Ally Louks + Q&A | Cambridge Union

Ally Louks Leith joins us for an address & discussion on Friday 26th March at 6pm in the Keynes Library. ............................................................................................................................ Thumbnail Photographer: Nordin Catic & Flo Tawns ............................................................................................................................ ALLY LOUKS Dr. Ally Louks is a supervisor in English Literature at the University of Cambridge. Her work is situated in the interdisciplinary field of Sensory Studies, but her focus is on smell, culture, and literature. Her PhD thesis, 'Olfactory Ethics: the Politics of Smell in Modern and Contemporary Prose' went viral online in December 2024, angering misogynists and anti-intellectuals, but since sparking widespread conversation about the intersections between smell, ethics, and identity. Her thesis studies how certain authors of the past century use smell in literature to indicate social hostilities, such as prejudice and exploitation. It also connects this to our real-world understanding of the role of smell in society. She is currently working to turn her PhD thesis into a literary monograph and a trade non-fiction book. The post-doctoral project she is developing, 'Cultures of Olfactory Dysfunction', examines the emotional, cognitive, and ecological implications of smell disorders and the disproportionate impact of olfactory dysfunction on marginalised groups due to anthropogenic pollution. She is invested in bringing academic work within Literary Studies, Sensory Studies, and the Humanities more broadly, to public audiences through social media, broadcasting, and public writing. ............................................................................................................................ SUBSCRIBE for more speakers:    / @cambridgeunionsoc1815   ............................................................................................................................ Connect with us on: Facebook:   / thecambridgeunion   Instagram:   / cambridgeunion   Twitter:   / cambridgeunion   LinkedIn:   / cambridge-union-society