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Ms Roanna Gonsalves

Ms Roanna Gonsalves

Senior Lecturer
  • PhD, Â鶹Éçmadou
  • Graduate Diploma in Arts by Research in Social Science, Â鶹Éçmadou, Australia
  • M.A. in Professional Writing, UTS, Sydney, Australia
  • Diploma in Television Production, KvB North Sydney,ÌýAustralia
  • M.A. in English Literature, University of Bombay, India
  • B.A. in English Literature, St. Xavier’s College, University Of Bombay, India
Arts, Design & Architecture (ADA)
School of the Arts and Media

Roanna Gonsalves is a writer with an interdisciplinary practice. She is the author ofÌýThe Permanent ResidentÌý(published in India and South Asia asÌýSunita De Souza Goes To SydneyÌý(ÌýThe book won the NSW Premier’s Literary Award Multicultural Prize 2018 and was longlisted for the Dobbie Literary Award 2018. Roanna’s series of radio documentaries,ÌýOn the tip of a billion tongues, commissioned and broadcast byÌý, is an acerbic socio-political portrayal of contemporary India through its multilingual writers. Roanna was born and raised in Mumbai, India, and attended St. Xavier’s College. Her social-satirical radio essay was commissioned and broadcast by ABC RN.

Roanna is a recipient of the Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence 2022, the Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Endeavour Award and the NSW Premier's Literary Award. She is co-founder co-editor ofÌý. She has been an invited Keynote Speaker, Chair and panelist at numerous literary events including at the Sydney Writers' Festival, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the Jaipur Literature Festival, the Goa Literature Festival and many others. She has been teaching, supervising and mentoring emerging prose writers and screenwriters within communities, schools, literary organizations and institutions such as New York University Sydney, Â鶹Éçmadou, Western Sydney University, Macquarie University and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS). She is a recipient of grants through the Australia Council for the Arts, is a recipient of fellowships and residencies at Varuna and Bundanon, was the Â鶹Éçmadou – Copyright Agency Writer-in-Residence 2018 and received The Bridge Awards’ inauguralÌýÌý–ÌýÌýWriting Residency 2019 (Scotland). Her research interests are in the sociology of literature, social media, creativity studies, and postcolonial literatures. She serves on the Board of Writing NSW and on the International Project Reference Group for the ARC-funded project 'Connecting Asia Pacific Literary Cultures. For more information, seeÌýÌý.
E-mail
roanna@unsw.edu.au
  • Books | 2016
    Gonsalves R, 2016, The Permanent Resident, The University of Western Australia Press
  • Book Chapters | 2021
    Gonsalves R, 2021, 'Ending, Unfurling: Michelle De Kretser’s The Life To Come', in Castles B (ed.), Reading Like An Australian Writer, NewSouth Publishing,
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Gonsalves R, 2019, 'Publishing and Nationhood: Negotiating the field of Indian writing in English', in Baker DJ; Brien DL; Webb J (ed.), Publishing and Culture, Cambridge Scholars,
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Gonsalves RA, 2016, 'Trails of Breadcrumbs: On Being Indian and Australian', in Sareen S; Pal S; Prasad GJV; Bharat M (ed.), Indo-Australian Connections Retrospect and Prospects, Pinnacle Learning, New Delhi, pp. 20 - 31
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Gonsalves R; Chan J, 2013, 'Chapter 26: Authorship and collaborative creativity in new media art', in Handbook of Research on Creativity, Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 393 - 407,
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Gonsalves R; Chan JB, 2013, 'Authorship and collaborative creativity in new media art', in Thomas K; Chan J (ed.), Handbook of Research on Creativity, Edward Elgar Publishing, UK, pp. 393 - 407,
    Book Chapters | 2011
    Chan JBL; Gonsalves R; Metcalfe N, 2011, 'Bridging the Two Cultures: The fragility of interdisciplinary creative collaboration', in Fischer G; Vassen F (ed.), Collective creativity : collaborative work in the sciences, literature and the arts, Rodopi, Amsterdam, pp. 159 - 176,
  • Edited Books | 2021
    Gonsalves R, (ed.), 2021, Centres and Peripheries, Orana Arts, NSW
  • Journal articles | 2025
    Rendle-Short F; Ellis M; Gonsalves R, 2025, 'With/Nessing', Axon: Creative Explorations, 14, pp. 1 - 19,
    Journal articles | 2023
    Gonsalves R, 2023, 'Book review: ‘I had a sadomasochistic fascination with English’: a vivid, playful debut disrupts clichés of docile Asian womanhood', The Conversation,
    Journal articles | 2021
    Gonsalves R, 2021, 'Interrupting Intersectionality', Sydney Review of Books,
    Journal articles | 2017
    Daymond M; Gonsalves R; Gui W; Griffiths M; Krishnan M; Lorre-Johnston C; McNeill D; Raja I; Rampaul G; Sharrad P; Skeete G; Gichanda Spencer L; Steiner T; Williams M, 2017, 'New Literatures', Year S Work in English Studies, 96, pp. 1166 - 1334,
    Journal articles | 2015
    Gonsalves R, 2015, 'The Survival of the Friendliest: Contemporary Indian Publishing in English at the Frankfurt Book Fair', Cultural Sociology, 9, pp. 425 - 446,
    Journal articles | 2014
    Chan JB; Bruce J; Gonsalves R, 2014, 'Seeking and finding: Creative processes of 21st century painters', Poetics, 48, pp. 21 - 41,
    Journal articles | 2011
    Gonsalves R, 2011, 'Multiculturalism and Mainstage Australian Theatre', Journal of the European Association for Studies of Australia, 2, pp. 72 - 83,
    Journal articles | 2008
    Gonsalves R; Chan JB, 2008, 'Creating Fiction: Bourdieu`s Theory and Writing Practice', Text: JOURNAL OF WRITING AND WRITING COURSES, 12,
  • Creative Written Works | 2023
    Gonsalves R, 2023, BLT 1984, The Writing Mind: Creative Writing Responses to Images of the Living Brain, Prendergast J; Herbert-Goodall E; Webb J, (eds.), Recent Work Press,
    Creative Written Works | 2023
    Gonsalves R, 2023, How to Take Over a Book Fair, The Frankfurt Kabuff Critical Edition, Wilfrid Laurier Press,
    Creative Written Works | 2023
    Gonsalves R, 2023, How to take over a book fair: A Bourdieusian fiction, The Frankfurt Kabuff Critical Edition, Driscoll B; Squires C, (ed.), Wilfrid Laurier University Press,
    Creative Written Works | 2023
    Gonsalves R, 2023, Nature abhors a vacuum, The Writing Mind: Creative Writing Responses to Images of the Living Brain, Prendergast J; Herbert-Goodall E; Webb J, (eds.), Recent Work Press
    Conference Presentations | 2023
    Gonsalves R, 2023, 'Creative labour and experiments with AI in the Creative Writing Classroom', presented at Australasian Association of Writing Programs, University of Canberra, 29 November 2023 - 01 December 2023
    Curatorial Outputs | 2023
    Gonsalves R, 2023, Contemporary Delight in Literature in the Age of AI: Roanna Gonsalves in conversation with Zhou Jianing (China), Omar Sakr and Shaun Prescott, exhibited at: Katoomba, Blue Mountains, 22 October 2023 - 22 October 2023,
    Curatorial Outputs | 2023
    Gonsalves R, 2023, ‘Smudging & Fudging in the Age of AI’: Roanna Gonsalves in conversation with Noëlle Janaczewska, Mireille Juchau & Jackie Bailey Rose Scott Women Writers’ Festival, exhibited at: Sydney, 16 September 2023 - 16 September 2023
    Conference Presentations | 2022
    Gonsalves R, 2022, 'Power, Point of View and Creative Writing Pedagogy', presented at Association for the Study of Australian Literature, Australian National University, Canberra (online), 25 October 2022
    Recorded / Rendered Creative Works | 2021
    Gonsalves R, 2021, Back door, ABC Radio National, Editor(s): Gonsalves R, Published: 27 May 2021, Recorded / Rendered Creative Works,
    Creative Written Works | 2020
    Gonsalves R, 2020, How to Work from Â鶹Éçmadou, The Noteworthy Project, Peril,
    Creative Written Works | 2020
    Gonsalves R, 2020, I is for, Goa Writers' Lockdown Alphabet, Scroll.in,
    Creative Written Works | 2020
    Gonsalves R, 2020, The East Australia Company Mango Bridge, After Australia, Ahmad MM, (ed.), Affirm Press,
    Creative Written Works | 2019
    Gonsalves R, 2019, A Breeze Blows, or It Doesn’t Blow: History’s Beckonings, Southerly,
    Creative Written Works | 2019
    Gonsalves R, 2019, The Skit, Glass Walls: Short Fiction from Australia and the Indian Subcontinent, Rundle S; Bharat M, (ed.), Orient Blackswan
    Creative Written Works | 2018
    Gonsalves R, 2018, Curry Muncher 3.0, Of Indian Origin: Writings From Australia, Sharrad P; Chatterjee Padmanabhan M, (ed.), Orient Blackswan
    Creative Written Works | 2018
    Gonsalves R, 2018, The thing about Myron, Goa and its worlds: A literary journey, Joao Roque Literary Journal,
    Creative Written Works | 2017
    Gonsalves R, 2017, George Jarvis, black hindoo servant, Port Jackson, 1809 (preparatory study), Westerly, CENT STUDIES AUSTRALIAN LIT,
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    Gonsalves R, 2017, 'Race, Class and Gender in the Writing Workshop', presented at Australasian Association of Writing Programs Conference, Flinders University, Adelaide, 29 November 2017 - 01 December 2017
    Creative Written Works | 2014
    Gonsalves R, 2014, The Skit, Mascara Literary Review,
    Creative Written Works | 2014
    Gonsalves RA, 2014, Friending and Trending, Only Connect, Rundle S; Bharat M, (ed.), Brass Monkey Books,
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Gonsalves RA, 2014, 'A Trail of Breadcrumbs: Tales of the Indian Australian Spatial Imaginary', presented at Conference of the Indian Association for the Study of Australia, Thiruvananthapuram, India, 23 January 2014 - 25 January 2014
    Creative Written Works | 2013
    Gonsalves RA, 2013, The Patron Saint of Excess Baggage, Joyful Strains: Making Australia Â鶹Éçmadou, McCarter K; Lemer A, (ed.), Affirm Press,
    Conference Presentations | 2013
    Gonsalves RA, 2013, 'What is the Capital of Frankfurt? Indian Publishing at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2012', presented at European Sociological Association Conference, Torino, Torino, Italy, 28 August 2013 - 31 August 2013
    Conference Presentations | 2013
    Gonsalves RA, 2013, 'What is the Capital of Frankfurt? Indian Publishing at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2012', presented at Journey of the Book Conference, University of Pune, Pune, India, 23 September 2013 - 25 September 2013
    Conference Presentations | 2012
    Gonsalves RA, 2012, 'All’s Fair at the Frankfurt Book Fair: An ethnography of a literary space', presented at Cultural Studies Association of Australia conference, University of Sydney, 04 December 2012 - 06 December 2013
    Conference Presentations | 2012
    Gonsalves RA, 2012, 'Creating the Creators', presented at Scenes of Reading, University of Sydney, Sydney, 25 May 2012 - 26 May 2012
    Creative Written Works | 2009
    Gonsalves R, 2009, Curry Muncher, Eureka Street,
    Conference Presentations | 2008
    Gonsalves RA, 2008, 'The Writer as Igneous or Sedimentary Rock: An exploration of the varied creative processes of novelists', presented at Australian Association of Writing Programs Conference, UTS, Sydney, 27 November 2008 - 29 November 2008
    Conference Presentations | 2007
    Gonsalves RA, 2007, 'Creating Fiction: Bourdieu’s Theory and Writing Practice', presented at Australian Association of Writing Programs Conference, Canberra, Canberra, 22 November 2007 - 23 November 2007

  • Australia Council for the Arts India Literature Exploratory Grant 2020
  • The Bridge Awards’ inaugural Varuna-Cove Park Residency Scotland 2019
  • Bundanon Writer-in-Residence 2018-19
  • Copyright Agency Â鶹Éçmadou Writer-in-Residence 2018
  • Australia Council for the Arts Literature Board Grant 2017
  • The Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Endeavour Award for PhD researchÌý2013-14
  • Australia Council for the Arts Literature Board New Work Emerging Writer Grant 2008

Ìý

  • Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence 2022
  • Varuna – Cove Park Scotland Writer-in-Residence, funded by The Bridge Awards, 2019
  • Bundanon Writer-in-Residence 2018-19
  • NSW Premier’s Literary Award Multicultural Prize 2018
  • Longlist, Dobbie Literary Award for a first-time published author 2018
  • Dean’s Award for Programs that Enhance Learning (team award led by Christopher Kremmer for UniPollWatch at Â鶹Éçmadou) 2017
  • Dean’s Student Leadership Award, Community category, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia 2012
  • Australian Writers Guild Award, Best Script, Community and Youth Theatre, 2011
  • Varuna Writers Centre Fellowship 2011
  • Longlisted for the Australian/Vogel Literary Awards 2009
  • Shortlisted for Varuna-Harper Collins Awards for Manuscript Development 2006

My Teaching

I am committed to a learner-centered paradigm in the teaching of Creative Writing. I aimÌýto meet each student where they are in their learning journeys, to inspire students to take imaginative risks, and to believe in their own imaginative capacities. I teach in the areas of prose fiction and nonfiction, writing for the screen and other media.Ìý

I am available to supervise PhD candidates work across all areas of Creative Writing, including creative practice (prose fiction and nonfiction, screenwriting, writing for performance), creativity studies, the sociology of literature, social media studies, and postcolonial literatures.

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