Barbara Cooke

Barbara Cooke is a Senior Lecturer in English and UG Programme Leader at Loughborough University. She specialises in textual editing, creative non-fiction, and archival theory, with particular focus on interwar and 21st-century literature. As co-executive editor of the Oxford University Press Complete Works of Evelyn Waugh and editorial board member for Ford Madox Ford’s Complete Works, she plays a pivotal role in modernist literary scholarship. She serves as Vice-Chair of the British Association for Modernist Studies.

Her research explores intersections between archival practices and literary creation, emphasizing authorial intent and textual materiality. Notable projects include re-examining Evelyn Waugh’s manuscripts and interrogating the role of archives in shaping literary legacies. Recent work investigates transcoded adaptations of classic texts and the liminal spaces between author and editor.

Cooke’s pedagogical interests centre on multimodal creative writing instruction, integrating digital and traditional methods. Her editorial collaborations reflect a commitment to preserving modernist literary heritage while advancing scholarly discourse. Current research continues exploring Waugh’s Oxford years and the socio-cultural contexts of 20th-century British literature.