This paper, and accompanying model, examines the use of performers and design elements in Reza Abdoh’s Minamata using the framework of flat object-oriented ontology (OOO). Flat OOO proposes inanimate objects have equal autonomous status to humans, and as such have “self-hood.” Both flat OOO and contemporary postdramatic theater (CPT) (per Lehmann’s 1999 definition) question the hierarchical relationship between elements of theatrical form. CPT utilizes the acting body as an object. It is bio-capable, but it serves additionally as an element that may be manipulated and designed. There is debate over the ethics of flat OOO; many scholars believe there is an inherent dehumanization in the statement: ‘objects have equal autonomy as humans.’ Using Abdoh’s work as my basis, I posit a new perspective that the notion of ontological egalitarianism between human/non-human indicates inherent potential for agency despite objectification. Abdoh’s CPT work explores collective memory, and embodiment. The paper uses Abdoh’s aesthetic to delve into the relationship between new materialism and performance studies. The accompanying model is a replica of the only taped production of Minamata. The exercise of creating it strengthened my understanding of Abdoh’s postdramatic aesthetic project, as I attempted to translate his vision of theatrical objects from 2D to 3D. When recreating, I must consider why design decisions were made; what makes the stage picture powerful? What tone does the mise-en-scène impress?

Iranian refugee women living in the United States face a complex system of culturally specific health barriers that include gender-concordance preferences, modesty norms, care navigation struggles, the stigmatization of mental health, and structural challenges unique to displacement. Despite a Middle Eastern and North African population size of nearly 3.5 million people living in the U.S., limited research exists examining how these obstacles shape healthcare outcomes in this population. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary to navigate the complexity of such issues. This documentary chronicles the roots of these tensions and traces historical understandings of women’s bodies from ancient Persian and Abbasid medical traditions through the Iranian Revolution and into current clinical practice. The film also features firsthand interviews with refugees, public health scholars, and physicians about their experiences with the U.S. health system. Through analysis of epidemiological research, ancient Middle Eastern treatises on health, photography, and art, the documentary ultimately explores how stress, migration, and systemic invisibility intersect to affect care. It concludes with evidence-based interventions to help promote equitable healthcare for this population.

This project examines how queer metal fans in Los Angeles navigate and reshape a music scene that presents itself as inclusive while reproducing gendered, sexual, and racial hierarchies. It asks how marginalized participants negotiate authenticity, safety, and belonging across physical venues and digital platforms, and how their participation alters the conditions of the scene itself. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2025/2026, the study combines semi-structured interviews, participant observation at live shows and DIY events, and digital ethnography across platforms such as Reddit, Discord, and Bandcamp. Using a queer phenomenological framework, the project analyzes how bodies are oriented within the scene and how participants manage risk through practices such as selective attendance, ethical listening, and digital vetting. Findings show that queer fans do not simply endure marginalization but actively engage in forms of everyday negotiation that reshape participation. These include aesthetic stylization, community-building in digital spaces, and the creation of alternative infrastructures that support safer engagement. It concludes that participation itself functions as a form of “queer distortion,” where marginalized individuals subtly transform the scene from within rather than through direct opposition. This research is significant because it reframes subcultural belonging as an ongoing, uneven process shaped by power, highlighting how marginalized communities sustain and reconfigure cultural spaces.