Shelf Concerns

In the second episode of 'Shelf Concerns', Dr Claire Allen is joined by Meghann Hillier-Broadley, a postgraduate student studying for her PhD in English Literature at the University of Northampton. As lockdown restrictions begin to ease, Claire and Meghann reflect on the two things many of us have been doing over the last few months; reading and walking. They discuss the history of the relationship between literature and the environment, from the Ancients, via the Romantics, to the present day. In so doing, they explore how texts with an environmental focus can help us to consider key contemporary societal concerns, such as feminism, the black lives matter movement, and climate change.  How might a consideration of literature and the environment help us imagine the world anew as we move into 'the new normal?’ Tune in to hear their response to such questions and recommendations for reading on this topic.

The 18th July marks the anniversary of Jane Austen’s death (1775-1817). In order to commemorate this date and to celebrate her literary accomplishments, this podcast explores why Austen remains such an important figure within the world of literary studies, but also within our wider culture. In this episode of Shelf Concerns, Dr Claire Allen is joined by Dr David Simmons, Senior Lecturer in English and Screen Studies, and Meghann Hillier-Broadley, a PhD student, to discuss their favourite Austen novels, adaptations, and to ask what contemporary society can learn from an author who died over 200 years ago.

Bronte's Birthday - 28 Jul 2020 

To celebrate the anniversary of Emily Bronte's birthday on the 30th July, in this episode of Shelf Concerns, Claire Allen is joined by three students from the University of Northampton, Destiny, Dan and Beth, to discuss their responses to this writer and in particular one of the most famous texts in the British literary canon, 'Wuthering Heights'. They explore the continued relevance of the novel, key themes such as race and gender, as well as the use of Gothic tropes and contemporary adaptations of her work. Continuing the theme of rivalry from the previous podcast on Austen, we also ask 'which Bronte is best'. Listeners will be pleased to hear that the eagerly anticipated result of the listeners' poll to establish their favourite Austen Adaptation from the previous podcast (conducted via Twitter @EngNorthants) is revealed.

It's that time of the year again, A level results day. In any ordinary year this is a particularly stressful time for pupils eagerly awaiting the result of months of hard work. However results day 2020 is like no other! In this episode of the English and Creative Writing podcast from the University of Northampton Dr Claire Allen is joined by two students, Esher and Dan, to discuss their experiences of receiving their results. They explore what results can really mean long-term, advice on how to get into the university and course of your choice, and offer their thoughts on preparing for the big day and what to do if things don't go the way you expect. Good luck everyone!

Ever wanted to know what it is like to study English Literature as a non-native speaker of English? Tune in to the latest podcast from Shelf Concerns to hear Marie's experiences of studying a joint honours degree in English and Education Studies in her second language. Marie shares top tips and advice on how to qualify to study at a UK institution, how to prepare for study, and the support that is available for EU and international students at The University of Northampton.

In this episode of Shelf Concerns, Dr Claire Allen is joined by two students, Jade and Ruby, who are about to start the second year of studying for their English degree at the University of Northampton. In this episode Jade and Ruby reflect on their first year of study. The podcast explores how you should prepare in the immediate run up to the start of your degree, what coping strategies can be useful when managing workloads and reading lists, and Jade and Ruby offer their top tips on how to thrive in first year. The key message is, ‘Don’t panic!’

This time, Rod talks to Jade and Karis, two students finishing their degree, about what they’ve learned – including what a great model Gertrude Stein provides for ways to promote your own genius. What can celebrity culture tell us about how and why we read books? Find out here!

~Series 3~

In the first episode of the new series of Self Concerns Claire Allen (Programme Leader for MA English) is joined by Dr Phillippa Bennett (Programme Leader for BA English) and Dr David Simmons (Programme Leader for BA Film and Screen Studies) as they go head-to-head to discuss their Halloween recommendation, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Phillippa and David discuss the role of the monster in both the original text, as well as the many and various adaptations there have been, and why this text continues to be such an important one to teach us about the relationship between the individual and society, both in the Victorian era and now, our humanity, and our behaviours. Tune in to hear why this is the English department's recommended Halloween read, and which of the many adaptations our film expert suggests you check out this autumn.

In this episode Claire Allen is joined by Dr Drew Gray to discuss the infamous case of Jack the Ripper. This is a case which has garnered much interest, both in the fields of Literature and History. Tune in to hear how our understanding of the case has changed and developed over time, and continues to do so, as well as how the figure of Jack and his victims have sparked the imaginations of fiction writers and literary scholars. What do we learn from studying this figure? As the podcast explores, there is so much more to discover other than just the ‘who done it’ fascination or the gruesome detail of horrific crimes, but actually a focus on this case, which almost everyone has heard of, can teach us so much more about the society of the time, but also who we are today and how some of the societal issues prevalent in the nineteenth century still have relevance to our contemporary lives.

In this episode Claire Allen talks to Octavia, a student who recently graduate from the University of Northampton with an excellent degree in English, but who faced many challenges along the way. Octavia talks about the idea of resilience, in particular looking at the support which is available for anyone struggling with their mental health or other difficulties. She also discusses what she learnt in the process of doing her degree and in particular the transferable skills she gained from studying English.