Mr Matthew Abbey

Overview

Biography

I'm a PhD student in Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Warwick. My interests span political and social theory, with an emphasis on how cultural production intervenes in systems of knowledge. I also have specific interests in queer theory and psychoanalysis. I mostly explore this theory and cultural production in relation to mobility, whether that means crossing a 'border' or thinking about our collective movement into new spatial and temporal zones. My interests increasingly focus on how we think and act amidst the coloniality of planetary devastation.

During my PhD, I analysed what cultural production (documentary, film, photography, and performance art) could reveal about queer migration. In particular, I explored how cultural production negotiates its representations of queer migration and the figure of the queer refugee more specifically. This allowed me to explore how cultural production intervened within systems of knowledge on queer migration. I published the findings of my research in several peer-reviewed journals, including Sexualities, the European Journal of Cultural Studies, Contention, Identities, Porn Studies, and Visual Studies.

My next research project will focus on climate mobility and planetary devastation, exploring the relationship between human and non-human worlds amidst flux and ephemerality.

Regarding teaching, I have run lectures and seminars for modules on political violence, human rights, and media studies. I will lecture on sexuality and psychosocial studies in the coming year too. I also have expertise in knowledge exchange activities.

Previously, I received a BA from Monash University (2016) and an MA from Sciences Po Paris (2019), both in international relations and political theory. I have written media articles on a wide range of topics for outlets like Foreign Policy, The Guardian, and openDemocracy.

ORCID

0000-0003-3961-1223

Supervision and teaching

Teaching

Teaching modules

• Sexuality (SSPA093H5)