Autotheory and its Socio-Political Interventions: Memoirs, Manifestos and Zines
Current PhD Research, The University of Glasgow, English Literature

Research interests: Contemporary Literature, Autobiography Studies, Feminist Life-writing, Critical Theory, Feminism

Text and Context: Contemporary Literature - Scottish Universities' International Summer School (SUISS) - July-August 2022

English Literature - 'The Novel and Narratology' (Level 1)- 2021/22; 2020/21 - The University of Glasgow

Lecture: Temporalities

Comparative Literature - 2021/22 - 'Heroic Women' (Level 1) - 2021/22 - The University of Glasgow

Student feedback:
"Thank you for such thoughtful teaching."
"I found this semester very easy to engage with in seminars because I felt you were very patient and prompted us with the rewording of questions or being more specific when it was needed, so I'd like to say thank you for that. I usually find it fairly difficult to input in classes but you provided the necessary space and support for me to be able to."
"Lauren Cooper did a phenomenal job as a seminar tutor, she was engaging, fun, and direct and she clearly had a good handle on the course material."

Training

RET Associate Fellowship (aligned with UKPSF)
ILTHE training
GTA training and shadowing programme, Univ. of Glasgow

Lead Organiser - Autotheory: Thinking through Self, Body and Practice Conference - 26 - 28 October 2022

A cross-disciplinary, hybrid conference at the University of Glasgow on the topic of autotheory across the arts and humanities 

Speaker - Zines Assemble - 9 September 2022 - Online

'Looking for Theory: Reflections on Researching Autotheoretical Zines'

Speaker - Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA) conference - March 2022 - Baltimore, USA

‘Autotheory as Activist: The Socio-political Work of Contemporary Feminist Autotheoretical Writing' on the panel 'The Write Kind of Change: Literature as Social Activism' 

Writing Autotheory - Online Workshop - July 2020 - University of Glasgow

Prepared and ran 'Writing Autotheory' online workshop in association with the Graduate Attributes Postgraduate Writing Group at the University of Glasgow for College of Arts PGRs 

Speaker - College of Arts Postgraduate Conference - 'Afterlives' - Online, June 2020

‘Life After Rape: Refusing to Die and Reconceptualising Rape Survival through Autotheory’ 

Speaker - 'Writing Wrongs' Contemporary Women's Writing Association Conference - September 2018, Newcastle, UK

'Women's Memoir as Écriture Féminine: Reclaiming Female Sexuality' 

Co-organiser & Speaker - 2014 Univ. of Leeds Postgraduate Conference 

Presented paper 'Gender Dualisms and Feminist Space in Virginie Despentes’ 'Baise Moi’'

Co-organiser - 2013 Women in Work Conference 

Co-organiser of public conference supported by Univ. of Sheffield & Sheffield Hallam University 

DIY Theory: Autotheoretical Zine-making Workshop - October 2022

An interactive, creative workshop for researchers and public participants, as part of the interdisciplinary arts conference Autotheory: Thinking through Self, Body and Practice

Being Human Festival Event: Manifest(o)ing Your Dreams - November 2021, Online

Delivered an online 90 minute journaling and writing workshop as part of the Being Human Festival of humanities, based on my research into the socio-political work of manifestos 

Manifest(o)ing: Journaling & Writing Online Workshop - Public, December 2021 

Offered a free writing workshop based on my research into manifestos and on the theme of 'the personal is political' for public engagement and impact 

Cooper, L. (2021) ‘Review: Autotheory as Feminist Practice in Art, Writing, and Criticism’, Contemporary Women's Writing, vol. 15, no. 1, 2021, pp. 124-126.  https://doi.org/10.1093/cww/vpaa029

Peer reviewed an article for the journal a/b: Autobiography Studies - 2021

David & Rhona Nicol Travel Scholarship 

NeMLA Graduate Student Caucus Travel Award 2022

Collaborative Research Award, Univ. of Glasgow - for Autotheory conference

Funds for Women Graduates 2022

University of Sheffield – BA English Literature - 2010-2013

University of Leeds – MA Critical and Cultural Theory - 2013-2014

Contemporary Women's Writing Association -  Interim Chair (present); Membership secretary 2019-2022

Northeast Modern Language Association - 2022

Roles: Financial Analyst; Senior Administrator

Core Strengths: Managing multi-stream workloads & projects; Commitment to self-reflection and development; Decision making & self-directed working; Proactive organisation & administration; Responsive communication with customers and colleagues at a range of seniority levels; Big picture thinking & problem solving; Team work & collaboration; Adaptability.