Lucy Kowalski, PhD

Edinburgh is the kind of city that makes you fall in love with ideas. Between the medieval architecture, the literary festivals, and the fact that you can stumble across impromptu poetry readings in random pubs, it’s impossible not to get swept up in the intellectual energy. I came here specifically because Edinburgh has this reputation for producing writers and thinkers who actually change how people see the world – turns out, that’s exactly what happened to me.

My PhD in English Literature with a focus on contemporary postcolonial narratives taught me that literature isn’t just pretty words on a page – it’s how cultures process trauma, negotiate identity, and imagine different futures. Edinburgh’s program pushed me to think about how stories function as political acts, how marginalized voices challenge dominant narratives, and how literary analysis can inform broader social understanding.

What I bring to students is six years of experience helping people discover that their research questions are actually fascinating, even when they don’t feel that way initially. Whether you’re analyzing Victorian novels, contemporary film, cultural phenomena, or digital storytelling, the core challenge is the same: how do you make a compelling argument about why these texts matter beyond academic circles?

My coaching spans English Literature, Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies, Media Studies, Gender Studies, and Postcolonial Studies. I’ve successfully guided 170+ students through projects ranging from traditional close reading dissertations to interdisciplinary analyses of social media narratives. The common thread is helping people develop critical thinking skills that transfer well beyond university settings.

Technical expertise includes archival research methods, digital humanities tools, qualitative analysis techniques, and comparative literary analysis. I’m comfortable with various theoretical frameworks – from feminist criticism to poststructuralist theory – and can help students navigate the sometimes overwhelming landscape of critical theory without losing sight of their own analytical voice.

What makes my approach distinctive is emphasis on accessible academic writing. Literary studies has a reputation for unnecessarily dense prose that excludes readers outside the academy. I help students write with precision and sophistication while remaining readable. Your brilliant insights don’t need to be buried under layers of jargon to be taken seriously.

The research process in literature and cultural studies requires different skills than empirical research – you’re building arguments through interpretation rather than data collection. I help students develop confidence in their analytical abilities while learning to support their interpretations with rigorous textual evidence and theoretical frameworks.

Students often struggle with imposter syndrome in literature programs – there’s always someone who seems to have read more, knows more theory, or writes more elegantly. I work on building intellectual confidence alongside research skills. Your perspective matters, your questions are valid, and your analysis can contribute something meaningful to scholarly conversations.

Edinburgh’s international student body enriched my understanding of how different cultural backgrounds shape literary interpretation. I help students from various cultural contexts navigate British academic expectations while maintaining their unique analytical perspectives. Sometimes the most interesting insights come from readers who bring different cultural frameworks to familiar texts.

My 96% success rate reflects commitment to helping students find their authentic scholarly voice rather than forcing them into prescribed academic molds. Literature research is deeply personal – the texts you choose to study, the questions you ask, and the arguments you make all reflect your particular way of seeing the world.

What energizes me most is working with students whose research addresses social justice issues through literary analysis. How do contemporary novels represent climate change? What can poetry teach us about refugee experiences? How do digital narratives challenge traditional storytelling hierarchies? These questions demonstrate literature’s continued relevance to urgent social issues.

The writing process is central to everything I do with students. In literature, writing isn’t just how you report findings – it’s how you think through ideas, develop arguments, and create new knowledge. I help students see revision as intellectual discovery rather than tedious polishing.

Edinburgh’s literary culture definitely shaped my belief that academic research should engage with broader public conversations. This city hosts one of the world’s largest arts festivals, and you regularly see academic scholars participating in public discussions about literature’s social impact. Research shouldn’t stay locked in university libraries.

In my free time, I’m usually browsing the incredible used bookshops on the Royal Mile, attending readings at the Scottish Poetry Library, or walking through Holyrood Park while thinking through whatever analytical problem is currently occupying my brain. I also volunteer with a local literacy program – there’s something powerful about watching people discover that they have meaningful responses to literature, regardless of their educational background.