Fields of Research (FoR)
North American Literature, Comparative Literature StudiesBiography
Heather Neilson taught in the English and Media Studies program at UNSW@ADFA from 1995, and joined the History program in 2023. She previously worked at the University of Sydney and the University of Western Australia. From 1998 to 2002, she was president of the Australian and New Zealand American Studies Association. From July 2002 to July 2005, she was the Australasian representative on the International Committee of the (US-based) American...view more
Heather Neilson taught in the English and Media Studies program at UNSW@ADFA from 1995, and joined the History program in 2023. She previously worked at the University of Sydney and the University of Western Australia. From 1998 to 2002, she was president of the Australian and New Zealand American Studies Association. From July 2002 to July 2005, she was the Australasian representative on the International Committee of the (US-based) American Studies Association. She was the Literary Reviews editor of the Australasian Journal of American Studies (AJAS) from 1996 to 2004, a co-editor of AJAS from 2008 to 2015, and resumed the role of Literary Reviews editor in 2015 until 2022.
Dr Neilson's research interests are primarily in the area of American studies, particularly fictional and cinematic representations of historical/political events. She also researches in the general area of intertextuality, with a special interest in popular culture adaptations of the classics.
Postgraduate Supervision
- American literature and culture
- The novel (primarily British and American)
- Biography and autobiography
My Qualifications
Bachelor of Arts Honours (First class): Melbourne University
Doctorate of Philosophy: Oxford University
My Research Activities
Heather Neilson has published widely on the work of the American writer Gore Vidal. Her monograph, Political Animal: Gore Vidal on Power, was published in 2014. She continues to research the life and work of Vidal, while also working on the prolific writings of Jay Parini.
Contact
Publications
ORCID as entered in ROS
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6544-9325