Jessica Cox

Dr Jessica Cox is a Reader in English Literature at Brunel University London, where she serves as Division Lead for English and Creative Writing within the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences. She obtained her PhD from Swansea University in 2007 and previously worked as a lecturer at the University of Wales Lampeter before joining Brunel in 2009.

Dr Cox's research spans several interconnected areas of Victorian and neo-Victorian studies. Her primary research interests include:

• Maternal histories in the nineteenth century
• Victorian sensation fiction, particularly works by Mary Elizabeth Braddon and Wilkie Collins
• The Brontë sisters and their literary legacy
• First-wave feminism and gender studies
• Neo-Victorian literature and culture
• Gender and popular culture

Her most recent book, Confinement: The Hidden History of Maternal Bodies in Nineteenth-Century Britain (2023), examines the history of maternal bodies in nineteenth-century Britain, continuing her longstanding interest in maternal experiences during the Victorian era. Dr Cox's scholarly output reveals consistent engagement with how historical narratives intersect with contemporary feminist concerns, particularly through the lens of neo-Victorian adaptations and reinterpretations of Victorian literature. Her work demonstrates particular expertise in sensation fiction, with numerous publications analyzing authors like Wilkie Collins and Mary Elizabeth Braddon.

Dr Cox has been recognized for her teaching excellence as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Her scholarly contributions have established her as a significant voice in Victorian studies, particularly in the areas of sensation fiction and neo-Victorianism.

As an educator, Dr Cox convenes modules including The Nineteenth-Century Novel, Victorian Literature and Culture, and Reading, Research, and Writing. She supervises final year undergraduate and MA dissertations, as well as doctoral students, welcoming research in all her areas of expertise. She is also Associate Editor for the journal Brontë Studies (Taylor and Francis) and has edited several important collections including New Perspectives on Mary Elizabeth Braddon (2012) and co-edited Women and Belief, 1852-1928 (2012).