Professor Matthew Cheeseman

About

I am a writer and researcher. At the University of Derby, I am Professor of Writing and Folklore. As a writer, I work across fiction and non-fiction, often in collaboration with artists and designers in the creation and publication of books, pamphlets and other things. As a folklorist, I am interested in indigeneity and nationalism.

I am the Principle Investigator for Folklore Without Borders and Dracula Returns to Derby, both AHRC-funded research projects.

Research interests

I publish innovative research that connects diverse disciplines and domains such as folkloristics, medical humanities, sociology of higher education, theory and criticism of creative writing.

I often work with and through creative and critical writing, performance and curation to answer interdisciplinary research questions or explore an area of research interest.

I have supervised ten doctoral students, largely in creative writing. Four have completed, six are ongoing. I am accepting new PhD students; email me to discuss.

Recent publications

Books

Cheeseman, M and Hart, C (eds) (2022) Folklore and Nation in Britain and Ireland, London: Routledge, 326 pages
Cheeseman, M, Collignon, F and Miller, J (eds) (2019–2020) The Dictionary of Neoliberal Terms volumes 1–4 London: Spirit Duplicator
Cheeseman, M. (editor) (2016) Atlantis, London: Spirit Duplicator, 45 page risograph print
Cheeseman, M. (ed.) (2014) NO PICNIC: Explorations in art and research, London: NATCECT & AND Publishing, 108 pages

Chapters

Cheeseman, M. (2023) ‘English Nationalism, Folklore and Indigeneity’ in Johnson, W and Edgar, R (eds) The Routledge Companion to Folk Horror, London: Routledge, 404–418. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003191292
Cheeseman, M (2022) ‘Introduction’ in Cheeseman, M and Hart, C (eds) (2022) Folklore and Nation in Britain and Ireland, London: Routledge, 1–21
Cheeseman, M (2021) ‘Q.A.Q.?’ in McCrory, M and Heywood, S (eds) Strategies of Silence: Reflections on the Practice and Pedagogy of Creative Writing, London: Routledge, 143–170
Cheeseman, M et al (2020) ‘Ramblings: A Walk in Progress (Or the Minutes of The International Society of The Imaginary Perambulator)’ in Lähdesmäki et al (eds) Challenges and Solutions in Ethnographic Research: Ethnography with a Twist, London: Routledge
Cheeseman, M (2019) 'Dracula’s fangs' in The Derby Critical Edition of Dracula Derby: Peregrine
Cheeseman, M (2018) 'Bruno Schulz' in Wretched strangers: transnational poetries edited by Ágnes Lehóczky and JT Welsch, Norwich: Boiler House Press
Cheeseman, M (2018) 'Like a ghost out of nowhere' in Multivoices in research: a script by researchers, London: Sprit Duplicator
Cheeseman, M and Forrest, D. (2018) ‘The narrative nightclub: British cinema and the dance floor’ in Bentley, N, Johnson, B and Zieleniec, A (eds) Youth subcultures in fiction, film and other media: teenage dreams, Palgrave Studies in the History of Subcultures and Popular Music, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Cheeseman, M (2018) ‘How to win at being a student’ in Higher education and social inequalities: university admissions, experiences and outcomes edited by Waller, R, Ingram, N and Ward, MRM, London: Routledge
Cheeseman, M (2018) 'On going out and the experience of students' in Students in Britain and Ireland, edited by Burkett, J, London: Palgrave Macmillan
Cheeseman, M. (2017) ‘Techniques to encourage early and frequent writing’ in Daley, R., Guccione, K., Hutchinson, S. and Wilkinson, J. (eds.) 53 Ways to Enhance Researcher Development, Newmarket: Frontinus
Cheeseman, M. (2015) ‘Who groks Spock? Emotion in the neoliberal market’ in Resist! Against a precarious future, edited by Ray Filar, London: Lawrence and Wishart, p. 134–141
Cheeseman, M. (2014) 'Popular music and the breast' in Cultural Encyclopaedia of the Breast, edited by Smith, M., New York: Rowman & Littlefield, p. 174–176
Cheeseman, M. (2012) 'In the Dead of the Night' in Radical Futures 2, edited by Coatman, C. and Shrubsole, G., London: Lawrence and Wishart (in association with Soundings Journal)

Membership of professional bodies

QAA Advisory Group for the review of the Creative Writing Subject Benchmark Statement, 2023–24
Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP), 2019
American Folklore Society, 2018
National Association of Writers in Education, 2017
Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (HEA), 2016
Council for Academic Freedom and Academic Standards, 2007
The Folklore Society, 2005, Committee Member 2013–
HC, Cambridge, 1998

Professional interests

I run Spirit Duplicator, a small press dedicated to publishing poetry, fiction and theory in attractive editions. It was founded in 2015 and named after an old copier that was printed in purple ink that (allegedly) caused intoxication when inhaled. The press owns a spirit duplicator (a Roneo Model 50) but most of the pamphlets and books are produced using digital or risograph.

I am one of the editors of the Journal of Imaginary Research. The journal publishes fictional research abstracts and imaginary researchers. They are constructed by real academic staff, research staff, and research students every November in Global Academic Writing Month.

Qualifications

BA (Hons) History, University of Cambridge, 1999
MSc by Research in Health, University of Gloucestershire, 2009
PhD in English (Cultural Tradition), NATCECT, University of Sheffield, 2011
Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching, University of Sheffield, 2015

Recent conferences

Cheeseman, M (2024) ‘Creative writing and researcher development: ten years of the Journal of Imaginary Research’, Great Writing, 13–14 July, University College London
Cheeseman, M (2024) ‘Using AI in self-publishing’, Academic practice revolution and evolution: responding to rapid sector change, Learning and Teaching Symposium, 15 January 2024, University of Derby
Cheeseman, M and Reynolds, S (2023) ‘Approaches to the critical component in UK creative writing PhDs’, Great Writing, 15–16 July 2023, University College London
Cheeseman, M (2023) ‘English Nationalism, Folklore and Indigeneity’, ISCLR Perspectives on Contemporary Legend conference, 26–30 June 2023, Sheffield Hallam University
Cheeseman, M (2023) ‘The doctrine of survivals’, Symposium: Relational Imaginaries of Antifascism and the Far-right, 23 June 2023, Cardiff Interdisciplinary Research on Antifascism and the Far right (CIRAF), University of Cardiff
Cheeseman, M (2022) ‘Aligning UK Folklore Research with AHRC Priorities on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’, Open Voices: Folklore for All, Folklore of All, The Folklore Society’s Annual Conference, online, 6–8 May 2022

Experience in industry

I am a Trustee of Bloc Projects, the contemporary art gallery in Sheffield.

My essay-based creative practice has resulted in commissions for a number of creative artists, such as Matt Stokes for a show at Site Gallery in Sheffield and Florian Roithmayr, to accompany shows in Brussels, Sheffield and London.

For three years, I was on the panel of judges for a national book award.

International experience

My press, Spirit Duplicator, operates between the USA, the UK and Switzerland. I have produced books for Theatrum Mundi, which launched at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

I co-convened the Student Experience Network for the SRHE for five years.

I have given many papers at international conferences and seminars. I was invited to lecture at the University of Tartu in Estonia.

I am a Mentor on MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts and Writing at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, USA.

Teaching responsibilities

Due to my work on research grants, I have no teaching responsibilities this academic year.

Additional interests and activities

I collect records and books!