Liverpool varsity appoints Punjab-origin poet as honorary professor of English and law

In 2015, Arshi had won the Felix Dennis Prize for ‘best first collection’ at the Forward Prize for Poetry for her work, Small Hands

University of Liverpool has appointed award-winning poet and human rights lawyer Mona Arshi as the honorary professor of English and law, the university said in a statement on Friday.

Mona Arshi is an award-winning poet and human rights lawyer. (Credit: University of Liverpool)

Arshi, who was born to Punjabi-Sikh parents and grew up in Hounslow in west London, in tweet said, “It feels really important for women from my background and history to be in these spaces”.

In 2015, Arshi had won the Felix Dennis Prize for ‘best first collection’ at the Forward Prize for Poetry for her work, Small Hands, which was completed after working as a lawyer for human rights organisation, Liberty, for a decade.

‘Small Hands’ was among the first cohort of publications released by Pavilion Poetry, a new imprint launched jointly by the University’s department of English and Liverpool University Press, the university said.

Arshi said, “I am delighted to accept this appointment. Language and centring the human in the landscape of our language matters more than ever. It feels important that the relationship between the role of a human rights lawyer and that of a poet is made explicit.”

“I am looking forward to working with both staff and the diverse student community in terms of building conversations together about the role of the imagination and empathy, and how poetry in particular offers an aberrant alternative in language,” she added.

Fiona Beveridge, executive pro-vice-chancellor, said: “We are tremendously excited by this appointment. Mona’s poetry speaks to important contemporary issues and her practice is a vivid demonstration of how art can give voice to the voiceless and draw attention to the plight of the most marginalised groups in society.”

The university added that following Arshi’s quick rise to literary success, she has appeared at readings and literary festivals across the UK, while her work has been published in different countries, journals and public spaces, including the London Underground.