Peter Harvey

MPhys, MSc, MA

School of English

Research Student

Qualifications
  • MPhys, Physics with Theoretical Physics, University of Manchester, 1998
  • MSc, Science Communication, Imperial College, 2001
  • MA Modern and Contemporary Literature, Birkbeck, 2014
Research interests
  • Stylistics
  • Literary Linguistics
  • Text World Theory
  • Possible Worlds Theory
  • Storyworlds
  • Narratology
  • Reader response methodologies
  • Margaret Atwood


My research draws on Text World Theory and Storyworlds theory to explore different strategies readers adopt when comprehending, remembering and summarising narrative texts.  In my thesis I will argue that Text World Theory can be expanded to account for what happens to readers' mental representations of narrative in long term memory.

My work is grounded in reader response practices, and I am interested in exploring how empirical data from large numbers of readers can complement traditional literary analyses. 

Research group

Supervisors:

  • Professor Joanna Gavins
  • Dr Sara Whiteley
Professional activities and memberships

I am a member of PALA - the Poetics and Linguistics Association