糖心logo入口

Skip to main content

Professor Caroline Edwards

Positions held:
  • Executive Director of the Open Library of Humanities, Innovation & Commercialisation
  • Professor of Contemporary Literature and Culture, School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication
Email
  • Overview

    Overview

    Biography

    Caroline is聽Professor聽of Contemporary Literature & Culture based in 糖心logo入口's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.聽She is also Executive Director of the聽 (OLH), an award-winning publisher of open access journals which is leading a transformative shift away from commercial academic publishing. Caroline has recently launched the , an international nonprofit publishing collective, which she directs with Joanna Ball and Dr Rupert Gatti.

    Caroline is not available for PhD supervisions in 2025-26.聽

    Highlights

    • Keynote Lecture, "Arboreal Revelation at the World's Beginning," Between Fiction and Society: Imagination and Worldbuilding in the Aftermath of a Global Pandemic, international conference & film festival (sognielettrici / electricdreams), IULM University, Milan, Italy, October 2022 (video recording available to watch on )

    • Distinguished Faber Lecture and Keynote Address, 鈥淚dyll & Utopia in the Era of Ecocatastrophe: Elemental Utopian Becomings,鈥 鈥淚dyll and Utopia鈥 Conference, German Department, Princeton University, United States, October 2021 (video recording available to )

    • Interview with Margaret Atwood (titled 鈥淪cience, Fiction and the Future鈥) as part of the New Scientist Live 2017 Festival of Ideas, ExCeL London VIP Area / Main Stage, October 2017 (video recording available to )

    • Co-Founder of the award-winning open access journals publishing platform with Prof. Martin Eve, which officially launched in September 2015 with a $741,000 3-year grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

    • Curator of "Imagined Futures," a dedicated display about my research into speculative visions of future London in utopian and dystopian literature featured at the Museum of London, October 2017-April 2018 (watch a )

    • Radio documentary, 鈥淪cience Fiction and Ecological Thinking,鈥 BBC Radio 3, 15th April 2020 (available to )

    • Founding Member of (BACLS) and the association's first Secretary from 2017 to 2019

    • Founder of , which launched in 2012 as a journal of 21st-century literary studies and became the postgraduate journal of the in 2018.

    Web profiles

    Administrative responsibilities

    • Executive Director, Open Library of Humanities
    • Director, Open Journals Collective

    Professional memberships

    • Modern Languages Association (MLA)

    • Association for the Study of the Arts of the Present (ASAP)

    • British Association for Contemporary Literary Studies (BACLS)

    • Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (ASLE)

    • Executive Board, Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA)

    ORCID

  • Research

    Research

    Research interests

    • contemporary literary studies
    • utopian studies
    • science fiction studies
    • the philosophy of time
    • environmental humanities
    • Marxist aesthetics
    • petrocultures and the energy humanities
    • open access publishing

    Research overview

    Caroline's research focuses on the utopian imagination in contemporary literature, science fiction, apocalyptic narratives, and Western Marxism. She is author of聽Utopia and the Contemporary British Novel聽(Cambridge University Press, 2019), which examines temporal experience and utopian anticipation in contemporary texts by British writers including Hari Kunzru, Maggie Gee, David Mitchell, Ali Smith, Jim Crace, Joanna Kavenna, Grace McCleen, Jon McGregor and Claire Fuller. Her work on contemporary writers has also led to two co-edited books of essays:聽China Mi茅ville: Critical Essays聽(Gylphi, 2015) and聽Maggie Gee: Critical Essays (Gylphi, 2015).

    Caroline is currently working on her second monograph, Hopeful Inhumanism: The Elemental Aesthetics聽of Ecocatastrophe, which examines strangely hopeful moments of inhuman collaboration within the elemental contexts of the lithic, the mycological, the arboreal, and the hydrological. Focusing on novels, films, TV series, artworks, and sculpture primarily produced since 2010, the book聽explores works such as N. K. Jemisin's "Broken Earth" trilogy, Jeff VanderMeer's weird fiction, Wangechi Mutu's multimedia artworks, J. G. Ballard's ecocatastrophe fictions, Jason de Caires Taylor's underwater sculptures, Lars von Trier's apocalyptic cinema, Sasha Velour's drag performance, Tade Thompson's mycopunk, Elif Shafak's arboreal narration, Joe Acheson鈥檚聽sonic arrangement of trees, mycorrhizal electrical signals, and birdsong, Nalo Hopkinson's speculative fiction, and Seana Gavin's fungal collages.

    Her other main project at the moment is editing聽The Cambridge Companion to British Utopian Literature and Culture, 1945 to the Present聽(forthcoming in January 2026).

    Caroline has written a number of聽journal articles聽for publications such as聽Telos,听Modern Fiction Studies,听Textual Practice,听Contemporary Literature, Science Fiction Studies, ASAP: Journal of the Association for the Study of the Arts of the Present, the聽New Statesman聽补苍诲听迟丑别听Times Higher Education. Her聽book chapter contributions聽on science and utopian fiction and contemporary literature include chapters for聽The Cambridge Companion to British Fiction, 1980 to the Present聽(ed. Peter Boxall),听The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction, 2nd edition (ed. Niall Harrison, Farah Mendlesohn and Edward James),听Science Fiction: A Literary History聽(ed. Roger Luckhurst, for the British Library Press),听The Routledge Companion to聽Twenty-First-Century聽Fiction聽(ed. Robert Eaglestone and Daniel O'Gorman) and the聽Palgrave Handbook of Utopian and Dystopian Literature聽(ed. Jennifer Wagner-Lawlor, F谩tima Vieira and Peter Marks).

    For a full list of publications, please visit .

    Caroline is on the editorial boards for the聽Palgrave Studies in Utopianism聽book series and Gylphi's聽SF Storyworlds: Critical Studies in Science Fiction聽book series. She is a member of the聽Modern Languages Association, the聽Utopian Studies Society, the聽Association for the Study of the Arts of the Present聽(ASAP), the聽Contemporary Women鈥檚 Writing Association聽and the聽English Association. She is also a founding member of the聽British Association for Contemporary Literary Studies聽(BACLS) and acted as Secretary of the association from 2016-18.

    Research Centres and Institutes

    • Director, 2017-2023,
    • Executive Director, 2023-,

    Research clusters and groups

    • Director, 2017-2023,
    • Founding Member,
    • Member,
    • Member,
    • Member,
    • Member,
    • Member,
  • Supervision and teaching

    Supervision and teaching

    Supervision

    Supervisions within 糖心logo入口:
    12

    Please note - Caroline is not accepting any more applications for the 2023-2024 PhD applications cycle.

    Caroline is an experienced PhD supervisor, having worked with doctoral students on a number of projects investigating subjects such as contemporary experimental fiction, utopian literature, Marxist aesthetics, creative writing and science fiction, feminist science fiction, feminist cyberpunk, human-animal relations in the Anthropocene, and feminist dystopian narratives. To date, she has supervised 10 PhD students to completion and works regularly as an External Examiner for PhD viva voce examinations around the UK.

    Caroline welcomes PhD applications on the following topics: 21st-century literature, utopian and dystopian narratives, science fiction, literary and critical theory, Western Marxism and the philosophy of the Frankfurt School.聽[N.B. If you are interested in undertaking a PhD on contemporary literature, please ensure that you have thought about the gender balance of your case studies before making an application. Caroline is not interested in supervising projects that have not made every reasonable effort to include women authors and thinkers.]

    If you are considering applying for MPhil/PhD research in any of these areas, please get in touch with Caroline or the Admissions Tutor about your research plan before making an application.

    Current doctoral researchers

    • ZHUI NING CHANG
      Nature of supervision:
      JOINT PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR,
    • LILY TAYLOR
      Nature of supervision:
      JOINT PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR,
      Title of thesis:
      Weird Homemaking: Elemental Geographies of Home in Contemporary British Storytelling
    • FRANKIE WAKEFIELD
      Nature of supervision:
      PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR,

    Doctoral alumni since 2013-14

    • DANIEL BARROW
      Nature of supervision:
      Principal Supervisor
      Awarded:
      2019
    • ELEONORA ROSSI
      Nature of supervision:
      Principal Supervisor,
      Title of thesis:
      Utopia at the End of the World: Contemporary Speculative Fiction and the Posthumanities.
      Awarded:
      2023
    • LAURA KAYE
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor,
      Awarded:
      2026
    • SASHA MYERSON
      Nature of supervision:
      Principal Supervisor,
      Title of thesis:
      Making Cyborgs: Subjectivity and Space in Feminist Cyberpunk
      Awarded:
      2022
    • KATIE STONE
      Nature of supervision:
      Principal Supervisor,
      Title of thesis:
      Children are the Future: Childhood and Utopianism in Science Fiction and its Criticism
      Awarded:
      2021
    • CARLY ROBINSON
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor,
      Title of thesis:
      Schizo-narratives; feminist activism through affect in contemporary women's experimental writing.
      Awarded:
      2024
    • RAPHAEL KABO
      Nature of supervision:
      Principal Supervisor, to
      Awarded:
      2020
    • RAPHAEL KABO
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor,
      Awarded:
      2020
    • STUART LAWSON
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor
      Awarded:
      2019

    Teaching

    Caroline runs the MA Contemporary Literature and Culture. She usually teaches the following modules:

    • Reading the Contemporary (MA Contemporary Literature & Culture core module)
    • Time for Revolution (MA optional module)
    • Key Concepts in Cultural and Critical Studies: Part 1 (MA Cultural & Critical Studies core module)
    • The Novel (BA English core module)
    • Writing London (BA English core module)
    • Critical Methods (BA English core module)
  • Publications

    Publications

    Article

    • Jones, Frances and Johnson, Rob and Edwards, Caroline and Eve, Martin Paul (2026) . Research Professional ISSN 1358-1198.
    • Edwards, Caroline (2024) . Cultural Politics 20 (2), pp. 195-218. ISSN 1743-2197.
    • Edwards, Caroline (2023) . Textual Practice pp. 1-24. ISSN 1470-1308.
    • Eve, Martin Paul and Clemente Vega, Paula and Edwards, Caroline (2020) . LIBER Quarterly 30 (1), ISSN 2213-056X.
    • Edwards, Caroline (2019) . ASAP/Journal 4 (1), pp. 211-238. ISSN 2381-4705.
    • Eve, Martin Paul and Edwards, Caroline (2015) . Open Library of Humanities 1 (1), ISSN 2056-6700.
    • Edwards, Caroline (2013) . Telos: Critical Theory Of the Contemporary 2013, pp. 91-114. ISSN 0090-6514.
    • Eve, Martin Paul and Edwards, Caroline and Wieselberg, L. (2013) . Science@ORF.at
    • Edwards, Caroline (2013) . Telos: Critical Theory Of the Contemporary 2013 (165), pp. 91-114. ISSN 0090-6514.
    • Edwards, Caroline (2012) . Modern Fiction Studies 58 (3), pp. 477-502. ISSN 0026-7724.
    • Dunst, A. and Edwards, Caroline (2011) . Subjectivity 4, pp. 1-8. ISSN 1755-6341.
    • Edwards, Caroline (2010) . Contemporary Literature 51 (2), pp. 217-245. ISSN 0010-7484.
    • Edwards, Caroline (2009) . Textual Practice 23 (5), pp. 763-786. ISSN 0950-236X.
    • Edwards, Caroline (2009) . Textual Practice 23 (5), pp. 763-786. ISSN 0950-236X.

    Book

    • Edwards, Caroline (2019) . Cambridge Studies in Twenty-First-Century Literature and Culture. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781108498708.
    • Dillon, S. and Edwards, Caroline, eds. (2015) . Contemporary Writers: Critical Essays. Canterbury, UK: Gylphi. ISBN 9781780240336.
    • Edwards, Caroline and Venezia, T., eds. (2015) . Canterbury, UK: Gylphi. ISBN 9781780240275.
    • Edwards, Caroline and Dillon, Sarah, eds. (2015) . pp. 1-30. Canterbury, UK: Gylphi. ISBN 9781780240336.

    Book section

    • Luckhurst, Roger (2026) . In: Edwards, Caroline (ed.) The Cambridge Companion to British Utopian Literature and Culture Since 1945. Cambridge Companions to Literature. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. pp. 37-54. ISBN 9781009690492.
    • Edwards, Caroline (2021) . In: Waugh, P. and Botha, M. (eds.) Future Theory: A Handbook to Critical Concepts. London, UK: Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 433-448. ISBN 9781472567352.
    • Edwards, Caroline (2017) . In: Luckhurst, Roger (ed.) Science Fiction: A Literary History. London, UK: British Library Publishing. pp. 72-101. ISBN 9780712356924.
    • Luckhurst, Roger (2015) . In: Edwards, Caroline and Venezia, T. (eds.) China Mi茅ville: Critical Essays. Canterbury, UK: Gylphi. pp. 265-284. ISBN 9781780240275.
    • Edwards, Caroline and Dillon, S. (2015) . In: Edwards, Caroline and Dillon, Sarah (eds.) Maggie Gee: Critical Essays. Canterbury: Gylphi. pp. 1-30. ISBN 9781780240336.
    • Edwards, Caroline and Venezia, T. (2015) . In: Edwards, Caroline and Venezia, T. (eds.) China Mi茅ville: Critical Essays. Canterbury, UK: Gylphi. pp. 1-38. ISBN 9781780240275.
    • Edwards, Caroline (2013) . In: Reeve-Tucker, A. and Waddell, N. (eds.) Utopianism, Modernism, and Literature in the Twentieth Century. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 182-203. ISBN 9780230358935.
    • Edwards, Caroline (2010) . In: Dillon, S. (ed.) David Mitchell: Critical Essays. Canterbury, UK: Gylphi. pp. 179-203. ISBN 9781780240039.

    Conference item

    • Eve, Martin Paul and Edwards, Caroline (2015) . OpenCon Webcast, 2015, Online
    • Priego, Ernesto and Edwards, Caroline and Tennant, Jon and Eve, Martin Paul and Ainsworth, A.-M. and Lawson, Stuart and McArthur, Joe (2014) . Open Access Week, 2014, City University, London, UK
    • Eve, Martin Paul and Edwards, Caroline (2013) . Open Access Monographs in the Humanities and Social Sciences Conference, 2013, The British Library, London, UK
    • Eve, Martin Paul and Edwards, Caroline (2013) . Invited Talk - Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Harvard University, 2013, Harvard University, U.S.
    • Eve, Martin Paul and Edwards, Caroline (2013) . THATCamp London: Digital Pedagogies, 2013, The British Library, London, UK
    • Eve, Martin Paul and Edwards, Caroline (2013) . Forms of Innovation, 2013, Durham University, UK
    • Eve, Martin Paul and Edwards, Caroline (2013) . The Graduate School Seminar, 2013, University of Lincoln, UK
  • Business and community

    Business and community

    Media

    I am happy to receive enquiries from the media on the following topics:

    • science fiction
    • the utopian imagination
    • ecocatastrophe

    Outreach

    Caroline has been invited to participate in a number of media events, interviews and programmes, discussing contemporary literature in the 21st century, science fiction, and open access publishing. Here are a few of her recorded interviews and contributions:

    • BBC Radio 3 programme, "The Robots Are Us," broadcast on 10 January 2021 (available to )
    • BBC Radio 3 "Free Thinking"聽programme聽on "Science Fiction and Ecological Thinking," broadcast on 15 April 2020 (available to )
    • BBC Radio 3 / AHRC podcast on "Science Fiction,"聽part of the "Arts & Ideas" series, published online on 18 March 2020聽
    • BBC Radio 4 Documentary, 鈥淭he Problem of Leisure,鈥澛爌art of the 鈥淎rchive on 4鈥 series, broadcast on 14 December 2019 (available to )
    • BBC Radio 4's World at One programme聽live broadcast (with Mark Mardell and John Lanchester), broadcast on 10 May 2019聽
    • "Imagined Futures"聽short film made with the Museum of London聽in March 2018 (available to )
    • Interview with Margaret Atwood, headline event at New Scientist Live festival at London's ExCeL Centre, October 2017 (available to )
    • BBC Radio 4 "Woman's Hour" live broadcast聽(discussion about feminist Martian fiction), 7 March 2017 (available to )
    • BBC Radio 4 Documentary, "A New Red World," broadcast on 7 March 2017 (available to )
    • BBC Radio 3 "Free Thinking" live broadcast聽(discussion about the literary Weird), 29 November 2016聽
    • BBC One Documentary, "Future Tense: The Story of H. G. Wells," broadcast on 16 September 2016 (available to )