Conference to focus on work of young author

Young novelist Helen Oyeyemi’s work is the focus of a symposium to be held at Teesside University on Wednesday 18 February.

Helen Oyeyemi wrote her first novel The Icarus Girl while still at school in 2005 and studying for her A-levels. Her fifth novel Boy, Snow, Bird was published last year. The Nigerian-born writer moved to London with her family when she was four. This one-day symposium brings together acclaimed scholars working in the fields of postcolonialism, gothic studies and contemporary women’s writing to discuss the scope and impact of Oyeyemi’s work. Speakers include Dave Gunning from University of Birmingham, Natalya Din-Kariuki from University of Oxford and David Punter from University of Bristol, who will speak on the topics of race, racism and postcolonialism. Sarah Ilott from Teesside University, Chloe Buckley from Lancaster University and Anita Harris from Universiti Kebangsaan in Malaysia, will speak on issues surrounding the representation of women and children. Revision, rewriting and metafiction are the themes to be discussed by Helen Cousins from Newman University in Birmingham, Jo Ormond from Lancaster University and Neil McRobert, independent scholar. A round-table discussion involving all presenters will bring the event to a close at around 5pm. Symposium co-organizer Sarah Ilott, Senior Lecturer in English Studies, said: 'Despite having published five critically acclaimed novels by the age of 30, scholarly criticism of Oyeyemi's work has been sparse.

'This symposium offers an opportunity to discuss this exciting new author, whose work makes important new interventions into the contemporary Gothic representations of race and racism in Britain and beyond, and negotiations with femininity, eating disorders and madness.

'The event will be of particular interest to students and researchers of postcolonialism, the gothic, feminism and contemporary British literature.' The symposium will be held at the University’s Darlington Campus, Room D4.05. Attendance is £10 unwaged and £16 waged. Refreshments and lunch will be provided. Further information from Sarah Ilott on s.ilott@tees.ac.uk Places can be booked online.