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Staff Profile

Professor James Annesley

Associate Dean, Research and Innovation (HaSS)

Background


I am Associate Dean for Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor of Contemporary American Literature in the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics.



Qualifications

DPhil, Contemporary American Literature, University of Sussex.


MA, Twentieth Century Literature, University of Sussex.


MA, English Literature, University of Edinburgh.


Research

I’m currently researching contemporary book culture in Scotland, a project  that looks to understand the contribution Scottish cultural organisations, literary festivals, creative retreats, the cultural industries and the heritage  sector make to contemporary Scottish Literature and asks about the influence and impact these institutions have on both the kinds of writing being produced and the ways in which it is interpreted and valued.


More broadly, my research interests can be summarised as follows:      

  • The influence of organisations, institutions and cultural ecologies on contemporary literary production
  • Contemporary American literature
  • Contemporary Scottish literature
  • Literature and globalization
  • Literature and consumerism


I welcome applications from student looking to undertake  postgraduate research  in the following fields: 

  • Contemporary literary production contexts (including literature organisations, literary festivals and live literature events; writing retreats; the influence of the heritage and tourism sectors)  
  • Contemporary literature and culture 
  • Contemporary Scottish literature 
  • American literature 
  • Contemporary literature and consumer society
  • Globalization and literature

 

Teaching

My teaching usually involves me working on modules focussed on American literature, contemporary British literature and literary theory. 

  • In 2024/25, I will be teaching SEL3428, Freedom and Imagination: US Literature, 1850 -1900 and contributing to other modules on the BA in English Literature.


Publications