Mercury Natis
Queer Historian ☆ Tolkien Scholar ☆ Pleasure Activist
About
Mercury (they/he) is an early career academic with a focus on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Queer Theory/History, and the Gothic Fantastic. They have a BA in Art History, a previous MA in Museum Education, Museum and Customer Service experience, and are working towards PhD candidacy.
What I Can Do For You
Conference paper & lecture consultations
research
beta reading & content editing
sensitivity reading
history & literature tutoring
digital collections management
object-based learning in classrooms & museums
admin / reception / diary management
Interested in something not listed but related? Feel free to ask!
Recent Conferences & Publications
"To See the Man Behind the Tan and Fight for Ken: Ken’s Transmasculine Journey through Toxic Masculinity to Self-Respect", PopCRN Barbie Conference 2024
"The Squint-Eyed Southerner as a Case Study of Orientalism in The Lord of the Rings", Mallorn, Issue 64, Winter 2023
“Baruk Khazâd! Antisemitism, Jewish Joy, and Dwarven Contexts”, Tolkien Society Winter Seminar 2023 (youtube)
“Gender Essentialism in Amazon’s The Rings of Power (roundtable)”, IMC Leeds 2023 (blog)
“Sauron’s Femme Fatale Sources and Their Role in the Númenor Narrative”, Tolkien Society Seminar 2023 (youtube)
“And its Folks are Queerer: Queer Marginality and the Chosen Family Dynamics of the Bagginses of Bag-End” Gifcon 2023 + Oxonmoot 2023
“Orientalism in The Lord of the Rings, the Squint-Eyed Southerner and his context (roundtable)”, IMC Kalamazoo 2023
“Partners in Making and Delight: Tolkien and Camp, an exploration of sensibility”, Oxonmoot 2022
Review: “Tolkien, Enchantment, and Loss by John Rosegrant”, Mallorn, Issue 63, Winter 2022
Contact & Links