The Weird and the Wonderful presentations: an introductions to a range of writers and texts in the field of fantasy literature/weird fiction

Following the very successful seminars series on J. R. R. Tolkien in 2023 and 2024, and our fantasy series in 2025 (for recordings see: https://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/series/fantasy-literature) we are pleased to announce a new round of presentations by Oxford academics and guest speakers on fantasy literature to run this Michaelmas Term (2026). These talks are aimed at students and members of the public and act as introductions to a range of writers and texts in the field of fantasy literature/weird fiction. The series is organised by the Faculty of English and hosted by Exeter College.

All talks will be held in the Fitzhugh Lecture Theatre, Cohen Quad, Walton Street, Oxford (Exeter College’s annex), and run 1.00-2.00pm. Attendance is free of charge but we ask you to register using the links below.

Thursday 15th October - Dr Juliana Dresvina (Faculty of History, University of Oxford) ‘Fantasy as Therapy’

Thursday 22nd October - Dr Felix Taylor (Library Assistant, Queen’s College Oxford) ‘The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn: Occult books and the Roots of Fantasy’

Thursday 29th October [No talk due to half-term]

Thursday 5th November - Dr Octavia Cox (Dept for Continuing Education, University of Oxford) ‘Imaginative Fantasy in the Eighteenth Century’

Thursday 12th November - Julia Golding (Writer) ‘Writing Fantasy versus Writing Historical Fiction’

Thursday 19th November - Clare Mulley 'From Psychopomp to Pop Cultural Fantasy: A Potted History of Valkyries'

Thursday 26th November - Stephen Briggs (Playwright) ‘Dramatising Terry Pratchett’

Thursday 3rd December - Dr Jen Sugden 'Science Fiction and Fantasy Audio Drama'

Description supplied by the event organiser.