ITSPLAY
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Archive

Transgressive Cultures

Researcher | Creator | Educator

Recent News

A fuchsia, brown, and orange promotional image for Center Theatre Group's production of Jeremy O. Harris' Slave Play; blue UC Santa Barbara logo and text for the Albert and Elaine Borchard Foundation European Studies Fellowship; black, white, and fuchsia Instagram graphic advertising the Intimacy Professionals Association (IPA) workshop "Intro to BDSM and Kink for IC's."
​
2022: In progress...

In January I began my qualifying examinations. Throughout February and into March, I worked on completing the five parts of these exams (designing syllabi, written exams, oral exams defense, dissertation prospectus, and oral prospectus defense.) I successfully passed and went ABD (All But Dissertation) on March 16th! During these months, I also traveled to Los Angeles several times to see the Center Theatre Group's production of Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris for dissertation research.

April's main focus was self-care and completing fellowship applications. I am thrilled to have received awards from four funding sources: the 2022-23 Albert and Elaine Borchard Foundation European Studies Fellowship for Dissertation Research, the Claudia D. Weitlanner Fellowship, the UC Santa Barbara Academic Senate Travel Grant, and the UC Santa Barbara Graduate Student Association Travel Grant. 


In May, I began work on what will eventually become the third chapter of my dissertation, which I focused on developing into a conference paper. In June, I presented this paper, entitled "Can Theatre Help People Have Better Sex?" at the International Federation of Theatre Research's annual conference in Reykjavík, Iceland.

July, August, and early September were spent in London, undertaking research at the Bishopsgate Institute's UK Leather and Fetish Archives, attending kink events, and visiting my lovely partner. Arriving in the US in mid-September, I engaged in intensive training and began teaching through the UCSB Writing Program as the fall quarter kicked off.

Back by popular demand, in October I will co-host the workshop "Let's Talk About Kink!" through UCSB's Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity. I will be continuing with dissertation research and writing, as well as preparing to teach a one-day workshop, "Intro to BDSM and Kink for IC's" through the Intimacy Professionals Association (IPA). Book your ticket here! 
​
My forthcoming book review in Performance Research 27.2, "On Touch" will be published in late
November. Through December, I will continue dissertation research and writing, planning to complete my introduction and share that with my committee by the end of the year.

Stay tuned for new developments!



Connecting with likeminded scholars is always a pleasure. If you research kink and BDSM, please reach out using the Contact page!

To read news from 2021 and earlier, visit my Archive section.


© 2021 by Heath Pennington. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Archive