research projects
We occasionally take part in research projects relating to applied theatre, migration and arts for change. To discuss a potential research collaboration get in touch with our Joint Artistic Director Kate Duffy-Syedi via juliet@phosphorostheatre.com
Publications we’ve contributed to:
Sheringham, O., Taylor, H. & Duffy-Syedi, K. (2024) ‘Creative connections in pandemic times: care, hope and new temporalities of resistance with refugees and people seeking asylum’ in Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies
Duffy-Syedi, K. & Najibi, S.H. (2023) ‘Disruptive narratives: interconnected care and co-responsibility in theatre-making processes with refugee performers’ in Crisis for Whom? Critical global perspectives on childhood, care, and migration (eds Rachel Rosen, Elaine Chase, Sarah Crafter, Valentina Glockner and Sayani Mitra) UCL Press
Duffy-Syedi, K. (2022) ‘Refugee as spectacle’ Good Chance Theatre’s The Walk and the politics of performing ‘unaccompanied minor’ in Contemporary Theatre Review Backpages 32:2, 221-226
Duffy-Syedi, K. & Jahangard, R. (2016) ‘Unheard voices, unseen faces: staging stories of male refugee youth’ Critical Stages, issue 14
Care Project
In 2025 we collaborated with refugee arts charity Stories and Supper and social and cultural geographer Dr Olivia Sheringham from Birkbeck University on ‘Home-city Spaces of Care: Networks of Solidarity and Belonging for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in London’. This research project involved 10 workshops, a residential, events and the production of a short film and zine.
Stories for Sleeping
In 2022 we took part in Kate’s PhD research project, working with 70 refugee young people to develop audio narratives to help their peers get to sleep. The project involved creative workshops, storytelling and sharing stories on social media.
Credible Witnesses
In 2024-25 we were a partner on the ‘Credible Witnesses: Young People, Life Performance and Testimonial Injustice’ project led by Dr Amanda Stuart Fisher from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, with Kate as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. Our involvement included hosting a training workshop for our facilitators, co-leading training for Refugee Council and Royal Holloway University of London and contributing to the ‘Testimonial Justice Toolkit’ and its launch.