Darren McGarvey, also known as Loki, is a writer, columnist and hip hop recording artist, who has made regular media appearances as a social commentator. He grew up in Pollok on the south side of Glasgow, and has lived through extreme poverty, addiction and homelessness. He has written and presented eight programmes on social deprivation for BBC Radio Scotland and been a regular media contributor. His first book, Poverty Safari, was an instant bestseller and won the Orwell Book Prize. His latest book, The Social Distance Between Us, was serialised on BBC Radio 4, leading to him giving a Reith Lecture in 2022.
Fellows are nominated by peers and elected by our Council of writers – our governing Board. Being elected a Fellow of the RSL is a lifetime honour. This role gives them the opportunity to support other writers, readers and the future of literature. The RSL connects writers in the Fellowship to one another, and to a wider readership.
