Anita Slater
Biography
Anita is a doctoral researcher whose practice blends together creative and critical writing, poetry and poetics, Sociology, the Medical Humanities and Urban Studies. Her LUDeC doctoral project explores the concept of ‘guidance’ and its related forms in the city, thinking about the relationship between concepts such as instruction/advice/reference in relation to poetic thinking in urban spaces. She looks at ‘guided forms’ such as manuals/ guidebooks to explore approaches to how we think and embody space within the city and through material forms. She was a 2023 Comino poet-in-residence, has displayed her visual work and poetry in Manchester Poetry Library, discussed her work for online publications, and run workshops along her research themes. She has taught as an Associate Lecturer on a second year Creative Writing module, and assisted on a third year Creative Writing module. She has written for various publications on her research themes and beyond, such as The New Statesman, Polyester Zine, the Manchester Poetry Library Blog, and Inspire the Mind.
Academic and Professional Qualifications
MPhil Multidisciplinary Gender Studies, The University of Cambridge (2020)
BA, Sociology (with intercalated year), The University of Warwick (2019)
Member of the 2025-2028 National Association of Writers in Education (NAWE) Higher Education Committee
Research Outputs
Presented at the Northern Network for Medical Humanities Research Congress 2023
Presented at the National Association of Writers in Education Conference 2023
Presented at the Livable Cities conference at the New York City College of Technology 2023
Presented a two-day pop-up poetry library with colleague Martin Kratz at the 2025 English Studies University of York Conference, and working on an associated pamphlet
Presented my research, read poetry and ran a mini guidebook themed poetry workshop at The Royal Holloway University Hydropoetics 2025 conference.
Article in New York City College of Technology and Amps peer-reviewed 2023 Proceedings Series
Co-edited the Words from the Water poetry anthology with colleague Joe Shute in 2024
Solo exhibition of my visual poetry at Manchester Poetry Library in 2024
LUDeC Connections
My project and practice are tied intrinsically to LUDeC’s goals through my commitment to cross and interdisciplinary knowledge production, collaboration with peers and third parties, and formal experimentation. As a multidisciplinary writer and poet, my work focuses on rethinking urban space both on the page and through conversation and exploring the city.
I have collaborated with Manchester Poetry Library multiple times, holding my own visual poetry exhibition, and co-editing a poetry/prose pamphlet with my LUDeC colleague Joe Shute, aiming to place published and unpublished writers of various ages together in one publication. I have been part of a poetry reading/ panel discussion with colleagues Domenic Suntrapak and Mark Pajak, connecting the Poetry Research Group, Manchester Poetry Library and Leverhulme in knowledge-sharing. My project is constantly engaging LUDeC with other groups, such as organising reading groups and seminars with the Centre for Place Writing, pursuing workshops with Platt Hall, collaborating with researchers in Sociology, and seeking partnerships with mental health groups.
Contact Information