معرفی
Dr. Natasha Alden is a Senior Lecturer in Contemporary British Fiction at Aberystwyth University's Department of English & Creative Writing. With a D.Phil from Oxford University, she specializes in postmemory fiction related to the World Wars, contemporary historical fiction, women's writing, and LGBTQ+ literature.
Dr. Alden's educational background includes:
- BA from University of Oxford
- MSt from University of Oxford
- D.Phil (Oxon) from University of Oxford
Her research primarily focuses on British second-generation fiction about the World Wars, or 'postmemory fiction.' Dr. Alden examines how authors without direct war experience use historical records to bear witness to their parents' experiences. Her work explores how contemporary authors like Ian McEwan incorporate historical sources into their fiction, arguing that this represents an evolution of Linda Hutcheon's concept of historiographic metafiction. She also investigates why so many contemporary authors continue to revisit the World War eras despite being born long after these conflicts.
Dr. Alden's publication record shows consistent scholarly output from 2007-2024, with recent work expanding into contemporary issues like IVF and reproductive narratives. Her research demonstrates a progression from focused studies on specific authors (McEwan, Waters, Murdoch) toward broader examinations of postmemory and contemporary historical fiction. Much of her recent work connects literary studies with contemporary social issues, particularly around reproduction and women's experiences.
Dr. Alden has secured multiple research grants, including projects funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, British Academy, and The Royal Society. Her current projects include "The Language of IVF" (2025), "Visiting Fellowship: Leila Aboulela and Muslim Women" (2023-2024), and "Rethinking flight, persecution and war" (2020-2021).
She has supervised multiple students and organized numerous academic events, including conferences on Iris Murdoch, postmemory, and reproductive narratives. Dr. Alden is also active in decolonization initiatives, having organized a "Decolonising the Library Roundtable" in 2023.
