Heritage, Cultures and Communities research

This research theme spans a wide range of research that explores different cultures, heritage, and the ways in which contemporary communities create identities and social cohesion. It encompasses a variety of human endeavours from questions of ethics, faith, and gender, to the use of AI in the design of public spaces and buildings.

Researchers within the theme of Heritage, Cultures, and Communities investigate how these and other topics are translated and mediated through performance, narratives, images, and material cultures. Ultimately, we are working towards an improved future for our cities and communities.

The breadth of research within this theme highlights the interconnectedness of contemporary cultures and the ways in which our past and present influences our thinking about our future.

Explore our key projects and find out about our links to the research centres and groups, degree courses, and PhD opportunities that come under our research theme.

Dr Samantha George

Dr Sam George is Associate Professor in Research and the Convenor of the popular Open Graves, Open Minds Project at the University of Hertfordshire. Inspired by the eighteenth-century botanist Tournefort, who voyaged in search of plants and found instead a plague of vampires on the island of Mykonos (1702), Sam George’s research has taken a gothic turn. Following the publication of Botany, Sexuality and Women’s Writing (2007), her contribution to New York Botanical Garden’s Poetic Botany exhibition and the co-editorship of Women and Botany (2011); she founded with Dr Bill Hughes the gothic research group Open Graves, Open Minds. She now researches botany alongside the gothic, unearthing depictions of the vampire and the undead in literature, art, and other media, embracing werewolves (and representations of wolves and wild children), dark fairies, and other supernatural beings and their worlds.

Theme Champion

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Research Centres and Groups

Heritage, Cultures and Communities research at the University of Hertfordshire takes place across a number of Research Centres, Groups and disciplines:

• Centre for Agriculture, Food and Environmental Management (CAFEM)
• Centre for Climate Change Research (C3R)
• Centre for Computer Science and Informatics Research (CCSIR)
• Centre for Educational Leadership
• Centre for Engineering Research (CER)
• Centre for Future Studies Research
• Centre for Research in Public Health and Community Care (CRIPACC)
• Contemporary Arts Practice Group
• English literature research
• Heritage Hub
• History Research
• Linguistic research
• Media Research Group (Creative Arts)
• Media Research Group (Humanities)
• Philosophy research
• Theorising Visual Art and Design (TVAD)

Doctorates, degrees and courses

We offer one of the most diverse range of research degree programmes in the UK.

• Master of Arts by Research (MA by research)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Design - Professional Doctorate (DDES)
• English Studies - Masters by Research/PhD
• Fine Arts - Professional Doctorate (DFA)
• Heritage - Professional Doctorate (DHeritage)
• History - Masters by Research/PhD
• Linguistics - Masters by Research/PhD
• Music - Masters by Research/PhD
• Philosophy - Masters by Research/PhD

Visit our Doctoral College to find out more.

Get in touch

For more information about our Heritage, Cultures and Communities theme, please contact Dr Samantha George.