Simon Avery

Simon Avery is a Reader in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture at the University of Westminster's School of Humanities, where he has taught since 2007. He previously held positions at the University of Hertfordshire (1999-2007) and Anglia Ruskin University (1996-1999), with additional tutoring at the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education. His research spans nineteenth-century women's writing and queer literature, with particular focus on Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the Brontës, Mary Coleridge, and Thomas Hardy.

• MA in Victorian Literature (University of Nottingham)
• PhD in nineteenth-century literature and politics (Anglia Ruskin)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (University of Hertfordshire)

His research interests include:

• Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture: Exploring women's writing, political poetry, and intersections between literary production and historical context. Key publications include critical editions of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Mary Coleridge, and analyses of the Brontës' Gothic techniques.
• Queer Literature and Cultures: Co-director of the Queer London Research Forum (2013-2023) and editor of a 2023 queer poetry anthology. His work examines queer spatial theory and historical London narratives.

Recent publications highlight trends in Victorian science-poetry intersections (X-ray Gothic fears) and queer temporalities, alongside ongoing projects on queer poetry history. He has received research support from institutions including the Armstrong Browning Library and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

As an advisor, Avery has directed PhDs on topics ranging from Victorian female detectives to post-devolution Scottish queer literature. His public engagement includes talks at the Brontë Parsonage Museum and Ledbury Poetry Festival.