About
I'm an Associate Professor in the department of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics. My teaching focuses on the cultures of the Portuguese- and English-speaking worlds, critical theory, and topics related to race, gender, sexuality and disability. My current research explores the historical and present role of British institutions in the structural marginalisation of disabled people, focusing particularly on autism.
Research
Research groups
Research interests
- Disability studies and disability history
- The history of autism
- Cultural and historical approaches to gender and sexuality
- Cultural and historical approaches to race
- Portuguese and British colonial and postcolonial cultures
Current research
I began my career in Portuguese studies and critical theory, with a focus on the Portuguese-speaking African country of Mozambique. My PhD and first book explored the representation and use of gender, sexuality and the body in Mozambican literature and cultural history, from the late nineteenth century onward. From there, I became interested in comparative approaches to British and Portuguese colonialism, especially in the intersections of colonialism and the history of the human sciences. I am particularly interested in the shared historical roots of race, disability and sexuality.
While I maintain strong research interests in the Portuguese-speaking world, the trajectory of my work has led me to a focus closer to home. With my colleague, Dr Vivienne Orchard, I am currently working on a project that examines the history and cultural representation of autism in the UK. Here we draw on our shared expertise in disability studies and critical theory, and on insights from sociology, education, critical social policy and the history and philosophy of science.
I am always keen to hear from potential PhD students looking to pursue projects in the areas outlined above, including in collaboration with colleagues from my own department and others. Please note, however, that I am only able to act as first supervisor for PhDs in 'Modern Languages.'
Research projects
Completed projects
Publications
Teaching
At undergraduate level, I convene and teach the two PORT modules, which are both concerned with the histories and cultures of the Portuguese-speaking world: PORT2001 'Culture, Power and Resistance in the Portuguese-speaking World'; and PORT3006 'Encounters with Bodies in Lusophone Cultural Narrative' . I also contribute material on Portugal, Brazil and Portuguese-speaking Africa to the introductory module SPAN1007 'Introduction to Spain, Latin America and the Portuguese-speaking World', and to first-year cultural studies module LANG1004 'Understanding Culture'. I have previously taught advanced Portuguese-to-English translation.
At postgraduate level, I co-convene and teach the cultural and critical theory module LANG6023 'Nation, Culture, Power', and contribute to the world literature, film and theory module LANG6028 'Narrative, Place, Identity'. My units on these modules include gender studies, disability studies, postcolonialism and Black diaspora literatures.
External roles and responsibilities
Biography
I was awarded my PhD from the University of Manchester in January 2016. During and after my PhD, I taught at the Universities of Manchester, Sheffield and Birmingham, before joining Southampton in September 2016. While at Southampton, I have taken an active role in curriculum and programme development, and have served as both programme lead and exams officer for Languages, Cultures and Linguistics. I have also served as an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion representative for the department.
I am currently the Head of Research for Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, overseeing all aspects of research activity, income and culture in the department.
I am always keen to hear from potential PhD students looking to pursue projects in the areas I specialise in, including in collaboration with colleagues from my own department and others. Please note, however, that I am only able to act as first supervisor for PhDs in 'Modern Languages.'