PhD in Hispanic Studies

The College has a strong collection of books, periodicals, videos and DVDs in Hispanic and Latin-American Studies. It also houses a comprehensive collection of Brazilian fiction films, Argentinean and Brazilian documentaries (see and the Bernat Metge collection(Catalan).
In addition, postgraduate students at Queen Mary also have access to the extensive resources of the British Library, and the University of London Library, at Senate House, where the Eliot Phelips collection of early printed Spanish books, the Joan Gili collection of Catalan books and specialist Latin-American holdings are located. The Warburg Institute Library, a famous interdisciplinary centre which specialises in the classical tradition, is also available to students. The University of London is also home to the Institute for Germanic and Romance Studies and the Institute for the Study of the Americas, in which we actively participate.
We provide supervision for MPhil and PhD theses in most areas of Spanish and Spanish-American linguistic, literary and cultural studies, film studies, Catalan and Brazilian literary and cultural studies, and comparative literature topics with a Hispanic element. In addition to more specialist seminars organised within the School, there is a Departmental Research Seminar, which is a focus for research in Hispanic Studies. We also hold a yearly full-day students’ symposium when students give papers and/or discuss research in progress. There is a comprehensive programme of training in research methods, academic writing, dissemination of research and oral presentations. Research Students are often invited to undertake undergraduate teaching for the Department.

Research areas The Department of Hispanic Studies is interested in receiving applications from prospective MPhil and PhD students across a wide range of areas. The Department has particular research strengths in the following areas:
Medieval Hispanic StudiesThe Department hosts the Medieval Hispanic Research Seminar, an internationally recognised research centre directed by Dr Rosa Vidal. Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars from Spain, America and elsewhere regularly spend extended periods working in association with the Seminar. Four or five meetings are held each term for discussion of work in progress and a two-day international colloquium is held each summer. The Department offers supervision in Medieval Spanish Studies in general and, in particular, in the Spanish Inquisition and inter-religious conflicts (Christian, Jews and Muslims).
Film StudiesProfessor Vieira offers modules and supervision on the MA in Film Studies on Argentine, Brazilian and Chilean Cinemas, with a particular focus on political history and gender representations (see page 109). Dr Garcia offers supervision in Cuban Cinema.

Modern PeninsularResearch expertise in Modern Peninsular Studies covers all genres of literature, film and cultural studies. Current specific research interests include poetry and poetics, drama and theatre under Franco, censorship studies, poetics of exile, cultural resistance, film, photography, popular culture and the study of migration. Current major interdisciplinary research projects feature the history of emotions and early modern madness. Dr Carrera is a co-founder of the recently established interdepartmental Centre for the History of the Emotions. Professor Nair is the Director of the Centre for Migration Studies and teaches on the MA programmes in Migration Studies.

Latin American StudiesLatin Americanists in the Department (Dr D’Allemand, Dr García and Professor Vieira) can offer research supervision in cultural history; cultural studies; history of ideas; exile; social, resistance and revolutionary movements; gender studies; film and literature. Research in the Latin American field covers all genres and periods. There is particular expertise on Brazil, Cuba, Central America, Colombia, the Caribbean, the Andean countries, the Southern Cone countries, and Cuban-Americans.

Brazilian StudiesThis area focuses on Brazilian Contemporary Culture in film, literature, music and photography. Our work with Brazilian artists includes, amongst others, Fernando Meirelles, Walter Salles, prominent women film directors, as well as major documentary filmmakers, such as Eduardo Coutinho, João Moreira Salles, Evaldo Mocarzel, José Padilha and Marcos Prado, and photographers such as Sebastião Salgado.

Catalan StudiesThe Department hosts the Centre for Catalan Studies (CCS), funded by the Institut Ramon Llull (Barcelona). The CCS produces and disseminates first-class research in Catalan Studies and trains new researchers in the area. It contributes to the institutionalisation of Catalan Studies in UK universities and promotes links between researchers in the UK, the Catalan-speaking lands and the US. The CCS also offers scholarships to PhD students working specifically in this area.

Hispanic and Romance LinguisticsThere is close collaboration with the Department of Linguistics, and linguists participate fully in the Linguistics Research Seminar. Professor Pountain convenes an annual Romance Linguistics Seminar attracting international participation in which Research Students regularly make presentations alongside established scholars.