Research in the Department Of English
The Department of English enjoys a lively, thriving research culture. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, 85% of the Department’s research was rated as either world-leading, internationally excellent, or internationally recognised in terms of its originality, significance and rigour. All staff in English are active researchers, writers and publishers. The research interests of staff are wide, covering a broad span of topics in British and American literary history and culture, from the Renaissance to the present day. We have particular strengths in Gothic Studies, TransAtlantic Studies, Children’s Literature, Nineteenth Century Fiction and Poetry, Travel Literature, Women’s Writing and Contemporary American and British Fiction. Staff in English are affiliated to the Department’s three broad areas of research strength:
Early Modern Literature and the 18th Century
Dr Melanie Ord
Professor Robin Jarvis
Dr Kerry Sinanan
The Long Nineteenth Century
Dr Gill Ballinger
Dr Michael Davis
Dr Marie Mulvey-Roberts
Professor William Greenslade
Dr Britta Martens
Professor Peter Rawlings
Twentieth Century and Contemporary Literary Studies
Dr Ann Alston
Dr Zoe Brennan
Dr Mariadele Boccardi
Dr Charles Butler
Dr David Greenham
Dr Nicola King
Dr Sarah Robertson
The Department has been successful in attracting research funding in recent years. Since 2001 eight staff have been successful in the AHRB/AHRC research leave scheme. Grants have also been obtained from the British Academy, the Arts Council and the Knebworth Education and Preservation Trust.
English staff are on the Editorial Boards of a number of Academic Journals. Dr Britta Martens is Reviews Editor of the Browning Society Notes, Dr Marie Mulvey-Roberts is a member of the Editorial Board of Gothic Studies, the Journal of Horror Studies, Dissections: The Journal of Contemporary Horror, and Cauda Pavonis: Studies in Hermeticism. Prof Peter Rawlings is on the Editorial Boards of the European Journal of American Culture, Kyushu Review (Japan) and the BAAS Postgraduate On-line Journal. A leading Routledge journal, Women’s Writing, is edited by Dr Marie Mulvey-Roberts (Editor-in-Chief, and Founding Co-Editor). A special issue on the Brontës (14:1 (May 2007)) was recently edited by another member of staff, Dr Gill Ballinger. Dr Charles Butler is on the editorial boards of Children's Literature in Education and the Journal of Children's Literature Studies.
We host a vibrant series of research seminars which run through the year, along with a Guest Lecturer programme.
We have hosted a number of academic conferences: ‘Women in Contemporary Crime Fiction’ (2001);‘”In Yer Face”?: British Drama of the 1990s’ (2002); ‘Americanisation and the Teaching of American Literature’ (2004) (funded by HEFCE); ‘Re-mapping the Deep South’ (2006); ‘Women and Poetry in the Twenty-First Century’ (with Bath Spa University) (2006); ‘Teaching the Eighteenth Century’ (2007) (funded by the English Subject Centre). A symposium on Postmodern Historical Fiction is scheduled for Autumn 2008.
The Department is host to the prestigious annual Fullbrook lecture (established in memory of the late Professor Kate Fullbrook) and given by leading scholars in European and American Studies. The most recent Fullbrook lecture, in February 2009, was delivered by Professor Tim Armstrong (Royal Holloway, University of London).
Our research students are a crucial component of our research culture. We have currently ten students registered for research degrees (6.5 FTE). Since the founding of the HLSS Graduate School in 2004, research students have played an active role in the scholarly life of the academic community at UWE: a dedicated postgraduate building offers improved access to social facilities and computing equipment. The annual Postgraduate Conference gives an opportunity for doctoral students to deliver papers in a setting little different from that of a conventional academic conference, Five of our PhD students gave papers at the June 2007 conference. Each student receives appropriate training in research methods and skills. There are also several competitive funding opportunities for doctoral applicants and existing research students. In 2006 the University awarded two three-year full-time studentships to English. The School offers five part-time, fee-only, three year bursaries and a number of completion bursaries, worth about £4000, to cover three-four months of maintenance to assist students in bringing their thesis to completion. Conference bursaries (up to £400) are also available to assist students giving refereed papers. All our research students are allocated a mentor, they get essential training and support from the University’s Academic Development Programme and are given opportunities to teach.
