My PhD research aims to explore how History PhD students experience and navigate their research and writing spaces. Drawing on and working through the lens of the ‘postdigital’ as well as posthumanism and new materialist perspectives, I intend to investigate how History PhD students, in the process of becoming and being in these spaces, ‘feel’ their research and writing, feel about their research and writing, engage with both digital and analogue tools, resources and materials, and in doing so how they make research and writing decisions. In essence, this project is about thinking-feeling-doing research and writing, and the knowledge-making and meaning-making experiences involved in doing historical research. My current research interests include: postdigital learning spaces; research and writing practices; critical posthumanism in education; affect, embodiment and subjectivity; digital cultural heritage; and creative research methods.
I have a Bachelor of Social Sciences in History, Anthropology and English Language & Literature. Following this, I completed a BA Honours year specialising in Historical Studies. In 2023, I completed my MA in Historical Studies. These degrees were completed at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa. I engaged with both physical and digital archival materials for my prior historical research which focused on emotions and intimacies. I have experience working in the field of academic development, which includes working as a writing consultant at the UCT Writing Centre, as well as a facilitator, mentor and lecturer on programmes and courses within the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED) at UCT. With my PhD and beyond, I am interested in doing critical digital education research and ultimately being involved in the creation and fostering of inclusive, collaborative and affirmative learning spaces in different educational contexts.