Eleanor Beal

Dr. Eleanor Beal is a Lecturer in English Literature and Film at Manchester Metropolitan University, serving as Co-Director of the Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies and on the Executive Committee for University English. Her research focuses on contemporary Gothic literature and film, exploring themes of ontology, cosmologies, occultism, and theological re-enchantment. She examines intersections between Gothic aesthetics and concepts of being, belonging, and otherness, with particular attention to new animism, non-dualism, and human-nonhuman relationships. Current projects include studies on wonder/horror as markers of ontological crisis and representations of purgatory in post-WWII Gothic works.

Her work intersects interdisciplinary approaches to theological horror and re-enchantment, as detailed in her book Postsecular Gothic. She investigates how Gothic narratives reorganize structures of being through mythological frameworks, especially during societal crises. Eleanor’s affiliations include leadership roles in Gothic studies initiatives, fostering academic collaboration and research in this field.