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Mikkel-Theis Paulsen

Title

PhD Student, MA in Comparative Literature

Primary affiliation

Mikkel-Theis Paulsen

Areas of expertise

  • Literary History
  • Early Modern Culture
  • Imperialism
  • Political Theory
  • Travel Writing

Contact information

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Profile

I work with Early Modern literature, art and culture with a special focus on Spain and England. My research interests include early imperialism, economics and travel writing, especially in relation to the 'New World'.
 

I have an interdisicplinary approach to the study of literary history. Therefore, I incorporate concepts and methodologies from comparative literature as well as cultural studies, political theory, economic history and philosophy.

Research

In my current project, I examine fictions of empire from Spain and England, 1588-1642 with a special focus on the ways by which early modern authors and playwrigths represented and interrogated gold and exotic wealth from the colonies. The massive influx of precious metals from Peru and Mexico had a tremendous impact on the societies and economies of Europe (especially Spain), but the role of this new exotic wealth in literature has so far been underexplored. In my research, I study literary fictions (drama, poetry and prose) as well as political and economic treatises, philosophy and travel writing.

Parts of my research have been published in the anthology: The Comedia Between Worlds: Critical Intersections in Early Modern Theatre (SMP, 2024)

Teaching activities

I lecture in Early Modern Literary History from 1500-1800, but I have a general interest in literature and culture from other periods relating to my research, especially from Spain and Latin America. In my teaching, I aim to give our students a broad, transnational perspective on Early Modernity, including literatures, cultures and networks outside the Anglo-European world.

Collaborations

I am a member of the Center for Early Modern Studies (CEMS) and the research programme HISTAC, both at Aarhus University. I collaborate with the HISTORIES research group at the University of Southern Denmark, and I am a former member of the Association for Hispanic Classical Theatre.

I have participated in conferences and symposiums, and presented my research in Denmark, Spain, Iceland and Italy. 

I have been an editor of the literary review Standart for several years, contributing with literary criticism as well as special editions on e.g. "The Baroque" and "Food & Literature". Furthermore, I have contributed to the Danish periodical ATLAS and disseminated my research in the online media Baggrund.com
 

Selected publications

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Selected activities

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