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Ms Julia Bell

Positions held:
  • Reader in Creative Writing, Department of English, Theatre and Creative Writing
  • Overview

    Overview

    Biography

    Julia Bell is a writer and Senior Lecturer at Birkbeck College, London where she convenes the MA in Creative Writing and is Project Director of the Arts Council funded annual short fiction anthology The Mechanics’ Institute Review. She is the author of three novels, Massive, Dirty Work and most recently The Dark Light all published by Macmillan, the co editor of the Creative Writing Coursebook (Macmillan) re-issued and updated in 2018.

    She has just completed Hymnal a memoir in verse, and she is currently working on a series of essays about Berlin, extracts of which have appeared in various journals including Wasafiri and The White Review.

    She is also the co-curator of the spoken word night In Yer Ear which publishes its first anthology of poetry and prose in 2018 with the Wicked Hag text/tracks label in Berlin.

  • Research

    Research

    Research overview

    Julia's work reflects an interest in feminist readings of culture, the problems and paradoxes of British regional identity and the need to invigorate and champion independent publishing in an age of globalised media.


  • Supervision and teaching

    Supervision and teaching

    Supervision

    Supervisions within Birkbeck:
    6

    Julia welcomes applications for PhD study from students who are committed to producing a body of prose-based creative work in conjunction with academic supervisors from English & Humanities. If you are interested in making an application please contact her in the first instance with your proposal.

    Current doctoral researchers

    • LILY DUNN STEEL
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor
    • MELANIE JONES
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor, onwards
    • VALENTINE CARTER
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor, onwards

    Doctoral alumni

    • KEITH JARRETT
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor,
      Title of thesis:
      Led by the Spirit: exploring the migration of cultural identity through Oneness Pentecostalism, from the Caribbean to London
      Awarded:
      2021
    • GOLNOOSH NOURPANAH
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor
      Title of thesis:
      The Iranian Queer
      Awarded:
      2019

    Teaching

    Teaching modules

    • The Publishing Project (AREN182H6)
    • Writing The Self (AREN238S7)
    • Writing and Reading Seminar (ENHU036S7)
    • Writing Workshop (ENHU039S7)
    • Contemporary Writing 2: Genre (ENHU041S7)
  • Publications

    Publications

    Article

    Book

    • Bell, Julia (2020) Radical attention. Peninsula Press. ISBN 9781999922375.
    • Bell, Julia (2015) Massive. Basingstoke, UK: Pan Macmillan. ISBN 9781447290353.
    • Bell, Julia (2015) The dark light. Basingstoke, UK: Pan Macmillan. ISBN 9781447283034.
    • Bell, Julia (2015) Dirty work. Basingstoke, UK: Pan Macmillan. ISBN 9781447290360.

    Book Section

    • Bell, Julia (2019) Fear in your water. In: Page, R. (ed.) Resist: Stories of Uprising. Comma Press. ISBN 9781912697076.