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Tanya Serisier

Positions held:
  • Professor of Feminist Theory, School of Social Sciences
  • Subject Lead - Criminology, School of Social Sciences
  • Director, BiGS (ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú Gender and Sexuality); ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú Institute of Social Research
Email
  • Overview

    Overview

    Biography

    Tanya Serisier joined ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú as a Lecturer in Criminology in 2016. Her research explores the cultural politics of sexuality and sexual violence from a feminist and queer perspective. She has published widely on feminism, sexual assault and survivor politics, including in her critically acclaimed 2018 book, Speaking Out: Feminism, Rape and Narrative Politics. She was a 2-23 a Leverhulme Research Fellow for the project 'Surviving Rape in Public: The Affects and Effects of Public Survivors'. Her work on survivors is part of a broader interest in conceptions of sexual danger and safety under neoliberalism, including work on sex and sexuality in prisons and on the cultural politics of consent.Ìý

    Tanya was promoted to Professor in 2024 and delivered her inaugural lecture, '' in April 2025.Ìý

    Tanya is the Director of BiGS (ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú Gender and Sexuality), and in this role she helps to coordinate and promote ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú's strong research focus on gender and sexuality.Ìý

    Tanya completed her PhD in Cultural Studies at Monash University (Australia) in 2010. The PhD,Scheherazade’s Daughters: Telling Stories in Response to Sexual Violence explored feminist practices of speaking out through the use of feminist and literary theory. She taught at a number of Australian universities from 2010-2012, taking up a Lectureship in Criminology at UNSW in 2013. From 2014-2016 she was employed as a Lecturer in Criminology at Queen’s University Belfast before moving to her present post at ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú.


    Highlights

    • Author of , 2018, Palgrave Macmillan

    • Leverhulme Research Fellowship - Surviving Rape in Public: The Affects and Effects of Public Survivors (2022)

    • Inaugural Lecture -

    Web profiles

    Administrative responsibilities

    • Director - BiGS (ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú Gender and Sexuality)
    • Co-Subject Lead - Criminology

    Honours and awards

    • Research Fellowship Leverhulme Foundation, August 2022

    ORCID

  • Research

    Research

    Research interests

    • Feminist, Queer and Narrative Theory
    • Cultural and Political Responses to Sexual Violence
    • Cultural Politics of Sex and Sexuality

    Research overview

    Prof Tanya Serisier's work focuses on the cultural politics of sexuality and of sexual and gendered violence. I am interested in feminist anti-rape politics, cultural responses to rape survivor narratives, constructions of sexual safety and danger in popular culture, and cultural representations of sex work. Her interests are interdisciplinary, drawing on a number of areas: feminist and queer theory, critical race and postcolonial theory, literary and popular cultural studies, narrative analysis, and the intersection of legal theory with literature and popular culture.ÌýHer work engages with politically urgent questions about cultural responses to and prevention of sexual violence, adopting a critical lens to interrogate dominant feminist responses.Ìý

    Prof Tanya Serisier is the author of Speaking Out: Rape, Feminism and Narrative Politics, an exploration of the history and politics of women's testimony as a central feature of feminist responses to violence. This work is part of her ongoing interest in the intersections of feminist and narrative theory, and a continuing interest in survivor discourse and politics.Ìý

    In 2023 Prof Serisier completed a Leverhulme Research Fellowship - Surviving Rape in Public: The Effects and Affects of Public Survivors. This project explores the experiences and cultural interventions of survivors who seek a public platform on the basis of their experience of sexual violence. It investigates their reflections on the experience of surviving rape publicly, the ways in which recognition is given and denied, and the cultural and political effects of public survivors.Ìý

    In addition, Prof Serisier works on the cultural politics of consent and on the regulation of sex and sexuality in prison.Ìý



    Research Centres and Institutes

    • Director,
    • Member,

    Research clusters and groups

    • Member,
    • Member,
    • Member,

    Research projects

    Surviving Rape in Public: The Affects and Effects of Speaking as a Survivor.

    Abstract

    This project offers a new way of understanding contemporary social and cultural responses to rape through a focus on ‘public survivors’, a term for those who publicly identify themselves as survivors of sexual violence through speaking about their experiences. This project will be the first research that engages and draws upon the reflections of public survivors as experts in cultural change around sexual violence. The project will seek to understand the effects of cultural interventions by survivors, drawing out their wider implications for contemporary responses to sexual violence, epistemologies of expertise and hierarchies of knowledge and debates in contemporary feminism.

  • Supervision and teaching

    Supervision and teaching

    Supervision

    Supervisions within ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú:
    10

    I welcome enquiries from students interested in any area of my research. In particular, I am interested in survivor politics and discourse and narratives of sexuality and sexual violence. In addition, I welcome students interested in exploring sexual violence or the regulation of sexuality from a critical and/or interdisciplinary perspective, and students who are interested in the intersections of deviance, harm and punishment with popular culture.Ìý

    Current doctoral researchers

    • FAREDA ELSHAAER
      Nature of supervision:
      JOINT PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR,
    • MAE WALSH
      Nature of supervision:
      JOINT PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR,
    • REBECCA GREENSLADE
      Nature of supervision:
      PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR,
      Title of thesis:
      Resistance, Freedom and Critique: feminist psychotherapy and post-capitalist desire

    Doctoral alumni since 2013-14

    • KEIRAN WILSON
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor, to
      Title of thesis:
      Carceral Power in UK Mental Healthcare: A Mad, Queer, Abolitionist Examination of LGBTQ+ Experiences with the Mental Health Act (1983)
      Description:

      This thesis offers a critical criminological interrogation into the carceral logic that organises the UK’s mental healthcare system. Drawing on an interdisciplinary methodological approach, the research adopts a Mad, queer, abolitionist orientation, operationalised through a novel bricolage framework that integrates discursive and phenomenological approaches to knowledge production. The pluralist methodology of bricolage enables a simultaneous focus on the lived experiences of queer people and on the broader discursive conditions that render those experiences intelligible. Queer experiences thus function as a lens through which this thesis attempts to make visible the carceral logics embedded in the UK’s contemporary approach to mental healthcare. Using episodic narrative interviews carried out with queer people who have been detained under the Mental Health Act (1983), this analysis excavates the power dynamics of carceral logic across three interrelated sites: the legal apparatus of the Act, the carceral layers that form within the space of the psychiatric ward, and the production of psy subjects. This thesis demonstrates how gender, sexuality, and madness are (co-) constructed and disciplined through the carceral logic of the mental healthcare system, revealing how deeply connected the concept of care is with coercive and punitive mechanisms. By queering both the methodological and epistemological foundations of psy research, this thesis contributes to a growing body of critical work seeking to unsettle the persistent conflation of care with control and to disrupt modes of knowledge production about queer mental healthcare experiences.

      Awarded:
      2026
    • JENNY LOGAN
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor,
      Title of thesis:
      On Rape and Property
      Description:

      This dissertation looks at how ideologies and practices of property within law and legal institutions inflect legal approaches to rape and sexual violence, and the spaces in which they occur.Ìý

      Awarded:
      2025
    • EMMA YAPP
      Nature of supervision:
      Principal Supervisor,
      Title of thesis:
      The Double-Edged Sword: Trauma, Mental Health, and Sexual Violence Testimony in England and Wales
      Awarded:
      2024
    • MOLLY ACKHURST
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor,
      Title of thesis:
      Reckoning with the Stuckness: A Critical Exploration into the Affective Dimensions of Feminist Politics Around Justice After Sexual Violence
      Awarded:
      2024
    • ADELINE MOUSSION
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor,
      Awarded:
      2024
    • LUIZ VALLE JUNIOR
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor, to
      Title of thesis:
      Emancipation in queer theory and psychoanalysis: on the radicalisation of sex, subjectivity and politics
      Awarded:
      2022
    • ALEXANDRA KOENIG
      Nature of supervision:
      Principal Supervisor,
      Awarded:
      2021

    Teaching

    Teaching modules

    • Regulating Sex and Sexuality
    • Contemporary Criminological Theory
    • Criminology and Social Theory (Level 5)
  • Publications

    Publications

    Article

    • Serisier, Tanya (2026) . Atlanticas Revista 11 (2), pp. 2-31. ISSN 2530-2736.
    • Logan, Jenny and Serisier, Tanya (2025) . Feminist Theory ISSN 1464-7001.
    • Ackhurst, Molly and Nair, Shalini and Serisier, Tanya (2025) . Feminist Legal Studies ISSN 0966-3622.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2024) . Feminist Theory ISSN 1464-7001.
    • Matthews, H. and Serisier, Tanya (2024) . Counterpunch ISSN 2328-4331.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2024) . Social and Legal Studies ISSN 0964-6639.
    • Kennedy, R. and Serisier, Tanya (2023) . Crime, Media, Culture: An International Journal ISSN 1741-6590.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2022) . Oxford Bibliographies
    • Serisier, Tanya (2022) . Shuddhashar (32), ISSN 2535-7476.
    • Lamble, Sarah and Serisier, Tanya and Dymock, A. and Carr, N. and Downes, J. and Boukli, A. (2020) . Criminology & Criminal Justice 20 (5), pp. 504-509. ISSN 1748-8958.
    • Carr, N. and Serisier, Tanya and McAlister, S. (2020) . Criminology and Criminal Justice 20 (5), pp. 551-563. ISSN 1748-8958.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2020) . Australian Feminist Law Journal 46 (2), pp. 189-204. ISSN 1320-0968.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2018) . Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies 32 (1), pp. 52-61. ISSN 1030-4312.
    • Carr, N. and McAlister, S. and Serisier, Tanya (2016) . The Conversation
    • Serisier, Tanya (2015) . Diegesis 4 (1), pp. 68-87. ISSN 2195-2116.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2014) . The Conversation
    • Serisier, Tanya (2013) . Women: A Cultural Review 24 (1), pp. 26-44. ISSN 0957-4042.
    • Pendleton, M. and Serisier, Tanya (2012) . M/C Journal 15 (6), ISSN 1441-2616.
    • Wilson, D. and Serisier, Tanya (2010) . Surveillance & Society 8 (2), pp. 166-180. ISSN 1477-7487.
    • Pendleton, M. and Serisier, Tanya (2009) . Australian Feminist Law Journal 31 (1), pp. 77-98. ISSN 1320-0968.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2007) . Lilith: A Feminist History Journal 16, pp. 84-95. ISSN 0813-8990.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2006) . AntiTHESIS 16, pp. 74-89. ISSN 1030-3839.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2005) . Australian Feminist Law Journal 23, pp. 121-145. ISSN 1320-0968.

    Book

    • Serisier, Tanya (2018) . Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave MacMillan. ISBN 9783319986692.

    Book review

    • Serisier, Tanya (2026) .
    • Serisier, Tanya (2023) .
    • Serisier, Tanya (2020) .
    • Serisier, Tanya (2020) .
    • Serisier, Tanya (2018) .
    • Serisier, Tanya (2017) .
    • Serisier, Tanya (2013) .
    • Serisier, Tanya (2012) .

    Book section

    • Serisier, Tanya (2026) . In: Godden-Rasul, N. and Kula, S.L. (eds.) Research Handbook on Gender, Violence and Law. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. ISBN 9781035319398. (In Press)
    • Serisier, Tanya (2025) . In: Presser, L. and Fleetwood, J. and Sandberg, S. (eds.) Narrating Justice and Hope: How Good Stories Counter Crime and Harm. NYU Press. pp. 209-230. ISBN 9781479824496.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2023) . In: Boyle, K. and Berridge, S. (eds.) Routledge Companion to Gender, Media and Violence. Routledge Companions to Gender. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9781032061368.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2023) . In: Gleeson, K. and Russell, Y. (eds.) New Directions in Sexual Violence Research. Routledge. pp. 209-225. ISBN 9781032051468.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2022) . In: Dawson, P. and Mäkelä, M. (eds.) The Routledge Companion to Narrative Theory. New York, U.S.: Routledge. ISBN 9781003100157.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2021) . In: Killean, R. and Dowds, E. and McAlinden, A.-M. (eds.) Sexual Violence on Trial: Local and Comparative Perspectives. Routledge Studies in Crime and Society. London, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9780367404277.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2021) . In: Hewett, H. and Holland, M.K. (eds.) #MeToo and Literary Studies: Reading, Writing, and Teaching about Sexual Violence and Rape Culture. London, UK: Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781501372735.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2020) . In: Gray-Rosendale, L.A. (ed.) Me Too, Feminist Theory, and Surviving Sexual Violence in the Academy. Lanham, U.S.: Lexington Books. pp. 167-180. ISBN 9781793611123.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2020) . In: Taylor, A. and McIntyre, J. (eds.) Gender and Australian Celebrity Culture. Global Gender. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9781138366220.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2019) . In: Andersson, U. and Edgren, M. and Karlsson, L. and Nilsson, G. (eds.) Rape Narratives in Motion. Palgrave Studies in Crime, Media and Culture. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 199-222. ISBN 9783030138516.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2015) . In: Phillips, K. (ed.) Women and Erotic Fiction. Critical Essays on Genres, Markets and Readers. McFarland & Company. pp. 117-132. ISBN 9780786495849.
    • Serisier, Tanya (2013) . In: Fraser, V. (ed.) Queer Sexualities: Diversifying Queer, Queering Diversity. Oxford, UK: Inter-Disciplinary Press. pp. 83-92. ISBN 9781848882188.

    Conference item

    • Serisier, Tanya (2007) . English Post-Graduate Symposium: Me Myself and Eye, 2007, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
    • Serisier, Tanya (2006) . Australian Critical Race and Whiteness Studies Association National Conference: Whiteness and the Horizons of Race, 2006, Brisbane, Australia
    • Serisier, Tanya (2006) . Lilith Symposium: A Feminist History of Violence, 2006, Melbourne University, Melbourne, Australia
    • Serisier, Tanya (2005) . AntiTHESIS Postgraduate Symposium: The Event, 2005, Melbourne University, Melbourne, Australia

    Editorial

    • Godden-Rasul, N. and Serisier, Tanya (2024) . Feminist Legal Studies 32, pp. 253-258. Springer. ISSN 0966-3622.
    • Lamble, Sarah and Serisier, Tanya and Dymock, A. and Downes, J. and Boukli, A. (2020) . Criminology and Criminal Justice 20 (5), pp. 504-509. Sage. ISSN 1748-8958.

    Monograph

    • Carr, N. and McAlister, S. and Serisier, Tanya (2016) . Dublin, Ireland: Irish Penal Reform Trust.

    Other

    • Serisier, Tanya (2017) . Oxford Research Encyclopedias Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Criminology and Criminal Justice: Oxford University Press.

    External Repositories

  • Business and community

    Business and community

    Media

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

    • Sexual Violence - Survivors and Feminism
    • LGBT Prisoners
    • Sexual Consent - Education and Popular Culture

    Outreach

    Inaugural Lecture, ''

    November 2025 - , Article for .Ìý

    Cultural Studies Podcast -  October 2025

    July 2024 - Deconstructing ¸é²¹±è±ðÌýpodcast, ''

    '', Counterpunch, January 2024

    January 2024 - '' - Left Reckoning Podcast


    January 2024 - - This is Hell! Podcast

    July 2023 - '' - Feminist Law Podcast

    April 2022 -  - Interview with Podcast 'The Know Show'

    December 2021 - '' Podcast. Ep. 5 of '' Podcast by Narrative Matters

    November 2021 - , hosted by Queen Mary University of London Law School

    November 2021 - '' Festival of Social Sciences, Live Discussion with Laura Lammisniemi, Amrita Ahluwalia and Gabrielle Blackburn

    October 2021 - Women Crime and Criminal Justice Network Connecting Criminologists:

    July 2021 - 'The #MeToo Movement 15 Years On' Bradford Literary Festival

    September 2020 -, Bloomsbury Festival - Co-Hosted by SHAME (Sexual Harms and Medical Encounters)

    January 2019 -  (As part of the ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú Criminology Seminar Series)

    September 2018 - , Green Agenda, Australia

    June 2018 - Podcast Appearance - '