Dr Lia Litosseliti

Overview

Lia is an applied sociolinguist based in the Department of Language and Communication Science at City St George's University of London and collaborating with others across the globe on projects in the areas of gender and language, discourse analysis and research methodologies. She has published widely in these areas, including nine books/ edited books and several peer-reviewed journal papers. She is the editor of the Research Methods in Linguistics Bloomsbury series, recently having completed the third edition of Research Methods in Linguistics (2025). She is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Lia has led on various international activities in her field of research, as elected member and President of the International Gender and Language Association (IGALA) between 2000-2016, Associate Editor of Gender and Language between 2011-2016, and as reviewer for a range of funding bodies and journals. Currently she supervises PhD students/ projects which explore questions of gender and identity from a discursive perspective, particularly in workplace and educational contexts. She also holds external examiner roles, including at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.

Lia served as Associate Dean International of the School of Health Sciences at City University of London between 2018-2021, leading on global engagement and international partnerships strategy -- and recognised through a Dean’s Excellence in Internationalisation Award in 2019. Previously, Lia has held academic leadership roles as Director of HEE/NIHR Internships (2015-2018); Programme Director in Speech and Language Therapy (2010-14); Internationalisation Academic Lead (2014-2018); Module Leader in Speech and Language Sciences (2003-present); Postgraduate Admissions Tutor (2006-10); and Educational Development Associate (2007-09) / Learning Development Fellow (2009-present).

Lia has previously held positions at:

-School of Health Sciences/ Department of Language and Communication Science, City University of London (2003-present)

-School of Management, Royal Holloway University of London (2001-03)

-Department of English, Nottingham Trent University (1999-2001)

-Department of Linguistics & Modern English Language, Lancaster University (1996-98) - where she gained her PhD in Linguistics (awarded forthwith)

Qualifications

• PhD Linguistics, Lancaster University, United Kingdom, January 1999
• MA Language Studies, Lancaster University, United Kingdom, January 1994
• BA Hons English Language & Literature, University of Athens, Greece, 1993

Administrative roles

• Associate Dean International (School of Health Sciences), City, University of London, February 2018 - February 2021
• Senior Management Team member (School of Health Sciences), City, University of London, February 2018 - February 2021

Memberships of committees

• Inclusivity Working Group Co-Chair (Division of Language and Communication Science, School of Health Sciences), September 2021 - September 2023
• LCS Lead, Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee, School of Health Sciences, September 2021 - present
• University International Student Support Group, March 2020 - February 2021
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) University Committee, September 2019 - January 2022
• University Athena Swan Implementation Group (ASIG) member; University Gender Equality Advisory Group & Working Group (GEWG) member; University EDI Strategy Group member, September 2019 - January 2022
• Sexual Harassment & Sexual Misconduct Working Group member, September 2018 - September 2020
• Executive Committee member (School of Health Sciences), February 2018 - February 2021
• Finance Committee member (School of Health Sciences), February 2018 - February 2021
• University International Committee member (Internationalisation at home; Internationalisation abroad), February 2018 - February 2021
• University Brexit Group member, February 2018 - February 2020
• Associate Deans International Forum (City, University of London), February 2018 - February 2021
• Chair, International Committee (School of Health Sciences), February 2018 - February 2021
• Board of Studies member, School of Health Sciences, February 2018 - February 2021
• Internationalisation Academic Lead, Division of Language and Communication Science, September 2014 - January 2018

Memberships of professional organisations

• Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), July 2021 - present
• President Elect (2012-2014), International Gender and Language Association (IGALA)
• Vice-President (2010-2012) International Gender and Language Association (IGALA)
• Founding & Committee Member, BAAL LGaS (Language, Gender and Sexuality) SIG, British Association of Applied Linguistics
• BAAL LiA (Language in Africa) SIG member, British Association of Applied Linguistics
• Gender and Language in African Contexts Group (UK); Research Network on Applied Linguistics and Literacy in Africa and the Diaspora (Global)

Award

• Excellence in Internationalisation Award (Dean's Award) (2019). School of Health Sciences, City, University of London

Teaching

Educational Leadership

Programme Director for BSc Speech and Language Therapy (2010-14)

Postgraduate/ Undergraduate Module Leader):
Speech and Language Sciences: Linguistics (2003-12)
Language and Gender: Critical Approaches (2012-22)
Sociolinguistics (2015-22)
Research Projects/ Dissertations, 3 modules (2021-present)

Educational Development Associate (School of Health Sciences) (2007-09)
Learning Development Fellow (2009-present)

Current Teaching

MSc in Speech and Language Therapy:
Language Sciences: Linguistics and Language Development


BSc (Hons) in Speech and Language Therapy:
Language Sciences: Linguistics and Language Development


BSc in Speech and Language Sciences:
Language and Gender: Critical Perspectives (Module Leader)
Sociolinguistics (Module Leader)

MSc in Research Design/ Research Projects (MSc, BSc):
Qualitative methodologies/ Interview Methods/ Discourse Analysis

Health Education England / National Institute for Health Research Internship programme (School of Health Sciences)

Research 0verview

Lia has been interested in mapping out the terrain of three interdisciplinary research areas below (focusing primarily on the first two over the past two decades):


a. GENDER AND LANGUAGE; THE DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF GENDER IDENTITIES

See, for example:
- Litosseliti, L. (2006) 'Gender and Language Theory and Practice', London: Hodder Arnold
This book investigates theoretical and applied perspectives on gender and language. Shortlisted for the BAAL book prize (2007) and the IGALA book prize (2008). Reviewed, among others, in the European Journal of Women's Studies (2007)
http://ejw.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/14/2/171?rss=1


See also:

Atanga, L., Ellece, S., Litosseliti, L. and Sunderland, J. (2013) Gender and Language in African Contexts: Tradition, Struggle and Change. Amsterdam: Benjamins.

Harrington, K., Litosseliti, L., Sauntson, H., and Sunderland, J. (eds.) (2008). Gender and Language Research Methodologies. Basingstoke: Palgrave.

Litosseliti, L. and Sunderland, J. (eds.) (2002). Discourse Analysis and Gender Identity. ‘Discourse Approaches to Politics, Society and Culture’ Vol. 2. Amsterdam: Benjamins.


Within this area of interest also fall collaborative activities on Gender and Language in African Contexts and Methodological Approaches to Gender and Language. Some of this work was developed collaboratively through special interest group seminars in the UK, including:
•    British Association of Applied Linguistics/ 'Gender & Language' SIG seminar: 'Language and Gender in African Contexts II' , City University of London, UK, 14 November 2008 (Hosted).
•    British Association of Applied Linguistics/ Joint 'Gender & Language' and 'Language in Africa' SIG seminar: 'Language and Gender in African Contexts', University of Leeds, UK, 17 November 2007 (Co-organised).
•    British Association of Applied Linguistics/ Cambridge University Press (BAAL/CUP) research seminar: 'Theoretical and Methodological Approaches to Gender and Language Study' , University of Birmingham, UK, 18-19 November 2005 (Co-organised).


b. RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES; FOCUS GROUPS

See, for example:
- Litosseliti, L. (ed.) (2025, 3rd edition) Research Methods in Linguistics. London, Bloomsbury Series.
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/research-methods-in-linguistics-9781350429154/

-Edley, N., Litosseliti, L. and Moss, B. (2025). 'Interviews and focus groups in social science and linguistics research: a critical review’. In Litosseliti, L. (ed.) Research Methods in Linguistics 3rd Edition. London: Bloomsbury. pp. 131-164.

- Litosseliti, L. (2003) Using Focus Groups in Research. London: Continuum.


c. ARGUMENTATION

See, for example:
- SCALE project (2001-2003) SCALE (Internet-based intelligent tool to Support Collaborative Argumentation-based LEarning in secondary schools): 5th Framework European Commission project No IST-1999-10664, in six participating countries.
- Litosseliti, L. (1999) Moral Repertoires and Gendered Voices in Argumentation. PhD thesis, Department of Linguistics, Lancaster University, UK [awarded forthwith].

Current project

'Gendered Discourses in Speech and Language Therapy'

This project was initiated with the support of a grant through the Research Sustainability Fund at City University London. The research brings a discourse analytic perspective to the gender imbalance in the speech and language therapy profession in the UK (where men account for 1-2% of Speech and Language Therapists/ Pathologists). Interviews and focus groups were conducted with SLTs, recent SLT graduates, SLT teachers, and careers advisors in London, with a theoretical/ methodological focus on discourses that 'represent, reconstitute, maintain and contest gendered social practices' (Litosseliti, 2006). Results of this research have been disseminated in various publications in 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2020. Fieldwork in this area is currently being extended to other 'gendered professions' and new sites for the discursive construction of gender within gender segregated occupations.

Publications

Authored Books

Litosseliti, L. (2006). Gender and Language: Theory and Practice. London: Hodder Arnold.

Litosseliti, L. (2003). Using Focus Groups in Research. London: Continuum.



Edited & Co-edited Books

Litosseliti, L. (ed.) (2025). Research Methods in Linguistics, 3rd edition. London: Bloomsbury.

Litosseliti, L. (ed.) (2018). Research Methods in Linguistics 2nd Edition. London: Bloomsbury.

Atanga, L.,Ellece, S., Litosseliti, L. and Sunderland, J. (2013) Gender and Language in African Contexts: Tradition, Struggle and Change. Amsterdam: Benjamins.

Litosseliti, L. (ed.) (2010). Research Methods in Linguistics. London: Continuum.

Harrington, K., Litosseliti, L., Sauntson, H., and Sunderland, J. (eds.) (2008). Gender and Language Research Methodologies. Basingstoke: Palgrave.

Litosseliti, L. and Sunderland, J. (eds.) (2002). Discourse Analysis and Gender Identity. ‘Discourse Approaches to Politics, Society and Culture’ Vol. 2. Amsterdam: Benjamins.



Special Issues in Peer-reviewed Journals

Atanga, L, Ellece, S., Litosseliti, L. and Sunderland, J. (eds.) (2012) Gender and Language in Sub-Saharan African Contexts: Research Agendas [A Special Issue]. Gender and Language, 6(1).



Papers in Peer-reviewed Journals

Stogiannos, N., O'Regan, T., Scurr, E., Litosseliti, L., Pogose, M., Harvey, H., Kumar, A., Malik, R., Barnes, A., McEntee, M.F., Malamateniou, C. (2025). Lessons on AI implementation from senior clinical practitioners: An exploratory qualitative study in medical imaging and radiotherapy in the UK. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences Vol 56, Issue 1, January 2025, 101797.

Stogiannos, N., Litosseliti, L., O'Regan, T., Scurr, E., Barnes, A., Kumar, A., Malik, R., Pogose, M., Harvey, H., McEntee, M.F., Malamateniou, C. (2024). Black box no more: a cross-sectional multi-disciplinary survey for exploring governance and guiding adoption of AI in medical imaging and radiotherapy in the UK. International Journal of Medical Informatics Vol 186, June 2024, 105423.

Stogiannos, N., O'Regan, T., Scurr, E., Litosseliti, L., Pogose, M., Harvey, H., Kumar, A., Malik, R., Barnes, A., McEntee, M.F., Malamateniou, C. (2024). AI implementation in the UK landscape: Knowledge of AI governance, perceived challenges and opportunities, and ways forward for radiographers. Radiography Vol 30, Issue 2, March 2024, pp. 612-621.

Yuill, C., Harkness, M., Wallace, C., McCourt, C., Cheyne, H., Litosseliti, L. (2022) Inducing labour in the United Kingdom: A feminist critical discourse analysis of policy and guidance. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health Vol 2, December 2022, 100108.

Koster, D. and Litosseliti, L. (2021). Multidimensional perspectives on gender in Dutch language education: textbooks and teacher talk. Linguistics and Education 64, 1-9.

Litosseliti, L. and Georgiadou, I. (2019). Taiwanese Speech-Language Therapists’ Awareness and Experiences of Service Provision to Transgender Clients 20 (1): 87-97.

Litosseliti, L., Gill, R. and Favaro, L. (2019). Postfeminism as a critical tool for gender and language (study). Gender and Language 13 (1): 1-22.

McEntee-Atalianis, L. and Litosseliti, L. (2017). Narratives of Sex-Segregated Professional Identities. Narrative Inquiry 27 (1), 1-23.

Leadbeater C., and Litosseliti L. (2014) The Importance of Cultural Competence for Speech and Language Therapists. Journal of Interactional Research in Communication Disorders 5 (1), 1-26.

Litosseliti L. and Leadbeater C. (2013a). Speech and Language Therapy: Perspectives on a Gendered Profession. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders 48 (1), 90-101.

Litosseliti L., and Leadbeater C. (2013b) Gendered Discourses in Speech and Language Therapy. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Professional Practice 8 (3) [2011], 295-314.

Atanga, L, Ellece, S., Litosseliti, L. and Sunderland, J. (2012). Gender and Language in Sub-Saharan African contexts: Issues and Challenges. Gender and Language 6 (1), 1-20.

Kerr J., Hilari K. and Litosseliti L. (2010). Information needs after stroke: what to include and how to structure it on a website. A qualitative study using focus groups and card-sorting. Aphasiology, 24 (10).

Litosseliti, L. (2006). Gender and Language: Theoretical and methodological approaches. Language Teaching, 40 (1).

Marttunen, M., Laurinen, L., Litosseliti, L. and Lund, K. (2005) Argumentation skills as prerequisites for collaborative learning among Finnish, French and English secondary school students. Educational Research and Evaluation, 11(4), 365-384.

Litosseliti, L., Marttunen, M., Laurinen, L. and Salminen, T. (2005). Computer-based and face-to-face collaborative argumentation at secondary school in the UK and in Finland. Education Communication Information, 5(2),131-146.

Litosseliti, L., Hirsch, L., Cornillon, J. and Saeedi, M. (2004). A collaborative tool for argumentation-based learning: examining face-to-face and computer-based approaches in a UK secondary school. Educational Innovation in Economics and Business, IX, 195-219.

Hirsch, L., Saeedi, M., Cornillon, J., and Litosseliti, L. (2004). A structured dialogue tool for argumentative learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 20(1), 72-79.




Book chapters

Edley, N., Litosseliti, L. and Moss, B. (2025). 'Interviews and focus groups in social science and linguistics research: a critical review’. In Litosseliti, L. (ed.) Research Methods in Linguistics 3rd Edition. London: Bloomsbury. pp. 131-164.

Baxter, J. and Litosseliti, L. (2025). 'Micro/Macro-linguistic considerations: evaluating discourse-analytic approaches to text and talk’. In Litosseliti, L. (ed.) Research Methods in Linguistics 3rd Edition. London: Bloomsbury. pp. 255-288.

Litosseliti, L. (2021). ‘Language, gender and sexuality: reflections on the field’s ongoing critical engagement with the socio-political landscape’. In Angouri, J. and Baxter, J. (eds) The Routledge Handbook of Language, Gender and Sexuality. Applied Linguistics Series. Routledge. pp. 323-338.

Litosseliti, L. and Leadbeater, C. (2020). ‘“Nice, threat-free, and child-friendly”: Gendered discourses in the Speech and Language Therapy profession’. In McDowell, J. (ed.) De-gendering Gendered Occupations: Analysing Professional Discourse. Routledge. pp. 140-157.

Edley, N. and Litosseliti, L. (2018). 'Critical perspectives on using interviews and focus groups’. In Litosseliti, L. (ed.) Research Methods in Linguistics 2nd Edition. London: Bloomsbury, 196-225.

Atanga, L.,Ellece, S., Litosseliti, L. and Sunderland, J. (2013) ‘Gender and Language in Sub-Saharan Africa: a Valid Epistemology?’. In Atanga, L.,Ellece, S., Litosseliti, L. and Sunderland, J. Gender and Language in African Contexts: Tradition, Struggle and Change. Amsterdam: Benjamins.

Edley, N. and Litosseliti, L. (2010). ‘Contemplating interviews and focus groups’. In Litosseliti, L. (ed.) Research Methods in Linguistics. London: Continuum. pp. 155-179.

Sunderland, J. and Litosseliti, L. (2008). Current Research Methodologies in Gender and Language Study: Key Issues. In Litosseliti, L., Sauntson, H., Segall, K., and Sunderland, J. (eds.) Language and Gender Research Methodologies. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.

Litosseliti, L. (2007). Going back to basics: The Discursive Construction of Moral Panics. In Sauntson, H. and Kyratzis, S. (eds) Language, Sexualities and Desires: Cross-Cultural Perspectives. pp. 204-22. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Litosseliti, L. (2006). Constructing Gender in Public Arguments: the Female Voice as Emotional Voice. In Baxter, J. (ed.) Speaking Out: The Female Voice in Public Contexts. pp. 40-58. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Litosseliti, L. (2002). The Discursive Construction of Morality and Gender: Investigating Public and Private Arguments. In Benor, S., Rose, M., Sharma, D., Sweetland, J. and Zhang, Q. (eds.). Gendered Practices in Language. 45-63. Stanford: Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University.

Sunderland, J. and Litosseliti, L. (2002). Theorising Relationships between Discourse Analysis and Gender Identity: an Introduction. In Litosseliti, L. and Sunderland, J. (eds.) Discourse Analysis and Gender Identity. Discourse Approaches to Politics, Society and Culture, Vol. 2. Amsterdam: Benjamins.

Litosseliti, L. (2002). Head to Head: the Construction of Morality and Gender Identity in Newspaper Arguments. In Litosseliti, L. and Sunderland, J. (eds.) Discourse Analysis and Gender Identity. Discourse Approaches to Politics, Society and Culture, Vol. 2. Amsterdam: Benjamins.

Litosseliti, L., Marttunen, M., Laurinen, L. and Salminen, T. (2002). Computer-based and face-to-face collaborative argumentation: Analysing secondary school students’ interaction in the UK and in Finland. Educational Technology, Sociedad de la Information Series, Vol 1, pp. 360-5.

Litosseliti, L. (2001). Language, Culture and Gender Identities: Examining Arguments about Marriage. In Stroinska, M. (ed.) Relative Points of View: Linguistic Representations of Culture. 119-140. London/ New York: Berghahn.



Other publications

- Leadbeater, C. and Litosseliti, L. (2012) 'Equity in healthcare: the issue of cultural competence' Feature article in Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy Bulletin, January 2012, p. 13-14.

- Litosseliti, L. and Leadbeater, C. (2011) 'Where are all the men?' Feature article in Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy Bulletin, April 2011, p. 21.

- Baughan, P., Duncan, N., Dymiotis-Wellington, C., Halsall, S., Litosseliti, L., and Vielba, C. (2008). ‘Promoting good academic practice through the curriculum and project work’. Access via the Higher Education Academy website: www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/ourwork/evidencenet/baughan_et_al

- Papers in International Conference Proceedings

- Book reviews

- Working papers

- SCALE project Deliverables (collaborative), European Commission project No IST-1999-10664.

- UK press & online
e.g.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/02/use-gender-sensitive-language-lose-marks-hull-university-students-told

Conferences

Lia has presented her research in over 30 international conferences in the UK and Europe, North and South America, Asia, New Zealand, and Africa. Selected conference presentations include:

• IGALA 10, Tenth International Gender and Language Association Conference, 20-22 June 2018, University of Botswana, Botswana
('Postfeminism as a critical tool for gender and language (study)' with Ros Gill and Laura Favaro).
• IGALA 9, Ninth International Gender and Language Association Conference, 19-21 May 2016, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong ('Twin set and pearls’: Narrative constructions of gender-segregated professional identities, with Lisa McEntee-Atalianis; When 'impact' isn't just a buzzword: how can gender and language research make a difference on practices at work, with Gabriella Caminotto).
• 6th BAAL Language Gender and Sexuality Special Interest Group Event (GaLSig): LGS Methodologies Revisited, 8 April 2016, Liverpool Hope University, UK (Invited plenary talk: ‘Diversity of approach in language and gender study: affordances and tensions').
• IGALA 8, Eighth International Gender and Language Association Conference, 5-7 June 2014, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada ('Occupational Sex Segregation: Why it Matters').
• IGALA 7, Seventh International Gender and Language Association Conference, 20-22 June 2012, UNISINOS, São Leopoldo, Brazil ('Gendered discourses in gendered professions: the case of Speech and Language Therapy'; also joint paper with Jo Angouri, Judith Baxter, Louise Mullany and Sylvia Shaw: 'Researching gender at work: possibilities and constraints).
• 5th BAAL Gender and Language Special Interest Group Event (GaLSig): Gender and Language in the Public Space, 20 September 2011, Aston University, UK (Invited plenary talk: ''Caring', 'Helping' and 'Relating': Gendered Discourses in Speech and Language Therapy').
• GENTEXT, Gender Violence: Contexts, Discourses and Representations conference, 25-26 November 2010, Universitat de València, Spain (Invited plenary talk: 'From gender discourses to gender politics: Critical perspectives').
• IGALA 6, Sixth Biennial International Gender and Language Association Conference, 18-20 September 2010, Tsuda College, Tokyo, Japan (‘Men need not apply: Gendered discourses in speech and language therapy'; also joint paper with Jo Angouri: 'Life here is difficult for women: The discursive construction of gender norms in male dominated workplaces’).
• IGALA 5, Fifth Biennial International Gender and Language Association Conference, 3-5 July 2008, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand (‘Gendered discourses in advertising’).
• IGALA 4, Fourth Biennial International Gender and Language Association Conference, 8-10 November 2006, University of Valencia, Spain (‘Gender and language and the scope for a feminist politics’).
• Annual BAAL / IRAAL conference (British Association of Applied Linguistics and Irish Association of Applied Linguistics), 7-9 September 2006, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland (‘Gender and language: theoretical and methodological approaches’; with Jane Sunderland) .
• 12th International Conference on Learning, 11-14 July 2005, University of Granada, Spain (‘Learning in focus groups’).
• 7th conference of EARLI’s JURE (European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction), 5-9 July 2004, Istanbul, Turkey (Invited talk: ‘Using Focus Groups in Research’).
• IGALA 3, Third Biennial International Gender and Language Association Conference, 5-7 June 2004, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA (‘Constructing gender in public arguments’).
• 10th Biennial Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction, 26-30 August 2003, Padova, Italy (‘Collaborative argumentation at secondary school’).
• 9th International EDiNEB (Educational Innovation in Economics & Business) conference, 19-21 June 2002, Guadalajara University, Mexico (‘Computer-based and face-to-face collaborative argumentation’).
• IGALA 2, Second Biennial International Gender and Language Association Conference, 12-14 April 2002, Lancaster University, UK (‘Gendered discourses in argumentation: examples from education and the mass media’).

Research students

1^stsupervisor

• Rowan Douglas, Research Student

Publications by category