Dr. Tim Smith Laing

Biography

Tim Smith-Laing moved from Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he took a BA in English literature, to Oxford, where he completed an MSt in early modern literature at Balliol College followed by a DPhil in late medieval and early modern mythography at Merton College. At Oxford, he undertook research at École Normale Supérieure and has taught in the Humanities. Over the years, Tim has been a college lecturer in literature at Jesus College, Oxford, specializing in early modern literature, cultural history, and theory criticism. In 2013, he transitioned to writing full-time. He has carved out a unique position combining writing with academic teaching focusing on general audiences. His academic contributions include works by Derrida, Butler, and Foucault published by Routledge, alongside critical analyses of subjects ranging from early modern philosophy to contemporary visual arts. As a book critic for The Telegraph and an arts critic for Apollo and Frieze, Tim regularly contributes to discourses in contemporary art and cultural criticism. He also co-convenes the Executive Master in Cultural Leadership at Maastricht and is a frequent guest lecturer on Modern Contemporary Art, Contemporary Arab Art, and the interplay of Critical Theory and Practice in Writing.

Research Interests