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Maisha Wester

Lecturer, American literature and African American Cultural Studies, University of Sheffield
My research and teaching focuses on Gothic literature and Horror Film, although I also teach American literature and African American Cultural Studies. I specifically investigate racial discourses and manifestations in Gothic Literature and Horror film, as well as the way Black Diasporic people have appropriated the genres to speak back against oppressive socioeconomic rhetoric. For my BA fellowship, I am investigating the ways the Gothic has and continues to impact and inform anti-Black language and discourses from the Gothic’s rise to our current era (as such, I will also consider the ways Horror Film takes up this task in the twentieth-century). I am especially interested in how the genres morph alongside any moments of racial progress, thus providing a means to consistently erase Black humanity despite seeming political and ideological advancement. To put it simply, I want to explore how Gothic Literature and Horror Film have contributed to populations still needing to shout “Black Lives Matter” in protest during the Twenty-First century—150 years of the US abolition of Slavery and over 200 years after its abolition in the UK—at a point of such intellectual and scientific progress that we should be well beyond this discussion. Although my work focuses upon anti-Black discourse, it is also inspired by and has ramifications for anti-immigrant discourses (such as rhetoric warning against hordes of non-white immigrants coming to rape and pillage the nation).

Economy

Morgan Stanley: Fed Rate Cuts Still on Track Despite Oil-Driven Inflation

Morgan Stanley believes the Federal Reserve will push forward with interest rate cuts in 2026, even as rising oil prices temporarily inflate headline inflation figures. According to the banks analysts, the current...

China's Energy Resilience Shields Economy From Global Oil Shock, Goldman Sachs Says

Goldman Sachs analysts believe China is among the best-positioned major economies to weather the current oil price shock stemming from escalating Middle East tensions, citing the countrys diversified energy strategy,...

UAE's Largest Natural Gas Facility Suspended After Attack-Triggered Fire

Abu Dhabi authorities have temporarily halted operations at Habshan, the United Arab Emirates largest natural gas processing facility, following a devastating attack that triggered a major fire at the site. The incident...

Trump's FY2027 Budget: Major Defense Boost and Domestic Spending Cuts

President Donald Trump has unveiled a bold federal budget proposal for fiscal year 2027, signaling a dramatic realignment of national spending priorities. The plan centers on a significant expansion of military funding...

U.S. Warplane Shot Down by Iran Amid Escalating Middle East Conflict

A U.S. military aircraft was shot down by Iranian forces on Friday, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing five-week conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. Both nations confirmed the incident, with...

Politics

Trump Eyes Cabinet Shake-Up Amid Iran War Political Fallout

President Donald Trump is weighing a significant cabinet reshuffle as political pressure mounts over the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, according to Reuters, citing sources close to internal White House deliberations. The...

Iran Tightens Grip on Strait of Hormuz as Israel Prepares Strikes and Oil Markets Spiral

Tensions between Israel and Iran have reached a critical flashpoint, with Israeli defense officials confirming preparations for potential strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, pending U.S. authorization. The...

U.S. and Israel Escalate Pressure on Iran Over Strait of Hormuz as War Enters Sixth Week

Six weeks into the U.S.-Israeli military conflict with Iran, tensions are reaching a critical point as President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding that Tehran open the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating...

Israel Poised to Strike Iranian Energy Sites, Awaiting U.S. Approval

Israel is reportedly preparing to launch military strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure, but is holding off pending authorization from the United States, according to a senior Israeli defense official who spoke out...

U.S. Envoys Witkoff and Kushner Expected to Visit Kyiv in April Amid Stalled Peace Talks

Senior Ukrainian presidential aide Kyrylo Budanov confirmed on Saturday that U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to travel to Kyiv in April, marking what would be their first official visit to...

Science

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

Technology

Elon Musk Ties SpaceX IPO Access to Mandatory Grok AI Subscriptions

Elon Musk is reportedly making Grok subscriptions a prerequisite for banks and advisers involved in SpaceXs highly anticipated initial public offering. According to the New York Times, citing insiders familiar with the...

MATCH Act Targets ASML and Chinese Chipmakers in New U.S. Export Crackdown

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has unveiled the MATCH Act, a landmark piece of draft legislation designed to tighten export restrictions on advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment destined for China. The...

Microsoft's $10 Billion Japan Investment: AI Infrastructure and Data Sovereignty Push

Microsoft is set to pour approximately $10 billion into Japan between now and 2029, channeling funds into data center expansion and artificial intelligence infrastructure to meet the countrys growing demand for data...

Australia's Social Media Ban for Under-16s Sparks Global Movement

Australias landmark social media ban for users under 16, which took effect in December, is reshaping digital policy conversations worldwide. Countries including Spain and Malaysia have signaled interest in adopting similar...

SpaceX Eyes Historic IPO at $1.75 Trillion Valuation

Elon Musks aerospace giant SpaceX has quietly filed a confidential IPO registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, according to Bloomberg News sources familiar with the matter. The move signals that the...

Digital Currency