Dr Kate Wallis

My research examines contemporary African literature (emphasis on Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somaliland, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda), Africa-based publishers and festivals, material cultures of the book and global literary networks.

I am also an editor and literary producer with 20-years experience of working in the publishing industry. I was previously Head of Humanities at Palgrave Macmillan, responsible for paperback publishing across history, literature, theatre and language. I worked for four years as an Editor and Producer at Kenya’s leading literary publisher Kwani Trust and am currently a Director for Kigali-based publishing company Huza Press.

I co-founded www.africainwords.com and regularly curate workshops and festivals including producing Africa Writes in 2015 (the UK’s largest festival of African literature at the British Library) and founding and co-producing Africa Writes–Bristol and Africa Writes–Exeter. I am also part of the Steering Group for Exeter’s UNESCO City of Literature programme and the University of Exeter’s Creative Industries Strategy Group.

I am Co-Director of University of Exeter's new MA Publishing programme.