York scholar named New Generation Thinker
Posted on 23 May 2013
Dr Alice Hall, whose current research focuses on representations of disability in 20th century literature and culture, was selected following a nationwide search for academics whose studies have the potential to be turned into arresting broadcasts.
Dr Hall, of the Department of English and Related Literature at York, and her fellow New Generation Thinkers will receive top-level mentoring and advice on how to develop their ideas into viable programme propositions as well as the chance to shadow presenters and producers.
They will feature on Radio 3’s arts and ideas programme Night Waves next month, when they will each present an idea inspired by their research. The New Generation Thinkers will also make regular appearances on Radio 3 to discuss their work and the world of ideas. The academics will also have an opportunity to develop their ideas into television, including working with BBC Television Arts to make short taster films to be shown on www.bbc.co.uk/arts.
Radio 3’s New Generation Thinkers Scheme has partnered with BBC Television Arts to provide an opportunity for the New Generation Thinkers to develop their ideas for television.
Dr Hall is a Lecturer in Contemporary and Global Literature. She is the author of Disability and Modern Fiction: Faulkner, Morrison, Coetzee and the Nobel Prize for Literature published by Palgrave in 2012, and is currently working on a co-authored book entitled Literature and Disability for Routledge's Contemporary Critical Thought series. She also has research interests in medical humanities, memory studies and literary autobiography.
She said: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to take part. I look forward to working with broadcasters and other academics on the scheme.”
Following a six-month selection process, the ten winners were chosen from a group of 60 finalists, who attended a series of day-long workshops at the BBC's bases in Salford and London. They were chosen by a judging panel made up of producers from Radio 3 and BBC Television Arts and academics from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
I am thrilled to have the opportunity to take part. I look forward to working with broadcasters and other academics on the scheme
Dr Alice Hall
Matthew Dodd, Head of Speech programming, BBC Radio 3, said: "Radio 3 commissions and nurtures new talent across music and the arts - and the New Generation Thinkers scheme is an integral part of that. Radio 3/AHRC New Generation Thinkers is a unique scheme: It's a partnership that helps academics begin thinking about the public dissemination of their work at the very start of their careers and make broadcasting integral to what they do. This year's applicants showed a sharp sophistication about how their research might make strong programmes - and a real willingness to reach beyond academia into the lives of our audience, and to find new formats to do that.”
Professor Rick Rylance, Chief Executive Arts and Humanities Research Council, said: “This scheme, the collaboration with enthusiastic colleagues from BBC Radio 3 and our work with the talented researchers who apply, continue to be highlights of the year's activities. We are delighted with the breadth of subjects covered and the range of cross-disciplinary projects being presented in innovative and engaging ways. This is generation three of the New Generation Thinkers and our hope is that the previous winners and the newcomers will continue to spread the word about the enormous public appetite for hearing about arts and humanities research."
Notes to editors:
More information about Dr Alice Hall at www.york.ac.uk/english/our-staff/alice-hall/
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