Dr Amy Hodges Hamilton is Professor of English at Belmont University, specialising in personal writing, memoir, feminist theory, trauma theory, and healing and the arts.

During a recent visit to Queen’s, Dr Hodges Hamilton delivered a masterclass on Writing and Trauma for students from the Seamus Heaney Centre, and was appointed Writer in Residence in Memoir and Trauma at the Centre.

Speaking about her visit and new appointment, Dr Hodges Hamilton said: “I am incredibly honoured to be serving as a Writer in Residence for Memoir and Writing and Trauma at the Seamus Heaney Centre.  I am very impressed with the graduate students and their attention to both personal and historical trauma in their writing, and I look forward to many more partnerships between Belmont University and Queen’s University Belfast.”

Welcoming Dr Hodges Hamilton, Professor Glenn Patterson, Director of the Seamus Heaney Centre said: “We are delighted to welcome Dr Amy Hodges Hamilton to the Seamus Heaney Centre, even more delighted - and awed - that she was able to hold a masterclass for our students with a couple of hours of stepping off the plane from Nashville.

“We are keen to open up the Centre, and the conversations within it, to writing in all forms and genres. Dr Hodges Hamilton’s experience in memoir and personal writing, with a particular interest in trauma theory, will be of great value to our students, and her presence here helps consolidate what we hope will be a long-term relationship between Queen’s and Belmont University. Claudia one of Dr Hodges Hamilton’s former students - is already studying with us on the MA in Poetry.”

Dr Hodges Hamilton’s visit follows a visit in May 2019 by students and faculty colleagues from Belmont University to the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work and School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen’s, which was coordinated by Dr Joe Duffy.

“Queen's was delighted to host Dr Amy Hodges Hamilton for a short visit to work with colleagues in the Seamus Heaney Centre. Encouraging and promoting both faculty and student exchange will be an increasing focus for us going forward in this important partnership between Queen's and Belmont University,” said Dr Duffy, Queen’s academic lead for the Belmont University and Queen’s partnership.  

Media

Media enquiries to Zara McBrearty at Queen’s Communications Office on 028 9097 3259 and email: z.mcbrearty@qub.ac.uk