Siún Carden

Dr Siún Carden is a Research Fellow at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), based in the Centre for Rural Creativity. Her work focuses on creative economies, rural contexts, and textile practices, particularly in Shetland and Ireland. She leads the 'Communities of Practice' module in UHI's MA in Art and Social Practice.

Education: PhD in Social Anthropology (Queen’s University Belfast, 2010), examining Belfast’s Falls Road redevelopment as an Irish language cultural hub.

Research Interests: Maker cultures, Shetland textiles, creative industries, place-based economies, and tourism. She has conducted projects on Shetland hand knitting (with ShetlandPeerieMakkers), micro-manufacturing in Shetland and Ireland (Carnegie Trust-funded, 2018–19), and the cultural impact of Derry/Londonderry’s City of Culture designation (Leverhulme-funded, 2013–2016).

Grants & Projects: Carnegie Trust Research Incentive Grant (2018–19), Leverhulme Trust (multiple projects). She has also written on Aran knitting’s role in Irish migration and tourism.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Centre for Rural Creativity, collaborating with community organizations like ShetlandPeerieMakkers.