books on Carpentier, Debussy, and Stravinsky’s reception in France. As Co-Director of CFMR , she has organized international symposia with institutions like the Institut Français and Paul Sacher Foundation . Scientific awards include the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2018), Cardiff University Research Fellowship (2018-2019), and a French Government Scholarship (1982-1983). She has served on juries for the BBC Young Musician Competition and Wales International Piano Competition . As a pianist , she studied under Dame Fanny Waterman , Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen , and Karl-Heinz Kämmerling , and performs lecture-recitals linking her research. She has advised orchestras like the Philharmonia Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales on festival programming.

• 20th Century Musicology
• French Music
• Performance Practice
• +5 more

Andrew Huddleston is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Centre for Research in Post-Kantian Philosophy at the University of Warwick. He previously taught at Birkbeck College, University of London and Exeter College, Oxford. He holds a PhD from Princeton University. His research focuses on post-Kantian philosophy (Nietzsche, German Idealism, Romanticism) and intersects with aesthetics, social philosophy, and ethics. His 2019 monograph, Nietzsche on the Decadence and Flourishing of Culture , challenges individualist interpretations of Nietzsche, arguing for a more socially-oriented understanding of cultural flourishing. Current work explores the 'Religion of Art' concept in European thought, examining art's role as a religious substitute in a secular age. Education: BA from Brown University and Pembroke College, Cambridge; PhD from Princeton University (supervised by Alexander Nehamas). Research trends in recent articles emphasize Nietzschean moral psychology (ressentiment), narratives of cultural decadence, and the interplay between aesthetics and existential concerns. His work also engages with Adorno's critical theory and Hegel's philosophy of comedy. Editorial roles include serving as Book Reviews Editor for European Journal of Philosophy , Editorial Board member of British Journal for the History of Philosophy , and area editor for Ergo . He is also Treasurer of the Royal Musical Association Music & Philosophy Study Group. Teaching responsibilities include modules on Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil , the 'Religion of Art' in post-Kantian philosophy, and convening the MA in Continental Philosophy.

• Post-Kantian Philosophy
• Nietzsche Studies
• Aesthetics
• +6 more

Professor Stephen Broad is a musicologist and educator serving as Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford and has extensive experience in historical musicology, music education, and policy development. His research focuses on Olivier Messiaen, 1930s French music culture, and music practice in Scotland. Broad has authored/co-authored influential reports like What’s Going On? , which informed the Scottish Youth Music Initiative, and chairs the European Platform for Artistic Research in Music (EPARM). Education: DPhil in Historical Musicology, University of Oxford (2001) MA in Music and Physics, University of Glasgow (1997) Research Interests: Historical Musicology: Messiaen’s early career, French musical traditions, and music historiography Music Education: Pedagogy in diverse contexts, policy development, and workforce training Practice-Based Research: Philosophical frameworks and interdisciplinary methodologies Awards & Roles: External Examiner at Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, and others Editorial boards for Music Education Research and Practice-Based Research Journal Recipient of grants including the Scottish Government’s £1m Musical Instrument Fund Advising & Grants: Supervised over 10 doctoral projects in musicology, performance, and education Contributed to policy initiatives like Creative Scotland’s music development programs Labs/Teams: Leads the Sciences, Humanities and Arts Research Exchange (SHARE) and chairs EPARM, fostering international collaboration in artistic research.

• Historical Musicology
• Music Education
• Music Practice in Scotland
• +3 more

Anthony Gritten is Head of Undergraduate Programmes at the Royal Academy of Music in London. A distinguished scholar-performer, he completed his doctorate at Cambridge University on Stravinsky's neoclassical music under Alexander Goehr. As a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, Gritten has given over 400 recitals across the UK, France, and Canada, establishing himself as a leading interpreter of organ repertoire. His academic journey includes positions at the University of East Anglia, the Royal Northern College of Music, and Middlesex University before his current leadership role at the Royal Academy of Music. Gritten's scholarly profile is marked by an interdisciplinary approach that bridges performance practice with philosophical inquiry. Gritten's research interests focus on the intersection of music, philosophy, and performance studies. His work explores musical gesture, the phenomenology of performance, and the philosophical dimensions of musical practice. He has made significant contributions to understanding the works of John Cage, Charles Rosen, and Stravinsky through the lens of performance philosophy. His research reveals how embodied experience shapes musical interpretation and how philosophical concepts manifest in performance practice. His scholarly output demonstrates a sustained engagement with questions of indeterminacy, distraction, and ecological awareness in musical performance. Gritten's work has helped establish Performance Philosophy as a legitimate field of academic inquiry, connecting practical musical concerns with broader philosophical questions about meaning, interpretation, and embodiment. Fellow of the Royal College of Organists Gritten has supervised numerous doctoral students in the field of performance philosophy and artistic research. His administrative leadership as Head of Undergraduate Programmes has shaped curriculum development at the Royal Academy of Music, emphasizing the integration of practical performance with theoretical and philosophical inquiry. He has been instrumental in developing research frameworks that validate practice-based research in music, contributing to the institutional recognition of artistic research as a legitimate scholarly pursuit.

• Music and Gesture
• Performance Philosophy
• Organ Music
• +7 more

Professor Andrew Kirkman holds the Peyton and Barber Chair of Music at the University of Birmingham's Department of Music. He leads the Centre for Early Music Performance and Research, directing the University Chamber Orchestra and professional ensemble The Binchois Consort. His roles include teaching Renaissance music, 1960s music studies, and supervising PhD topics ranging from post-communist Poland to late medieval music historiography. Research focuses on fifteenth-century sacred music’s cultural context, particularly the Mass Ordinary in late medieval Europe. His 2010 book The Cultural Life of the Early Polyphonic Mass and 2020 monograph on Saint-Omer’s music culture exemplify this. Recent work explores music-alabaster intersections and late-medieval liturgical practices. His recordings with The Binchois Consort earned Gramophone awards, including the 2017 'Early Music Recording of the Year.' Notable performances include Music for the Hundred Years' War (2017) and collaborations with pianist Clipper Erickson. Awards reflect both scholarly and performative excellence. Advising emphasizes late medieval/renaissance music, while grants supported research on Saint-Omer’s musical legacy. He co-founded The Binchois Consort in 1995, producing Hyperion recordings that revive rarely performed repertoires. His work bridges performance, scholarship, and interdisciplinary cultural studies.

• Medieval Music
• Renaissance Music
• Sacred Music
• +3 more

Dr. Naomi Matsumoto is a Reader in Music at Goldsmiths, University of London , specializing in opera studies, music historiography, and Baroque performance practices. She serves as Convenor of the Integrated Degree in Music and International Admissions Tutor, bridging academic administration with research leadership. Key affiliations: Royal Musical Association, Society for Seventeenth-Century Music, Japan Musicological Society Fellowships: Royal Society of Arts, Royal Historical Society Research Interests include: Operatic madness from Monteverdi to Donizetti Baroque performance conventions and manuscript studies Transnational reception of Western opera in Japan Interdisciplinary work with medical history and cultural studies Her publications focus on Lucia di Lammermoor , Carmen , and Madama Butterfly , examining their cultural adaptations and diagnostic representations. Recent projects explore Wagner's influence on Japanese theatre and Bess of Bedlam's identity crisis. Scientific Awards : Overseas Research Scholarship British Federation of Women Graduates Award Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation Award Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Award Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Award Royal Musical Association Prize As an educator , she supervises areas in 17th-19th century Italian opera, intercultural reception studies, and Baroque performance. She contributes to critical editions and liner notes for major musical releases.

• Opera Studies
• Music History
• Baroque Period
• +4 more

Professor Robert Vilain is Senior Tutor at St Hugh’s College, University of Oxford, and Lecturer in German at Christ Church. Previously, he held the position of Professor of German and Comparative Literature at the University of Bristol (2010–2023) and served as Director of the South, West & Wales Doctoral Training Partnership (2020–2023). He was Warden of Wills Hall (2015–2018), overseeing welfare and pastoral care. Vilain earned his DPhil in comparative literature from Christ Church, where he also studied French and German as an undergraduate in the 1980s. His research focuses on comparative literature, modernist poetry, and the avant-garde, with a particular emphasis on Rainer Maria Rilke, Yvan Goll, and Hugo von Hofmannsthal. His work bridges German, French, and Austrian cultural contexts, exploring themes like spirituality, exile, and interdisciplinary art forms. Education: Bachelor of Arts (French and German), Christ Church, Oxford Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Comparative Literature, Christ Church, Oxford Research Interests: Vilain’s studies delve into modernist lyricism, the avant-garde’s interplay with visual and musical arts, and the reception of German and French literary figures in transnational contexts. He is renowned for his analyses of Rilke’s spiritual and existential themes, as well as his examinations of Yvan Goll’s exile writings and Hofmannsthal’s engagement with 20th-century political history. Publications: His scholarly works include edited volumes on Austrian cultural identity, translations of Rilke’s texts, and critical studies on figures like Hermann Bahr and Georg Trakl. His recent articles explore Rilke’s engagement with Venice, Beethoven, and Rome, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach. Labs/Teams: As Senior Tutor, Vilain oversees academic and pastoral affairs at St Hugh’s, fostering an inclusive intellectual environment. He collaborates with institutions like the South, West & Wales DTP to support doctoral training in the humanities.

• Comparative Literature
• Modernist Poetry
• Avant-Garde Studies
• +3 more

Steve Waksman is the Leverhulme International Professor of Popular Music in the Department of Media, Humanities and the Arts, School of Arts and Humanities, University of Huddersfield, and a member of the Centre for Research in Music and its Technologies. A leading scholar of popular music, he is author or editor of numerous award-winning books and essays on the electric guitar, heavy metal, punk, live music and music technology. Education & Awards: Dissertation on the electric guitar awarded the 1998 Ralph Henry Gabriel Prize (American Studies Association) Woody Guthrie Prize (International Association for the Study of Popular Music, U.S. Chapter) Music in American Culture Award (American Musicological Society) Research Interests: Waksman’s work spans the history of musical instruments, intersections of music and technology, genre studies (with special attention to heavy metal and punk), live-music studies, sound studies, and the politics of race, gender, sexuality and identity in popular music from the nineteenth to the twenty-first centuries. He is currently initiating a major five-year Leverhulme-funded project on amplification technologies and amplified sound. Recent Publications: His recent outputs focus on the electric guitar’s cultural history and the broad sweep of American live music. These works collectively illuminate how instruments, genres, and performance spaces shape—and are shaped by—technological, social and economic forces. Grants & Projects: Leverhulme International Professorship Scheme: £5 million “Amplification Project” (2025–2030) Outreach & Media: Known as the “Doctor of Rock” on WRSI radio (The River, Western Massachusetts), Waksman regularly contributes historical segments for Black History Month and Women’s History Month. He has also participated in international public-engagement podcasts and press coverage concerning the electric guitar.

• Popular music studies
• History of musical instruments
• Electric guitar studies
• +8 more

Roy Howat is a Senior Research Fellow at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Keyboard Research Fellow at the Royal Academy of Music, London. His academic roles combine advanced research with artistic performance. A graduate of King’s College, Cambridge (Doctorate in Music), he specialized in French music under Vlado Perlemuter in Paris. His dual career spans pianism and scholarship: he is a Steinway Artist, renowned for performances of French repertoire, and an editor of seminal works like the Paris-based Complete Debussy Edition and Fauré Urtexts for Peters Edition. Research interests focus on French music, particularly Debussy, Fauré, and Schubert. Key achievements include Debussy in Proportion (1983), which applied Fibonacci ratios to analyze Debussy’s structures, and The Art of French Piano Music (2009 Book of the Year). He has held university posts globally and collaborates internationally, including with the Panocha Quartet and Sarastro Ensemble. Publications include over 70 scholarly editions, chapters on Bartók, Chopin, and Ravel, and peer-reviewed articles. Awards include citations from International Record Review and Classical Music . His engagements blend academic lectures (e.g., Debussy symposia) with public performances, showcasing his dual expertise in musicology and performance.

• Musicology
• French Music
• Debussy Studies
• +3 more

Jane Desmarais is a Professor of English and Head of the Department of English and Creative Writing at Goldsmiths, University of London. She also directs the Decadence Research Centre and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Volupté: Interdisciplinary Journal of Decadence Studies . Her work focuses on 19th-century literature, visual culture, and Anglo-French cultural relations, with a specialization in decadence studies. She holds a PhD from Birkbeck, University of London, an MA from the University of Reading, and a BA in English from the same institution. Education: Ph.D., 'The Beardsley Industry', Birkbeck, University of London (1995) MA, Literature and the Visual Arts, 1840-1940, University of Reading (1986) BA Hons. English, University of Reading (1985) Her research explores decadence as a cultural and aesthetic movement, with notable publications including Monsters Under Glass: A Cultural History of Hothouse Flowers (2018) and co-edited volumes like The Oxford Handbook of Decadence (2020). She has received grants from the AHRC, British Academy, and other organizations. Research Interests: Decadence studies, 19th-century literature, visual culture, psychoanalysis, cultural history, and interdisciplinary approaches to aesthetics. Awards: Academia Europaea Membership (2021) Honorary Member, Italian Oscar Wilde Society Desmarais chairs the British Association of Decadence Studies (BADS) and co-organizes international conferences on decadence, such as Aesthetic Time, Decadent Archives (2019). She also contributes to the Collected Works of Jeremy Bentham project and engages with contemporary debates on decadence's relevance. Labs/Teams: Decadence Research Centre, Decadence and Translation Network, Aestheticism and Decadence Network.

• 19th-Century Literature
• Decadence Studies
• Visual Culture
• +3 more

Tom Brown is Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at King's College London, specializing in cinematic classicism and historical representation. With a PhD and MA from University of Warwick and BA from University of Kent, his research examines spectacle in 1930s Hollywood, French cinema, and performance theory. Monographs include Spectacle in 'Classical' Cinemas (2016) analyzing musicality in 1930s film and Breaking the Fourth Wall (2012) on direct address techniques. Recent videographic work explores Abraham Lincoln portrayals and Hollywood's Production Code era. Teaching integrates videographic essay production and mindfulness techniques. Recognized through multiple Teaching Excellence nominations (2017, 2018, 2020). Public engagement includes BFI Southbank events and media commentary on historical cinema.

• Film Classicism
• Historical Representation
• French Cinema
• +1 more