Our Research
Research Areas
We have a thriving postgraduate community connected to the Department, both at Masters and at PhD level. Staff members have an excellent track record in supervising a wide range of research topics. Specialist expertise includes:
Stephen Boyd: Golden Age literature, art and history; historical relations between Iberia and Ireland; translations and editions of Medieval and Golden Age texts
Dr Céire Broderick: Latin American literature and culture; Feminist and Decolonial studies
Dr Helena Buffery: Contemporary Hispanic theatre and performance; Catalan Studies; Iberian Studies; literary translation and Translation Studies
Professor Nuala Finnegan: Mexican and US Latino Studies; Latin American literature, film and visual arts; Gender and Women's Studies
Carlos Garrido Castellano: Visual Culture; Visual Arts; Postcolonial Criticism; Caribbean Studies; Curating; Cultural Theory; Activism and Cultural Creativity; Iberian Studies.
Dr Cara Levey: Contemporary Latin American history, culture and society; in particular, Human Rights, Justice and activism and Memory Studies
Estefanía Muñoz Gómez: Language pedagogy and acquisition, translation competence, translator training and education, non-professional translation, multilingual workplace practices
Dr Pedro Nilsson-Fernàndez: Literary spaces in post-war Catalonia; GIS; Digital Humanities in the context of Iberian minoritised languages and cultures
Research in SPLAS
The Department of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies has a strong commitment to providing all students with a learning experience that is both informed and driven by research. All full-time academics teach in areas in which they are currently research active, and all staff are encouraged to participate in our dynamic research culture.
Core research areas in the Department span Medieval and Golden Age, Modern and Contemporary Spanish literature, Art and Translation, including specialist interest in the diverse languages and cultures of the Iberian Peninsula, especially Catalan and Galician. In Latin American Studies the Department has long-standing strengths in the study of Mexican and US Latino culture, as well as in South America, especially Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
As well as extensive work in these core fields, we have a strong commitment to inter- and cross-disciplinary initiatives in three major areas: Visual and Performance Cultures; Literary Translation and Translation Studies, and Travel, Migration and Mobility Studies.
View our blog which we keep up to date with the most recent research events happening within the Department.