Diana Holmes

Diana Holmes is a Visiting Professor in the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies at the University of Leeds, within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures. She previously served as Professor of French at Keele University and held an Honorary Professorship at the University of Nottingham (2018–2021). A leading scholar in French Studies, she has made significant contributions to the fields of women's writing, French cinema, gender studies, and popular and middlebrow fiction.

Her research interests center on women writers in France from the late 19th century to the present, with a special focus on Colette, Rachilde, and feminist literary traditions. She has explored the cultural significance of popular fiction, the role of gender in French cinema, and the dynamics of reader reception. Her work bridges literary analysis with cultural and feminist theory, emphasizing social context and the impact of literature on society.

Her recent publications and ongoing projects reflect a strong engagement with middlebrow culture, representations of ageing, postfeminism, and the cinematic adaptations of Colette’s works, especially by director Jacqueline Audry. She has also contributed to major scholarly series such as the French Film Directors series at Manchester University Press and is working on the Cambridge Companion to Women’s Writing in French.

• Chevalier dans l’ordre des palmes académiques (1998)
• Officier dans l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres (2023)
• Outstanding Faculty Mentor, Women in French Studies (2018)

Diana Holmes has supervised 8 PhD and 4 MA by Research students to completion and has examined over 40 doctoral theses internationally. She is an active mentor and leader in the academic community, currently serving as President of the Society for French Studies and as a founding organizer of the 'Women in French' network. She has also contributed to public scholarship through appearances on BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time and participation in literary festivals such as Beyond Words in London and events at the New York Maison française.

She is involved in several research groups, including Gender, Popular Culture, Digital Cultures, and Literary Studies, and is affiliated with the Centre for World Literatures at Leeds. Her interdisciplinary work continues to shape the study of French literature and cinema through both academic and public engagement.