A young academic from Cambridge University has come out on top after facing intense online criticism for her unconventional PhD thesis on “the politics of smell.”
Dr. Ally Louks, who is a supervisor in English literature, has received a flood of support after a difficult period of trolling and harsh comments, some of which were vile and even threatening.
Her work, titled Olfactory Ethics: The Politics of Smell in Modern and Contemporary Prose, sparked a viral response when she posted a photo holding the hardback copy of her thesis.
The Backlash and Negative Comments
Dr. Louks’ announcement of her completed PhD, with no corrections following her viva (oral examination), led to a huge social media backlash.
The post, which was shared widely, quickly garnered over 100 million views, 11,000 comments, and 20,000 reposts.
Sadly, many of these reactions were deeply negative.
Critics dismissed her thesis as “woke” and posted disturbing messages, including one person who suggested she should have “spent her years better by getting married and having children.”
Another comment accused her of having a “brain diseased and rotted by leftism.”
Unfortunately, the backlash didn’t stop there. Dr. Louks also received death threats and was even targeted by a troll who threatened her with sexual violence.
In response to the threats, she reported the individual to the police, reaffirming that such behavior is not acceptable and should not be tolerated in any form.
Turning the Tables on Her Critics
While the online harassment was undeniably difficult, Dr. Louks has had the last laugh.
She was recently signed by the prestigious international literary agency, Janklow and Nesbit, which will represent her for both her academic and trade books.
In a post on social media, Dr. Louks shared her excitement, saying: “I’m so delighted to share that I have signed with the brilliant Janklow UK literary agency, who will be representing both my academic and trade books.”
She also confirmed that she is currently working on a book for a general audience based on her research.
Dr. Louks admitted that the initial backlash helped her gain more opportunities, noting, “It doesn’t go over my head that the reason I have all these opportunities is because people responded to my work with such scepticism at first.”
Her Groundbreaking Thesis on Smell
Dr. Louks’ PhD explores an academic subject that many might find unusual – the “olfactory oppression” related to smell and how it influences societal structures like gender, class, race, and species.
One of the main focuses of her work involves the concept of “Foetor Judaicus,” the derogatory smell attributed to Jews by Hitler in Mein Kampf.
Dr. Louks also examined how certain smells were used to legitimize racism during the slave trade.
Despite the strong and often vicious criticism, some online commentators came to her defense, pointing out the sexist and misogynistic nature of the attacks. One person wrote, “Women cannot post about their achievements without getting harassed by misogynists.” Another said, “The worst thing you can be on social media is earnest and vulnerable, especially if you’re a woman.”
Support from Her Academic Community
Dr. Louks’ academic community has rallied behind her, with many praising her perseverance and dedication.
Prof. Andy Parker, Master at Peterhouse, commented that this kind of online harassment, particularly toward female academics, was not new but still troubling.
He pointed out that Dr. Louks’ research was a valuable academic subject, and the response should have focused on her achievement, not on culture war rhetoric.
Prof. Jennifer Richards, director of studies at the college, added that Dr. Louks had “shown how to do things differently” by being kind, recognizing others, and sharing her research in a meaningful way.
In the face of adversity, Dr. Louks has proven her resilience, and now, with the support of a top literary agency, she’s ready to take her work to an even wider audience.
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!
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