معرفی
Samantha Harvey is a Reader in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University's School of Writing, Publishing and the Humanities, where she has taught novel and prose writing workshops on the MA program since 2012. Her academic work bridges literary creation and philosophical inquiry within contemporary fiction.
Harvey holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University (2011), with her thesis "Odd, unnatural activities: the writing of a philosophical novel" establishing her foundational approach to integrating complex ideas into accessible narratives.
Her research centers on pushing literary boundaries while maintaining readability, specializing in philosophical fiction that explores unreliable memory, temporal experimentation, and character-driven narratives. Harvey investigates how writers can innovate within increasingly conservative publishing landscapes without sacrificing audience engagement, with particular focus on novels of ideas that examine consciousness, time perception, and existential questions through literary form.
Harvey's publications demonstrate consistent thematic evolution toward climate consciousness and cosmic perspectives, culminating in her Booker Prize-winning novel "Orbital" which examines Earth from space. Her work consistently engages with memory's fragility and time's fluidity across both fiction and memoir formats.
Major accolades include:
- Booker Prize 2024 (Orbital)
- Hawthornden Prize for Literature 2024 (Orbital)
- InWords Literary Award 2024 (Orbital)
- Staunch Book Prize 2019 (The Western Wind)
- AMI Literature Award (The Wilderness)
- Betty Trask Prize (The Wilderness)
As an academic supervisor, Harvey mentors PhD candidates in philosophical fiction and experimental narrative forms, serving as External Examiner for doctoral programs at Exeter and UEA. Her public engagement includes regular tutoring with Arvon Foundation and prior teaching at Toronto's Humber School of Writing, alongside extensive media contributions to The Guardian, New York Times, and BBC Radio.
Harvey maintains significant presence in literary discourse through invited lectures at major international festivals including Edinburgh, Bath, Toronto, and Enniskillen events, plus appearances on BBC Culture Show and CBC Canada, establishing her as a leading voice in contemporary literary innovation.
