Lois W. McFarland
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loiswmcf.bsky.social
Lois W. McFarland
@loiswmcf.bsky.social
170 followers 230 following 9 posts
Lecturer in Religion and Literature at the University of Edinburgh. Speculative fiction, feminist/womanist/queer theory, affect, ecology, and freaky apocalyptic things.
'Creation and Apocalypse in Feminist Speculative Fiction' (Bloomsbury 2026)
she/her 🏳️‍🌈
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Lois W. McFarland
uoedivinity.bsky.social
On 7 November at 2:30pm we welcome Abi Millar to talk about ‘The Spirituality Gap: Searching for Meaning in a Secular Age’ (Duckworth Books). From ayahuasca to astrology, reiki to raves, Millar explores a desire for meaning in the modern world. Chaired by Suzanna Millar. Book now 🎟️👇
edin.ac/3Wq2pqu
Colour head and shoulders photo of Abi Millar. ©Ballard Colour head and shoulders photo of Suzanna Millar
October 29, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Reposted by Lois W. McFarland
uoedivinity.bsky.social
On Saturday 8 Nov at 4pm we celebrate the new ‘Oxford Handbook of Scottish Theatre’ with editors Greg Walker and Randall Stevenson and literary legends Linda McLean and Donald Smith.

Don't miss out and book your tickets now 🎟️👇
edin.ac/4oNJpOQ
Colour head and shoulders photo of Greg Walker Colour head and shoulders photo of Randall Stevenson Colour head and shoulders photo of Linda McLean Colour head and shoulders photo of Donald Smith.
October 31, 2025 at 9:36 AM
loiswmcf.bsky.social
Ordinary Saints was one of my top 2025 reads – can't wait to hear from Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin @niamhsquared.bsky.social next weekend. Shortlisted for @waterstones.bsky.social Debut Fiction Prize 2025. @manillapress.bsky.social
uoedivinity.bsky.social School of Divinity @uoedivinity.bsky.social · 15d
Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin’s debut novel, ‘Ordinary Saints’, explores queerness, grief, humour, family, & the Catholic church in Ireland. Join Niamh in conversation with Benjamin Bateman on 8 Nov, 6pm and grab a drink and browse our pop-up bookshop from 5pm. Book now 🎟️👇
edin.ac/47NU5qO
Colour head and shoulders photo of Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin. ©Julie Broadfoot Colour head and shoulders photo of Benjamin Bateman
October 31, 2025 at 12:40 PM
loiswmcf.bsky.social
Can't wait for this one! @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social
uoedivinity.bsky.social School of Divinity @uoedivinity.bsky.social · 25d
Hear from the award-winning poet and storyteller Nadine Aisha Jassat on 8 Nov, 1pm. Her poetry & fiction transforms young lives and expresses a heritage that can only be told in stories. This event is chaired by Emma Wild-Wood. Book now! 🎟️👇
edin.ac/46LtB92

Nadine Aisha Jassat Photo ©Danielle Watt
Colour head and shoulders photo of Nadine Aisha Jassat Colour head and shoulders photo of Emma Wild-Wood
October 21, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Reposted by Lois W. McFarland
uoedivinity.bsky.social
Limited tickets remain for our creative writing workshop, ‘Entangled Forest’, run by Liz MacWhirter as part of #NCFestival on 8 Nov, 11am ⌛

This guided, reflective space offers a chance to respond creatively to challenging times. Book now 🎟️👇
edin.ac/42FSO2d
Colour head and shoulders photo of Liz MacWhirter
October 13, 2025 at 1:01 PM
loiswmcf.bsky.social
And now I am filled with ideas about mixing things up in my religion and literature classes!
religionlit.bsky.social Scottish Network for Religion & Literature @religionlit.bsky.social · Oct 10
In a joint Buddhist Studies/SNRL event today Prof Justin McDaniel @upennrels.bsky.social provided our audience with some fascinating (and very funny) insights into his classes that encourage switching off, reading deeply and even taking temporary monastic vows. #digitaldetox @uoedivinity.bsky.social
Professor Justin McDaniel presenting his talk 'Living Deliberately through Existential Despair' in a lecture theatre
October 10, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Reposted by Lois W. McFarland
uoedivinity.bsky.social
What are the ethical questions we should be asking at this tipping point in AI development? On 7 Nov, 7pm we welcome expert in AI ethics, robotics and data science Shannon Vallor to speak with Jeremy Carrette about her book, ‘The AI Mirror’. Book now 🎟️👇
edin.ac/4h1Eh72
Colour head and shoulders photo of Shannon Vallor smiling at the camera Colour head and shoulders photo of Jeremy Carrette smiling at the camera
October 8, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by Lois W. McFarland
uoedivinity.bsky.social
New College Festival of Books and Belief, our annual book festival, takes place this year from 7-8 November! 📚🍂

Tickets are live so don't miss out and secure your place now 🎟️👇
edin.ac/3BCM6iW
New College Festival of Books & Belief New College | 7-8 November 2025
October 7, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Reposted by Lois W. McFarland
re-writer.bsky.social
🎉We're hiring!🎉
We're looking for 2 Postdoctoral Researchers to join our exciting, interdisciplinary team. Both are full-time, fixed-term (almost 4 years), based in Edinburgh's @uoe-cahss.bsky.social / @uoe-llc.bsky.social w/ links to @schoolofppls.bsky.social & @morayhouse.bsky.social
Pls share!
October 2, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by Lois W. McFarland
religionlit.bsky.social
The programme for this year's New College Festival of Books and Belief is now live! Book your tickets at divinity.ed.ac.uk/new-college-...
September 11, 2025 at 9:51 AM
loiswmcf.bsky.social
This got me right in the feelings
taylorwdriggers.bsky.social Taylor Driggers(-McDowall) @taylorwdriggers.bsky.social · Jun 16
For Pride Month, I wrote about queer history, intergenerational kinship, and what I'm calling "archival grief" (with a side tangent about '90s evangelical alt-rock acts).

Thanks are due to Alice Langley for encouraging me to write about this, & to Sam Tegtmeyer for the Sara Ahmed quotation.
Archive Grief, Archive Time
‘The body emerges from this history of doing, which is also a history of not doing, of paths not taken, which also involves the loss, impossible to know or...
buttondown.com
June 18, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Reposted by Lois W. McFarland
profastreete.bsky.social
Upping this one final time - applications close this Sunday (25th May).
May 21, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Reposted by Lois W. McFarland
oliverklangmead.bsky.social
One for Glasgow folk. Excited for this!

Tickets here: www.waterstones.com/events/pride...
A poster advertising Lucy Lapinska, Oliver Langmead & Cailean Steed - a Pride in SFF Panel at Waterstones Argyle Street, Glasgow, on Wednesday 4th of June at 7pm
May 19, 2025 at 10:43 AM
loiswmcf.bsky.social
This bookmark knows I'm a chaotic evil and would rather fold corners and she's definitely judging me for it.
A bookmark, reading BOOKMARK in capital letters and in quote marks.
May 5, 2025 at 1:36 PM
loiswmcf.bsky.social
So much fun at this workshop on speculative fiction, verse and myth (and cowboys!) with author @oliverklangmead.bsky.social at @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social yesterday! A real treat, bringing together students, book lovers and creative writers from across the city.
Oliver Langmead lecturing on his novel Calypso Students at the Edinburgh Futures Institute watching a lecture by Oliver Langmead.
March 19, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Reposted by Lois W. McFarland
iashedinburgh.bsky.social
A reminder about our upcoming webinar for IASH Fellowship applicants for 2025-26:

Monday 9 December, 13:00-15:00 UK time

Register: eventbrite.co.uk/e/webinar-ap...

Please sign up even if you can't attend, as the recording will be circulated afterwards.
Webinar: applying for an IASH Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2025
Discover the range of postdoc programmes at IASH in 2025-26; hear from our partners and get tips to strengthen your application.
eventbrite.co.uk
November 22, 2024 at 9:49 AM
loiswmcf.bsky.social
Calling all bookish types in and around Scotland! Check out our upcoming book festival at New College, University of Edinburgh – confirmed speakers include Michel Faber, Ayanna Lloyd Banwo and Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch! divinity.ed.ac.uk/new-college-...
Book festival poster for New College Festival of Books and Belief, 7-9 November
October 21, 2024 at 11:53 AM