معرفی
Soseh Yekanians is a Senior Lecturer in Performing Arts and Course Director of the Bachelor of Arts (with specialisations) at Charles Sturt University, within the Faculty of Social Work and Arts. She holds a PhD from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where her practice-led research explored identity formation through theatre directing. Her work bridges academic scholarship and creative practice, focusing on cultural displacement, belonging, and the transformative power of performance.
Education:
- PhD in Performing Arts (Practice-led), Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), 2012–2020
- Bachelor of Performance, Australian Academy of Dramatic Art (AADA), Sydney
- Advanced Diploma in Arts (Acting), Australian Academy of Dramatic Art (AADA), Sydney
- 2-Year Professional Conservatory Acting Program, Atlantic Theater Company, New York (2005)
Soseh’s research centers on how performance enables culturally displaced individuals to (re)discover identity and belonging. Her seminal work, Finding Identity through Directing (published by Routledge), uses autoethnography to examine the director’s role as a space for personal and communal transformation. She is particularly interested in how theatre can challenge stereotypes and foster inclusivity. Her recent co-edited volume, Crisis and Creativity in Performing Arts Training (2024), addresses post-pandemic resilience and innovation in arts education.
Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on actor training, crisis recovery in the arts, and the integration of AI in creative disciplines. These works collectively emphasize inclusivity, pedagogical innovation, and the societal role of theatre in fostering empathy and understanding.
Scientific Awards:
- Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition (2012)
- Scholarship Recipient, Australian Government (2013)
- Directors Lab: Melbourne (2015)
- Master of Fine Arts in Cultural Leadership (2016)
- New Staff Grant, Charles Sturt University (2018)
Soseh has been actively involved in academic service, including editorial roles for Fusion Journal and Social Alternatives Journal, and peer review for publishers like Taylor & Francis. She has also led community workshops in music theatre and audition preparation, demonstrating a strong commitment to both academic and cultural impact. She chairs So Keen Productions and has participated in regional arts events such as Artstate Bathurst, contributing to the broader performing arts ecosystem.
Labs and Teams: Soseh was involved with the Kitchen Sink Collective during her research and currently leads curriculum development as Course Director. She collaborates internationally, particularly with Dr. Robert Lewis, on projects exploring crisis and creativity in arts training.
