Academic Background and Administrative Functions

Although I began my studies in Heidelberg and Berlin (Philosophy, German, and English), my degrees are from Cambridge (MPhil in European Literature at King's College) and Oxford (MSt and DPhil in English Literature at Corpus Christi College), where I spent most of my student life and ended up doing my doctoral research.  After that I began working at Harlaxton College, the British study abroad campus of the American University of Evansville, where I taught a variety of literature and interdisciplinary courses and also helped to set up a new Centre for British Studies. Two years later, I became Universitair Docent (tenured Assistant/Associate Professor/Juniorprofessor) of English Literature and Interdisciplinary Studies here at the University of Amsterdam, where I have long been running the English Literature MA programme. From 2012-2015, furthermore, I served as interim chair of the English department's literature group and from 2016-2017 as Opleidingsdirecteur Noord-Europese Talen.

Thesis Supervision

I am happy to offer thesis supervision on most post-1500 English literature - including Shakespeare - but am particularly interested in topics involving Romantic, Victorian, and Modernist poetry, Victorian and twentieth-century novels, scientific discourse in relation to these, sociological theory and its relation to literature, and questions from analytical philosophy. I am also open to projects focusing on narrative non-print media such as computer games. My long-term research interest is into age group formations and generation conflicts in literature, so if you have a topic that relates to age in any way, I am likely to be a good fit.

I am currently co-ordinating and teaching the English MA core course 'Critical Approaches', the related 'Thesis Seminar', the Research MA Literary Studies core course 'Literature, History, and Reading Historically', and the BA honours course 'The Three Ages in English Literature: Youth, Adulthood, and Old Age from Shakespeare to the Present Day'. In addition, I am contributing to the MA elective 'Contemporary European Literature: The Postmodern Detective'. Finally, together with Dr Viktorija Kostadinova, I am running the film nights of the UvA English Department. Keep an eye open for our posters and announcements.

Although I am not co-ordinating our long-standing and prestigious departmental guest lecture series any more at the moment (my colleague Dr Emelia Quinn is doing the honours this year), I can still propose and host speakers, so feel free to approach me if you plan to come to town and our interests overlap.

In my time at the UvA, I have taught extensively at every level of our various degree programmes that involve English Literature and Culture, from first-year introductions to successfully defended PhDs. I have also directed a student performance of one of Chaucer's Canterbury tales, organized several study trips abroad, made a few guest appearances at Amsterdam University College and participated in various Erasmus teaching exchanges, all experiences I hope to repeat in the future if my schedule permits and appealing opportunities arise.

A very old, somewhat goofy, but not entirely uncharacteristic sample of my teaching is available online - in case you are interested in a lecture on Edgar Allan Poe's horror stories that is aimed at non-specialists.