Olivia Whitelaw
Thesis title: The Lesbian Postcritical: Independent Lesbian Publishing as (Re)constructive Pedagogy in Twenty-First Century Britain
PhD English Literature
Year of study: 1
- School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures
- English Literature
Contact details
- Email: s1926301@ed.ac.uk
PhD supervisors:
Background
Olivia Whitelaw is a PhD candidate in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures. Her doctoral thesis takes for subject the interpretive practice of postcriticism as a tool of lesbian constructivism via independent publishing in twenty-first century Britain. This project is supervised by Dr Benjamin Bateman and Dr Patrick Errington.
Olivia has been working with LGBTQ+ organisations in the third sector for over nine years. As an academic researching in the field of lesbian studies, she holds a Master of Arts with Honours (MA) and Master of Science by Research (MScR) in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh. Her postgraduate research has been showcased by GENDER.ED, the Norman Rea Gallery, and the University of York. Olivia has worked with Sinister Wisdom, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh Zine Library, and Typewronger Books.
Olivia is the founder of Butch-Femme Press: a multidisciplinary publication democratising lesbian knowledge. Olivia is the project-lead for the Butch-Femme Press Open Lecture Series (2026/27).
Qualifications
2024: (MScR) English Literature, The University of Edinburgh.
2023: (MA Hons) English Literature, The University of Edinburgh.
Research summary
Olivia has research interests in lesbian studies, queer and transgender studies, creative practice, digital humanities, and postcritical theory.
Invited speaker
The University of York: "The Lesbian Postcritical: New Perspectives on Independent Lesbian Publishing" (2026)
Typewronger Books: "Literary Magazines 101" (2025)
GENDER.ED Research Showcase: "Polemics of Lesbian-Feminism: What Literature Can Learn From Lee Lynch" (2024)
Norman Rea Gallery: "Art of the Extravaganza: Butch-Femme Camp" (2024)
Norman Rea Gallery: "Make Space: Subverting Tradition Through Art" (2023)
Organiser
Butch-Femme Press Open Lecture Series (2026/27)