Dr Joanna Paul

Professional biography

I am a Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies, and I joined The Open University in September 2011. After an undergraduate degree in Greek and Roman Studies at the University of Birmingham, I studied for my MA and PhD at the University of Bristol, where I developed my research interests in classical reception studies. I joined the OU from the University of Liverpool, where I was a Lecturer in Classical Studies (2006-2009), and then the J.P. Postgate Early Career Fellow in Classics (2009-2011). 

Research interests

My research is concerned with the many different ways in which the modern world receives, engages with, and uses the classical past. I have worked at the forefront of classical reception studies throughout my research career, developing interests and expertise in a number of different fields. One particularly important area for me has been the reception of antiquity in contemporary popular culture, especially the cinema. My monograph on Film and the Classical Epic Tradition was published by Oxford University Press in 2013, and I have written about films as diverse as Fellini-Satyricon, Le Mépris, Alexander, Agora, and Pompeii. The ongoing impact of Pompeii and Herculaneum on the cultural imagination continues to be another central focus of my work, and I have recently been exploring connections between the archaeological site and contemporary popular music, particularly in the performance film Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii; this will soon be published in an edited volume on classical reception and music, as will another chapter offering an overview of receptions of Pompeii (both with Oxford University Press).  Other developing projects and interests include the reception of antiquity (particularly the poetry of Ovid) in the garden art of Ian Hamilton Finlay at Little Sparta, and ancient material in contemporary art photography.

My main project at present is a book on classical reception studies for Routledge’s ‘Basics’ series, which draws on my expertise and experience of teaching and researching in this field for many years. This short volume will provide a much-needed introduction to the field, as well as offering propositions and provocations for its future development.

I supervise PhD students working on a range of classical reception topics, and have served as external examiner for projects at many different universities, including Bristol, Warwick, Liverpool, Queensland, and Madrid. 

Teaching interests

I am experienced in teaching a wide variety of subjects, including classical reception topics, Latin literature, visual culture, and Roman history. I chaired our Latin module (A276: Classical Latin: the Language of Ancient Rome (A276) throughout its production and the first years of its presentation, and have contributed materials to many of our other Classical Studies modules, including units on Ovid and myth in Rome (and its reception) for our recent level 3 myth module (A350). I have also recently finished serving as Chair of our interdisciplinary level 1 Arts and Humanities module, ‘Cultures’. 

Impact and engagement

Between 2019 and 2024, I was on partial secondment in the role of Open Media Fellow for Arts and Humanities. This meant I spent much of my time working with colleagues across the faculty, OpenLearn, and the OU’s Broadcast & Partnerships unit helping to facilitate a wide variety of co-produced broadcast projects for the BBC, and developing open access resources. These activities all played a vital role in bringing the OU’s expertise to the widest possible audience, while also generating materials that support our own teaching and learning. 

A short film which I helped to develop in 2024 offers an insight into our Arts and Humanities co-productions, and can be found online here.

I have contributed to DVD documentaries on Alexander and Fellini-Satyricon and appeared on the BBC flagship Newsnight, as well as writing articles for OpenLearn and The Conversation. During my time as co-convener of the Classical Reception Studies Network (2017-19), I lead the redevelopment of our web presence, amongst other activities. I regularly present my research at conferences and seminars both nationally and internationally, and have in recent years been invited to give lectures at Amsterdam and Freiburg. 

External collaborations

I am deeply committed to supporting my subject community and the provision of Arts and Humanities teaching more broadly. I have served a term on the Council of the Classical Association and was Chair of the Education Committee at the Council of University Classical Departments (2018-2021); I am currently a member of the Advisory Council at the Institute of Classical Studies.

Since 2024, I have taken up the role of co-editor of the OU’s New Voices in Classical Reception Studies, and am working with my co-editor Fiona Hobden and other members of the Classical Studies department on the relaunch and development of the journal.