#EnglishCreates Futures Symposium 2026

‘English, Reading, and Advocacy’ was a panel discussion delivered as part of the #EnglishCreates Symposium: English Creates: Futures, hosted by University English on 2 July 2026. Bringing together scholars, educators, and literacy advocates, the panel explored how English studies, reading, and public engagement can help shape conversations about the future of the subject.

The discussion was chaired by Professor Gail Marshall, Professor of Victorian Literature and Culture at the University of Reading and Assistant Pro Vice Chancellor for Research (Heritage and Creativity). The panel featured Professor Ralph Pite (University of Bristol), Professor Ben Davies (University of Southern Denmark), Professor Nicky Marsh (University of Southampton), Dr Richard J Jones (The Open University), Professor Rodney Jones (University of Reading), and Andrew Ettinger, Director of Education at the National Literacy Trust.

Drawing on their work across literature, sociolinguistics, digital cultures, education, and literacy advocacy, the panellists reflected on the themes explored through this year’s #EnglishCreates campaign, including Environments, Critical Reading, Communities, Lifelong Learning, and Artificial Intelligence. Together, they considered how English can contribute to public conversations about reading, creativity, knowledge, and the challenges and opportunities facing education in the years ahead.

‘Social Media, Influence, and Online Communities’ was a panel discussion delivered as part of the #EnglishCreates Symposium: English Creates: Futures, hosted by University English on 2 July 2026. The session explored how writers, readers, educators, and advocates use digital platforms to share their passion for books, literature, and the value of English with new audiences.

The discussion was chaired by Dr Alistair Brown, Associate Professor of Digital Humanities and Modern Literature at Durham University. The panel brought together four influential online voices: children’s author and book influencer Claire Linney; academic creator and lifelong learning advocate Cait Murphy-Hurrell; writer and content creator According to Alina; and author, journalist, and broadcaster Anna James.

The panellists reflected on their experiences of building communities online and communicating the importance of reading beyond traditional academic and literary spaces. Discussing platforms including Instagram, YouTube, Substack, and other digital channels, they explored how social media can create new opportunities for literary advocacy, encourage diverse reading practices, and help people connect with English studies and literature in meaningful ways.

‘Studying English Now’ was a panel discussion delivered as part of the #EnglishCreates Symposium: English Creates: Futures, hosted by University English on 2 July 2026. Bringing together students and recent graduates from across the UK, the session explored the experiences, challenges, and opportunities involved in studying English literature at university today.

The discussion was chaired by Dr Eleanor Beal, Lecturer and researcher in English Literature and Film at Manchester Metropolitan University and Co-Director of the Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies. The panel featured Harry Cobb (University of Glasgow), Mara Mitidieri (University of Manchester), Eleanor Steele (Durham University), and Georgina Oliver (Liverpool John Moores University).

The students reflected on why they chose to study English, what surprised them during their degrees, and the skills and perspectives they have developed through literary study. Exploring themes including critical thinking, creativity, empathy, representation, and the role of English in a changing world, the conversation offered insight into the continuing value and relevance of studying literature today.

‘Southern Imagining and the Futures of English’ was a keynote conversation between Professor Elleke Boehmer and Dr John Roache, delivered as part of the #EnglishCreates Symposium: English Creates: Futures, hosted by University English on 2 July 2026. The discussion explored how literature and literary scholarship can help us rethink our relationship with the world and imagine new futures for English studies.

Professor Elleke Boehmer is Professor of World Literature in English at the University of Oxford and a founding figure in colonial and postcolonial literary studies. She is the author of influential works of scholarship including Colonial and Postcolonial Literature, Indian Arrivals, and Southern Imagining, alongside acclaimed works of fiction including Ice Shock (2026). The conversation was chaired by Dr John Roache, Senior Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Literatures at the University of Manchester and coordinator of the #EnglishCreates campaign.

Drawing on Boehmer’s recent publications Southern Imagining and Ice Shock, the conversation examined the connections between creative writing, literary criticism, and the urgent questions shaping contemporary life. Together, Boehmer and Roache reflected on the possibilities of renewed reading practices, the importance of methodological reinvention, and the role of English in responding to planetary change, decolonial thought, and emerging technological futures.