Research
Ali's doctoral research focuses on the intersection between queerness, neurodiversity and kink in erotic romance, and works in dialogue with the writing of a paranormal romance novel.
Her academic research interests include: intersectional feminisms; queer romance; neurodiversity and the romance; romance and kink; erotic romance; paranormal romance; agency; gendered agency; the activity/passivity binary; the introverted romance heroine; adaptation and appropriation theory; Shakespeare and the romance novel; cultural expectations of romance; and perceptions of romance.
She is also a member of the International Association for the Study of Popular Romance (IASPR).
Conferences
2021
“Popular Romance Studies and Academic Responsibility” at the From Feminism to Orientalism: a Panel of Current Romance Research, Online, February 2021.
2019
Diversity in Romance Publishing Panel at the 100 Years of The Sheik: A Public Research Symposium, Birmingham, UK, September 2019.
The Sheikh Q&A Panel at the 100 Years of The Sheik: A Public Research Symposium, Birmingham, UK, September 2019.
2018
“The Dutch-Aneela Effect: Doppelgangers and Binary Opposition in SyFy’s Killjoys” at the Screening the Unreal Symposium, Brighton, UK, July 2018.
2017
“By Day and By Night: Finding Space for Creativity Part-Time” at Wildfire Women –Wildfire Women 2017, Brighton, UK, September 2017.
2016
“Busting the Mills & Boon Myth: Category Romance as an Instrument for Change” at The Postgraduate Contemporary Women’s Writing Network –Representations of Romantic Relationships and the Romance Genre in Contemporary Women’s Writing, Sheffield, UK, June 2016.
2014
“Relocating Weddings Online” at The Fifth International Conference on Popular Romance Studies – Rethinking Love, Rereading the Romance, Thessaloniki, Greece, June 2014
2011
“Romeo and Juliet and the Cybertextual: Artistic Crowdsourcing as Audience Appropriation” at Cambridge Shakespeare Conference – Shakespeare: Sources and Adaptation, Cambridge, UK, September 2011