Juliana Mensah

Profile

Biography

Juliana Mensah joined the Department of English and Related Literature in 2020 as a Lecturer in English and Creative Writing and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2023. She holds a BA in English from the University of York and a PhD from Newcastle University. From 2013 to 2014, she was Leverhulme Artist in Residence at York’s Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR) where she later served as a Research and Teaching Fellow (2015-2020). At CAHR, she taught on the MA in Applied Human Rights and collaborated on international research projects, partnering with organisations in Malaysia, Indonesia, South Africa, India, Hong Kong and Egypt.

Her debut novel, Castles from Cobwebs, was nominated for the Desmond Elliott Prize and won the NorthBound Book Award. Her short prose has been published by Comma Press, Dead Ink and Bloomsbury, and her plays have been produced by theatre companies including Pilot, Live, and Workie Ticket. Juliana specialises in literary activism and teaches on modules on contemporary literature, black British and African diasporan literature, creative writing, and creative industries. Before academia, Juliana worked in the arts and cultural sector in creative, senior project management and governance roles for organisations including Helix Arts and Brixton House.

Research

Overview

Juliana’s literary research currently focuses on black British writers, and she has a broad interest in authors from Africa and its diaspora. 

Her practice-led human rights research has explored the use of participatory and creative methodologies to expose hidden histories and challenge dominant cultural narratives. Recent projects have included the Security and Protection of Human Rights Defenders at Risk, the ESRC and AHRC funded Law of Asylum, and the British Academy funded Verandah of Protection, all delivered with long-time collaborators Professor Martin Jones (Law) and Dr Alice Nah (Durham). These projects have variously explored the risks, rights and experiences of international human rights defenders and migrants.

In her creative ventures, Juliana is currently working on her second novel which has received support through a residency at Dilston Physic Garden and funding from Arts Council England.

External activities

Memberships

Juliana is currently on the board of Wasafiri Magazine. She is a member of the Black Writers’ Guild, the Society of Authors, and NAWE (National Association of Writers in Education). Her literary work is represented by Aitken Alexander Associates.