Abigail Shabtay
Assistant Professor
Email: ashabtay@yorku.ca
Dr. Abigail Shabtay is an Assistant Professor in the Children, Childhood, and Youth program in the Department of Humanities. She is also appointed to the graduate programs in Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies, Education, Communication and Culture, and Humanities. Dr. Shabtay has received awards for excellence in teaching and research in her field, including the LA&PS Dean's Award for Distinction in Research (2022-2023), the Humanities Award for Teaching Excellence (2020-2021), the York Student Accessibility Award (2020-2021), and the Ada Slaight Drama-in-Education Research Award (2018-2019). Dr. Shabtay’s research focuses on children’s rights, social justice, child-centred research methodologies, experiential pedagogies, theatre with children and youth, youth activism, and drama-based participatory action research. She is currently the Principal Investigator for multiple SSHRC-funded projects related to children, youth, and the performing arts. She has served on organizing committees for eight academic conferences in her field and is the Chair of the annual "Children, Youth and Performance Conference".
Note from Dr. Shabtay: I take graduate primary supervision very seriously, dedicate a lot of energy and care to this responsibility, and only accept graduate students if I have the required time and expertise to support their work (this support typically begins before the student applies at York). If you are a student applying to a graduate program at York and would like to work with me, please ensure that you reach out to me before listing me on your application as a potential primary supervisor.
Degrees
PhD, McGill UniversityMA, King's College London (UK)
Research Interests
Current Research Projects
-
Summary:
The overarching goal of this project is to address a touring theatre organization's challenge of developing live performances for children in an online setting during the pandemic.
-
Summary:
The overall aim of this research project is to identify best practices for using drama-based methods in participatory research with children and youth, using a rights-based and critical child and youth studies approach.
-
Summary:
This project brings together university researchers in childhood studies, local theatre organizations, and drama educators in order to strengthen and expand the use of participatory drama-based research methodologies with children and youth in institutional, community, and school-based settings.
Funders:
SSHRC
-
Summary:
This conference focuses on developing connections and collaborations between researchers, artists, educators and practitioners who engage in performance work with, for, and about children and youth. The broad themes of this event include: [1] devising performances with/for/about children and youth; [2] strengthening equity in performing arts initiatives and spaces; [3] puppets, props, and performance objects by/with/for children; [4] advocacy and activism through performance; and, [5] exploring culture through performances by/with/for children and youth.
SSHRC
Current Courses
| Term | Course Number | Section | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | AP/HUMA4145 6.0 | C | Fantasy and Children's Culture | SEMR |
| Fall 2024 | AP/CCY3999 6.0 | A | Research Methods with Children | SEMR |
Dr. Abigail Shabtay is an Assistant Professor in the Children, Childhood, and Youth program in the Department of Humanities. She is also appointed to the graduate programs in Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies, Education, Communication and Culture, and Humanities. Dr. Shabtay has received awards for excellence in teaching and research in her field, including the LA&PS Dean's Award for Distinction in Research (2022-2023), the Humanities Award for Teaching Excellence (2020-2021), the York Student Accessibility Award (2020-2021), and the Ada Slaight Drama-in-Education Research Award (2018-2019). Dr. Shabtay’s research focuses on children’s rights, social justice, child-centred research methodologies, experiential pedagogies, theatre with children and youth, youth activism, and drama-based participatory action research. She is currently the Principal Investigator for multiple SSHRC-funded projects related to children, youth, and the performing arts. She has served on organizing committees for eight academic conferences in her field and is the Chair of the annual "Children, Youth and Performance Conference".
Note from Dr. Shabtay: I take graduate primary supervision very seriously, dedicate a lot of energy and care to this responsibility, and only accept graduate students if I have the required time and expertise to support their work (this support typically begins before the student applies at York). If you are a student applying to a graduate program at York and would like to work with me, please ensure that you reach out to me before listing me on your application as a potential primary supervisor.
Degrees
PhD, McGill UniversityMA, King's College London (UK)
Research Interests
Current Research Projects
-
Summary:
The overarching goal of this project is to address a touring theatre organization's challenge of developing live performances for children in an online setting during the pandemic.
Project Type: FundedRole: Principal Investigator
-
Summary:
The overall aim of this research project is to identify best practices for using drama-based methods in participatory research with children and youth, using a rights-based and critical child and youth studies approach.
Project Type: FundedRole: Principal Investigator
-
Summary:
This project brings together university researchers in childhood studies, local theatre organizations, and drama educators in order to strengthen and expand the use of participatory drama-based research methodologies with children and youth in institutional, community, and school-based settings.
Project Type: FundedCollaborator: Principal Investigator
Funders:
SSHRC
-
Summary:
This conference focuses on developing connections and collaborations between researchers, artists, educators and practitioners who engage in performance work with, for, and about children and youth. The broad themes of this event include: [1] devising performances with/for/about children and youth; [2] strengthening equity in performing arts initiatives and spaces; [3] puppets, props, and performance objects by/with/for children; [4] advocacy and activism through performance; and, [5] exploring culture through performances by/with/for children and youth.
Project Type: FundedFunders:
SSHRC
Current Courses
| Term | Course Number | Section | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | AP/HUMA4145 6.0 | C | Fantasy and Children's Culture | SEMR |
| Fall 2024 | AP/CCY3999 6.0 | A | Research Methods with Children | SEMR |
