Research at Keele profile: Amy Blaney

Which Schools and/or Institutes are you part of?
I'm part of the School of Humanities, the Foundation Year Centre and the School of Law.
What is your role within research?
I am currently in the final stages of an AHRC NWCDTP-funded PhD in English Literature at Keele. My doctoral thesis, which is supervised by Professor Nicholas Seager and Professor David Amigoni, examines literary engagements with Arthurian legend across the long eighteenth-century, considering the ways in which reworkings of King Arthur intervene in debates about historiography, gender, class, and national identity.
My wider research interests include Arthurian literature, folklore and mythology, eighteenth and nineteenth-century medievalism, gender theory, cultural memory, literary explorations of ageing, and the intersections between literature and history, and I am particularly interested in exploring nationalisation of cultural mythologies and in examining the intersections between gendered and national identities within my work.
Can you tell us a bit about your role at Keele? What does a typical day look like for you?
Like many doctoral researchers, I've worn - and continue to wear - several different hats, both at Keele and in the wider world.
In addition to writing up my PhD thesis, I currently work part-time as a Sessional Tutor within the School of Humanities and an Academic and Study Skills Support Mentor within the Foundation Year Centre. And if you frequent the Library of an evening, you may well see me there too, as I'm one of their Information Desk Assistants.
During the course of my PhD, I've also worked as a Postgraduate Student Ambassador, representing Keele on Unibuddy, The Student Room, and at postgraduate open events and study fairs, have undertaken several KS4 placements within The Brilliant Club's Scholars Programme, and have worked as a Sessional Lecturer in the Department of English and Creative Writing at Staffordshire University. Until recently, I was also a Researcher Development Officer within the Keele Doctoral Academy, organising and facilitating a monthly peer-led research training initiative called The PGR Café.
As you can probably imagine, it's very difficult to outline a 'typical day' as it will really depend on which hat I'm wearing! If I'm working on my PhD research, my typical day is currently akin to that of a hermit in that I try to lock myself away in my office at home, leaving only to make the occasional foray to the kitchen for a fresh cup of tea. This is in stark contrast to teaching days when I'm usually working face-to-face with students, either delivering lectures and seminars or conducting one-to-one appointments with mentees.
As any academic knows, writing up and teaching are only the visible parts of the 'research iceberg'. There's a lot going on 'behind the scenes' so my days are also often spent reading, either in preparation for delivering taught sessions or as additional research for my thesis, or conducting job and PhD-related admin: responding to emails, marking, writing funding proposals or conference presentations, or attending meetings and training sessions etc. Writing up a PhD can be a lonely business, so I also try to find the time to have the occasional coffee break with fellow PGRs or colleagues too.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Although it can be both mentally and physically tiring at times, I love the variety of my roles within the University. Whilst I enjoy immersing myself in my research, I find it so invigorating to work with students and colleagues across the University.
Although none of my job roles are directly related to my doctoral research, I genuinely believe that my PhD is made stronger by my work in other areas of the institution. PhDs take a long time to write and, by their very nature, you have to spend a lot of time in your own head. As a result, it can be difficult to step back from your research and look at the bigger picture. Having to move away from that laser focus to prepare and deliver taught sessions on different topics makes it easier to get that much-needed distance which, in these final stages of writing up and editing my thesis, is really important
I also find working directly with students to be very inspiring. I love seeing the 'a-ha' moment when a student suddenly gets a topic that they've been struggling with, or the pride they feel when they get results they've worked really hard for. Hearing my undergraduate students conveying their passion for a particular text or subject also reminds me of all the reasons that I'm passionate about my own research interests.
What is your background? How did first get involved in research?
I graduated in 2007 with a first-class honours degree in English Literature from the University of Wales Aberystwyth, but then spent several years working in business and administration. When I completed my BA, I'd looked into undertaking an MA programme but, at the time, the funding options were very limited and my life circumstances were such that it wouldn't have been a viable move.
In 2018, I was at a point where I really enjoyed my job as an Office Manager for an estate agency but I couldn't see myself progressing further on that particular career path. After discussing it with friends and family, I decided to enrol on the MA English Literatures programme at Keele in 2018, in the hope of progressing onto a PhD and moving into an academic career. I'd always hoped to return to academia one day. I've been an avid reader since early childhood and I knew that ultimately I wanted to pursue a career that somehow incorporated my love of books!
Is your role at Keele your first involvement in research, or do you have previous experience in other roles?
Keele is my first overtly research-orientated role, however I believe that the experience gained in my previous job roles has made me a better researcher.
You wouldn't think it, but estate agency is very research-focused. In order to provide an accurate valuation for a property, you need to have researched what comparable properties have sold locally, how long they were on the market for before achieving an offer, and whether they achieved asking price or had to be reduced. To provide the best advice and service to your clients, you also have to stay on top of the latest economic news, and keep abreast of marketing and technological trends. Estate agents also have exams they need to pass! It's a regulated industry so I studied for professional qualifications in both Residential Sales and Residential Lettings, which involved learning a lot about housing legislation, building regulations, legal processes, and architecture. I also think my previous career equipped me to be a better researcher in that it gave me the skills to talk about my research. A large part of an estate agent's job is sales, so you very quickly learn how to pitch to different audiences and to adapt your sales tactics accordingly. This has been so valuable when presenting my work: whether that is in conferences, to funding bodies, or in the classroom.
Please tell us about research projects you are involved with.
At the moment, I'm primarily focused upon the completion of my PhD thesis, which I hope to submit within the next 6 months. I'd like to turn the thesis into a monograph so, after submission, I'll begin working on a book proposal whilst also preparing for my viva and looking for academic positions and post-doctoral opportunities. I've recently submitted a book chapter for the Cambridge History of the Arthurian Legend (forthcoming 2024). The majority of the edits are now completed so I'm just waiting on final page proofs. I'm also in the middle of writing a proposal for a special issue on eighteenth-century medievalisms, which came out of a roundtable I initiated at the British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies Conference.
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