In this episode I'm joined by Dr Helen Davies, where we discuss her previous work on neo-Victorianism and freakery, her current project on Down's Syndrome and neo-Victorianism, and how neo-Victorianism has interested her (and her take on why we're still influenced by the 19th century).

TRIGGER WARNING: contains conversation about disabilities, including past (derogatory) terminology for people with disabilities.


About my guest: Dr Helen Davies is a Senior Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Wolverhampton. She is the author of Gender and Ventriloquism in Victorian and Neo-Victorian Fiction (2012) and Neo-Victorian Freakery (2015). She’s published widely on gender, sexuality, and disability in neo-Victorianism, and is currently writing a book about Down syndrome in neo-Victorianism.


For more information on Helen's work, check out the links and details below:

Twitter: @DrHDavies
University Email: [email protected]

Check out Helen's recommended sources, which she mentioned in our episode:

Professor Michael Bérubé -The Secret Life of Stories
Karen Charlton, The Sculthorpe Murder
Amanda Taylor, Dangerous Waves.
BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Charles Dickens' Barnaby Roach

Episode Credits:

Episode Writer, Editor and Producer: Emma Catan
Music: Burning Steaks (by Stationary Sign) - obtained via EpidemicSound

Check us out at the following social media pages and websites!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victorianlegaciespodcast
Twitter: @victorianlegac1
Instagram: @victorianlegaciespodcast
Website: https://emmacatan.wordpress.com/victorian-legacies-podcast/
Email: [email protected]