Cooper King

Biography

Background

Cooper is currently pursuing his PhD in TransGothic Literature at the University of Edinburgh. He has presented work in Gothic Studies and Queer Studies in international conferences. He also has a history in archives and libraries, and currently works with Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive in cataloguing, research, and events. 

Cooper attended James Madison University after receiving the Madison Achievement Award for his extensive service to his local communities adding up to over 300 hours. He continued this community service into his years at James Madison, while also studying English Literature and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. In his free time he played the clarinet and saxophone, and volunteered in the musical world. In his final year of study, he completed an internship for the Feminisms and Rhetorics conference, reading abstracts and putting together thematic panels as well as compiling relevant information for attendees of the conference.

After he graduated, he returned to Pittsburgh where he worked for Carnegie Libraries until he received an offer to attend the University of Edinburgh. His dissertation for his masters was examining the contemporary Queer Gothic through a comparative lens. His final chapter, speaking about Gothic Radio and Contemporary Podcasting, is an area of interest he continues into his PhD.

Cooper started his PhD in 2023, examining the TransGothic.

Qualifications

MSc Literature and Modernity, University of Edinburgh, 2021.

BA of English, Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies, James Madison University, 2019.

Responsibilities & affiliations

Assistant Archivist at Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive- organiser of Queer Gothic Words

Member of the International Gothic Association

Project activity

Worked recently with Lavender Menace to interview Oral History participants, help collate that information, and research/write on Crime and Horror literature in relation to these stories for the exhibition that ran from March-May 2026.

Organiser

(Assistant and intern organiser/abstract reader) Feminisms and Rhetorics Conference, 2019.

Papers delivered

"'For now, goodbye ladies and gentleman. I'll see you in Transylvania'- Gothic Radio and Contemporary Horror Podcasting", Dracula Bites Series, 2026.

"Slaying and Staking Claim, Queer Vampiric TTRPGS", Dracula Returns to Derby, 2025.

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