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Professor John Holmes joined the English department at the University of Birmingham in 2015 as Professor of Victorian Literature and Culture. His research focuses on the relationship between scientific ideas and cultural forms in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including poetry, architecture and the visual arts. More widely, John works on and teaches a wide range of nineteenth-century literature, with interests in poetry and poetic form, especially the sonnet and the epic; religious belief and doubt; and the history of sexuality. John has been actively involved in the British Society for Literature and Science (BSLS) since its inaugural conference in 2006, Treasurer from 2006 to 2009, Book Reviews Editor from 2008 to 2012, and Chair from 2012 to 2015. While he was Chair he helped to establish links between the BSLS and other related academic societies, including the international Commission of Science and Literature (CoSciLit), the European branch of the Society for Literature, Science and the Arts (SLSAeu) and the British Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment (ASLE-UK).
Join Professor John Holmes as he looks at developing skills within English Literature, thinks about how you read, and explores the notion of expanding consciousness, with a focus on literature and diversity. He also considers literature and the environment, discussing how studying literature can help us to think through major global issues, before offering a deep dive into Shakespeare. Here, John explores the different ways in which an English degree might help you understand and enjoy a specific author.
The University of Birmingham was established in 1825 and was the first Russell Group university to receive a royal charter. As a member of the coveted Russell Group, the University of Birmingham is a prestigious university and considered a top representative of British education. As would be expected from such a high ranking institution, the university has produced many notable alumni including two UK prime ministers - Neville Chamberlain and Stanley Baldwin.
Professor John Holmes joined the English department at the University of Birmingham in 2015 as Professor of Victorian Literature and Culture. His research focuses on the relationship between scientific ideas and cultural forms in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including poetry, architecture and the visual arts. More widely, John works on and teaches a wide range of nineteenth-century literature, with interests in poetry and poetic form, especially the sonnet and the epic; religious belief and doubt; and the history of sexuality. John has been actively involved in the British Society for Literature and Science (BSLS) since its inaugural conference in 2006, Treasurer from 2006 to 2009, Book Reviews Editor from 2008 to 2012, and Chair from 2012 to 2015. While he was Chair he helped to establish links between the BSLS and other related academic societies, including the international Commission of Science and Literature (CoSciLit), the European branch of the Society for Literature, Science and the Arts (SLSAeu) and the British Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment (ASLE-UK).
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