Modern mischief

Biography

Dr Emily Zobel Marshall is a Reader in Postcolonial Literature at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Leeds Beckett University. She is an expert on the trickster figure in the folklore, oral cultures, and literature of the African Diaspora. 

Notable publications include "Anansi’s Journey: A Story of Jamaican Cultural Resistance" (2012) and "American Trickster: Trauma Tradition and Brer Rabbit" (2019).

Emily’s creativity extends beyond academia. She has showcased her poetic talent in international journals and in her first collection "Bath of Herbs" (July 2023, Peepal Tree Press). Emily also holds significant roles as Co-Chair of the David Oluwale Memorial Association and Creative Associate at the Geraldine Connor Foundation, aligning her efforts with anti-racism and homelessness initiatives. 

Synopsis

Exploring the trickster figure in global cultures, discussing their enduring allure and questioning their revolutionary potential and relevance today. 

Dr Emily Zobel Marshall’s books American Trickster (2019) and Anansi’s Journey (2012) explore the changing portrayals of the trickster figure through various cultural forms. Delving into the trickster’s enduring allure, Emily asks if the trickster figure has revolutionary potential and questions the figure’s relevance in today’s world. 

Emily reveals the lure of the shape-shifting trickster figure and explores its potential as a dual force of destruction and creation. Why does the age-old, cross-cultural trickster archetype resonate throughout history?