Heike Bauer

Heike Bauer is a Professor of Modern Literature and Cultural History and Head of Research, Innovation & Knowledge Exchange at Birkbeck, University of London. Her roles include leading the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and overseeing interdisciplinary initiatives such as the Birkbeck Institute for Antisemitism and Birkbeck Interdisciplinary Gender and Sexuality Studies (BiGS).

Bauer’s academic career includes a PhD from Birkbeck (2004) and an MA from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (1999). Her research focuses on gender, sexuality, visual culture, and human-animal relations, with notable projects on queer graphic novels and canine history. She has secured grants from the AHRC, Wellcome Trust, and international institutions.

Key research themes include LGBTQI+ history, animal studies, and cultural archives. Recent publications explore intersections of lesbian culture with canine history and co-edited volumes on Jewish women in comics. Bauer actively engages public audiences through lectures, museum collaborations, and media outreach on topics like queer museums and pet histories.

• Awards: Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Fellow of the English Association, AHRC Peer Review College member
• Grants: Wellcome ISSF, AHRC, British Academy
• Teams/Labs: Birkbeck Institute for Antisemitism, BiGS, History of Sexuality Seminar (IHR)