Research
The English and History department has a distinct and thriving research culture. Staff are active in research in Language and Linguistics, Literature, Writing, History and Film Studies, publishing books and articles and working on research projects which underpin teaching and ensure what you are learning is up to date.
In the latest Research Assessment (RAE), research in English Language, Literature and History earned a 4 rating – the highest available. The department offers taught MAs and welcomes requests for supervision for research degrees up to PhD level 8.
Several staff have been successful in winning national research awards from bodies such as The British Academy, The Arts and Humanities Research Board and The Leverhulme Trust.
Some Areas of Academic Interest
- Creative Writing: Linguistically innovative poetry, the short story.
- English Language: History of English, literary stylistics, modern English structure and usage, language of Shakespeare, phonetics and sociolinguistics, regional dialect, Romani, language and identity.
- English Literature: Crime fiction, romanticism, British drama since 1950, Victorian literature, contemporary fiction, medieval literature, American nature writing, Renaissance literature, women’s writing.
- Film Studies: Combat films, British disaster fiction, Japanese cinema, science fiction.
- History: History of crime, poverty, popular protest, labour movements, imperialism, black American leadership and protest, French history, historiography and the philosophy of history.