Sarah Collins

Dr. Sarah Collins is a Professor in Musicology at the Conservatorium of Music, University of Western Australia (UWA). She also serves as Deputy Dean (HDR Supervision and Research Training) at UWA and holds roles including Chair of the UWA Animal Ethics Committee and Co-editor of Music & Letters (Oxford UP). Her research focuses on the intersections of music, aesthetics, and intellectual history, with notable expertise in modernism, cultural history, and political theory.

Education: Collins holds a PhD in Cultural History and Musicology from the University of Queensland (2010), a Bachelor of Music (Hons) in Musicology and Performance (2006), and a Bachelor of Laws (2011), also from UQ.

Research Interests: Her work examines music’s role in late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century cultural and political contexts, including modernist ideologies, aesthetic liberalism, and the relationship between music and literature. Recent projects include an ARC-funded study on automated labor’s cultural history and collaborations with interdisciplinary groups like the UWA Tech & Policy Lab.

Publications and Awards: Collins has authored acclaimed books such as Lateness and Modernism (2019) and edited volumes like Music and Victorian Liberalism (2019). She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and recipient of the prestigious Dent Medal (2024), McCredie Musicological Award (2019), and other honors.

Teaching and Engagement: She teaches courses on contemporary debates in music, music and society, and sound studies. Public engagements include talks on AI, generative creativity, and music’s societal roles, featured in venues like the BBC Radio and WA Museum Boola Bardip.