Dr SUSAN BILLINGHAM

Biography	A dual Canadian and British citizen, I have worked at the University of Nottingham since 1994. I have a BA in English and History from Carleton University in Ottawa, and I completed my MA and PhD at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.
Research Interests	I am working on two interconnected projects revolving around Young Adult literature with LGBTQ content. One has the working title 'Is It Getting Better Yet? The Function of Young Adult Literature in Secondary Education.' The second is a monograph on the emergence of Young Adult writing with LGBTQ content in Canada. This project offers the first book-length study of Canadian young adult writing with queer content. Projected chapters include: an examination of earlier ‘problem’ novels where lesbian/gay characters are frequently peripheral, posing a coming-of-age dilemma for the protagonist; a chapter on graphic narratives, including Mariko and Jillian Tamaki’s Skim; and close analysis of works by Shyam Selvadurai, Ivan E. Coyote and Suzette Mayr. Most of the existing literature in the field focuses upon U.S. examples. My monograph examines themes and trends in the Canadian context.
Teaching and Learning	I teach Canadian literary and cultural studies, primarily post-1960s Canadian literature written in English. My special interests include LGBTQ+ writing, women's writing, and Indigenous writing. I also teach some American literature. I incorporate a broad range of genres in my classes, including novels, short fiction, graphic narratives, poetry, drama, and life writing. Current modules include the first-year core Canadian Literature, Film and Culture and the final-year option on Recent Queer Writing. I contribute to the CLAS module on English Literature in European and American Context.