Eleri Anona Watson

Eleri Anona Watson is a Fellow in Queer Studies and a Lecturer and Tutor in English Literature and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Oxford's Faculty of English. She holds academic roles including Academic Mentor for American Literature and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies MSt programs. Her work bridges queer theory, feminist thought, and literary analysis, focusing on kinship, deconstruction, and activism. Watson has held positions at Oxford colleges like Regent’s Park and The Queen’s College, alongside international roles such as Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Southern California.

Her research explores queer kinship through the lenses of Derrida, Cixous, and Foucault, interrogating how deconstruction informs contemporary queer ethics. She critiques mid-20th century authors like Christopher Isherwood for reinforcing identity politics that clash with queer relationality. Current projects include studies on Isherwood’s misogyny and the application of Derrida-Cixous ethics to Black and trans thought.

Watson has published in journals like Modern & Contemporary France and Exchanges, and her work features in exhibitions and theatre projects. She actively engages with media, discussing her research on BBC News and in The Guardian. Awards include the 2024 Derrida Today Scholar recognition and the Christopher Isherwood Fellowship.

Her academic service includes peer-reviewing for Routledge and Vernon Press, and outreach through public lectures. Watson’s education spans Durham University, Oxford’s Wadham and Queen’s Colleges, with additional studies in Brussels and a Welsh-medium background.