معرفی
Bethany Layne is a Senior Lecturer in English Literature at De Montfort University, within the School of Humanities under the Faculty of Arts, Design and Humanities. Her research centers on biofiction and adaptation, particularly focusing on Henry James, Virginia Woolf, and Sylvia Plath.
Education:
- BA (Hons) in English Studies, University of Nottingham (2008)
- MA in Twentieth Century Literature, University of Leeds (2009)
- PhD in Modern to Contemporary Literature, University of Leeds (2013)
Bethany's research explores the literary afterlives of major modernist writers through biographical fiction and adaptation. She investigates how contemporary authors reinterpret and reimagine figures like James, Woolf, and Plath, analyzing themes of legacy, authenticity, and narrative form. Her work bridges academic scholarship and public discourse, as seen in her contributions to The Conversation and i newspaper. She is particularly interested in how biofiction functions as a mode of adaptation, blurring the boundaries between fact and fiction.
Her recent publications and monographs reflect a consistent focus on biofiction’s role in reviving and reinterpreting literary figures. Themes across her work include affective representation, intertextuality, pastiche, and the cultural resonance of modernist writers in the 21st century. She frequently examines adaptations in film, television, and literature, highlighting their interpretive strategies and cultural significance.
Professional Recognition:
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Peer reviewer for ANQ, English Studies in Africa, and a/b: Auto/Biography Studies
Bethany supervises PhD students in her areas of expertise and has co-organized academic conferences on postmodernist biofiction. She is actively involved in the Centre for Adaptation Studies at DMU and welcomes research students interested in biofiction, adaptation, and modernist legacies. Her consultancy work supports projects involving Henry James and biographical literature.
Research Groups:
- Centre for Adaptations
