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Dr Rachel Robinson

DPhil, MPhil, BA

Contact Details

Lecturer Above The Bar
Spanish,
College of Arts, Social Science
& Celtic Studies,
University of Galway
E: Rachel.Robinson@universityofgalway.ie
 
researcher
 

Biography

I was appointed Lecturer in Spanish at the University of Galway in 2024. I received my BA from Barnard College, Columbia University in 2012, my MPhil (with distinction) from the University of Oxford in 2015, and my DPhil from the University of Oxford in 2018. After teaching as a lecturer in Spanish at Oxford (2017-2019), I held a postdoctoral fellowship under the mentorship of the Chilean avant-garde poet and academic Dr Felipe Cussen at the Universidad de Santiago de Chile (2020-2021). In 2022, I took up a position as an Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation (AVH) postdoctoral fellow under the mentorship of Prof. Dr. Jenny Haase at the Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg. 

At the center of my research is Latin American 20th- and 21st-century experimental poetry, as well as its relationship to trends in global avant-garde and conceptual writing. In particular, I analyze the experimental poetry and poetics of the 'Global South' and the Western Hemisphere and their links to other poetries from around the world. Just as experimental poetry invites the reader to participate actively in making semantic and sensorial meaning, I aim in my teaching to facilitate, not dictate, the questioning capacities of students as they explore new paths of understanding.

Research Interests

At the center of my research is Latin American 20th- and 21st-century experimental poetry, as well as its relationship to trends in global avant-garde and conceptual writing. In particular, I analyze the experimental poetry and poetics of the `Global South' and the Western Hemisphere and their links to other poetries from around the world. I read this poetry within the context of recent theoretical discussions, especially ecocriticism, theories of gender and sexuality, new materialisms, text and image studies and translation theories that question ontological and relational ways of being between languages, cultures, texts, author and reader, and the human and the non-human. The principles inhabiting this poetry cross disciplinary, temporal, lingual, cultural, ontological and even biological boundaries, guiding us to re-evaluate those boundaries themselves.

My publications to date include works on topics that engage a wide-range of poetic material and literary, cultural and philosophical concepts. My recently published monograph, Visual and Plastic Poetics (Legenda, 2022) illuminates poetic works of three Chilean neo-avant-garde poets, Cecilia Vicuña (1947-), Juan Luis Martínez (1942-1993) and Rodrigo Lira (1949-1981) through the lens of Brazilian concrete poetics (1950s-onward). In my publications, I have covered subjects on visual, anti-, feminist, migration, sound, digital and elegiac poetry from the Western Hemisphere in the 20th and 21st Centuries.

Drawing on my previous research, I am developing a new monograph under the working title, The Ontology of Object-Poems in Latin America. 20th- and 21st-century Latin American poets produced an innovative form of poetry, object-poetry (poetry that is three-dimensional or at least evokes three-dimensions), that, I suggest, uniquely responded to the region's political and social history. Through a comparative study, I plan to illuminate the character and function of such poems, as both expressions of Latin America's diverse literary history and explicit critiques of its commodity culture and racial, gendered and economic hierarchies. Reading such poetry, I hypothesize, will help us break down our assumptions about what poetry is and, by understanding and transforming how we interact with poetry, how we participate in the human and nonhuman world around us.

My participation in the global academic community as well as extra-academic activities demonstrates my commitment to reaching audiences both within and beyond the immediate scope of my research and reinforces the fundamentally international scope and intention of my work. audiences.  I am currently participating in vibrant networks of Latin American scholars from around the world as well as various interdisciplinary reading groups. I have presented at many different international conferences and seminars and, by invitation, I have written for online poetry and culture blogs and presented at public venues.

Books

  Year Publication
(2022) Visual and Plastic Poetics: From Brazilian Concretism to the Chilean Neo-Avant-Garde.
Robinson, Rachel (2022) Visual and Plastic Poetics: From Brazilian Concretism to the Chilean Neo-Avant-Garde. Oxford: Legenda. [Details]

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2023) ''Language is à virus': Tendencias de la poesía sonora chilena actual'
Cussen, Felipe; Bakero, Martín; Robinson, Rachel (2023) ''Language is à virus': Tendencias de la poesía sonora chilena actual'. English Studies in America: A Journal of Cultural and Literary Criticism, 24 :4-21 [Details]
(2022) 'The Spirituality of Language in Cecilia Vicuña's and Ana María Uribe's Poetry'
Robinson, Rachel; Cussen, Felipe (2022) 'The Spirituality of Language in Cecilia Vicuña's and Ana María Uribe's Poetry'. Bulletin Of Spanish Studies, [Details]
(2021) ''PRINTED MATTER': Rodrigo Lira's Visual Antipoetics'
Robinson, Rachel (2021) ''PRINTED MATTER': Rodrigo Lira's Visual Antipoetics'. Hispanic Review, 489 (3):265-291 [Details]
(2021) 'Restricciones e instrucciones en la literatura chilena reciente'
Cussen, Felipe; Robinson, Rachel (2021) 'Restricciones e instrucciones en la literatura chilena reciente'. Nueva Revista del Pacífico, 75 :1-18 [Details]
(2018) 'Plastic Poetry of the Page: Cecilia Vicuña's Instan'
Robinson, Rachel (2018) 'Plastic Poetry of the Page: Cecilia Vicuña's Instan'. Latin American Literary Review, 45 (90):33-43 [Details]

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2024) ''Language is the Translator': Formal and Linguistic Disruption in the Migration Poetry of Cecilia Vicuña and m. nourbeSe philip'
Robinson, Rachel (2024) ''Language is the Translator': Formal and Linguistic Disruption in the Migration Poetry of Cecilia Vicuña and m. nourbeSe philip' In: The Routledge Companion to Migration Literature. Oxford: Routledge. [Details]
(2024) 'Precarious Elegy: The Form of Mourning in the Poetry of Cecilia Vicuña'
Robinson, Rachel (2024) 'Precarious Elegy: The Form of Mourning in the Poetry of Cecilia Vicuña' In: Elegy Today: Revisions, Rejections, Re-Mappings. Leiden: Brill. [Details]

Book Review

  Year Publication
(2024) Poetas hispanoamericanas contemporáneas: Poéticas y metapoéticas.
Robinson, Rachel (2024) Poetas hispanoamericanas contemporáneas: Poéticas y metapoéticas. Hispanic Research Journal Book Review [Details]

Conference Contributions

  Year Publication
(2024) Spanish Department Research Gathering,
Robinson, Rachel (2024) Visual, Concrete and Object Poetry from Latin America. [Invited Oral Presentation], Spanish Department Research Gathering, University of Galway , 17-JAN-24. [Details]
(2024) American Comparative Literature Association,
Robinson, Rachel (2024) 'Reinventing the Ritual': Radical Repetition in Contemporary Experimental Poetry. [Conference Paper], American Comparative Literature Association, Montreal , 14-MAR-24. [Details]
(2023) Kolloquium Neueste Forschungen zur spanishsprachigen Literatur-Kulturwissenschaft,
Robinson, Rachel (2023) Tomás Browne y su jardín poético. [Invited Paper], Kolloquium Neueste Forschungen zur spanishsprachigen Literatur-Kulturwissenschaft, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , 03-MAY-23. [Details]
(2023) Kolloquium Neueste Forschungen zur spanishsprachigen Literatur-Kulturwissenschaft,
Robinson, Rachel (2023) Translation in Migration Poetry: The Cases of Cecilia Vicuña and M. NourbeSe Philip. [Invited Paper], Kolloquium Neueste Forschungen zur spanishsprachigen Literatur-Kulturwissenschaft, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , 11-JAN-23. [Details]
(2023) Poetry Colloquium,
Robinson, Rachel (2023) South American Object-Poems and a Poem of Dissent. [Invited Paper], Poetry Colloquium, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , 09-NOV-23. [Details]
(2023) I Congreso Internacional de Humanidades ecológicas: pensamiento, arte y educación ante las crisis y para las transiciones ecosociales,
Robinson, Rachel (2023) Tinta, plantas y óxido: El jardín poético de Tomás Browne. [Conference Paper], I Congreso Internacional de Humanidades ecológicas: pensamiento, arte y educación ante las crisis y para las transiciones ecosociales, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , 22-MAY-23. [Details]
(2023) Radical Repetition: London Conference in Critical Thought,
Robinson, Rachel (2023) Rec(h)ording Elegy: Repetition, Memory and Empathy in the Poetry of Cecilia Vicuña. [Conference Paper], Radical Repetition: London Conference in Critical Thought, London Metropolitan University , 01-JUN-23. [Details]
(2022) Literatur- und Kulturwissenschaftliches Sommerkolloquium,
Robinson, Rachel (2022) Ontology of Object-Poems in Latin America. [Invited Paper], Literatur- und Kulturwissenschaftliches Sommerkolloquium, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Wittenberg , 22-SEP-22. [Details]
(2021) Primer Congreso Liminal,
Robinson, Rachel (2021) La performance poética de una huelga de hambre: Bobby Sands desfallece en el muro de Carmen Berenguer. [Conference Paper], Primer Congreso Liminal, Universidad de Santiago de Chile , 28-JAN-21. [Details]
(2021) Green Hispanisms Conference,
Robinson, Rachel (2021) Rodrigo Lira¿s Eco-Antipoetics. [Conference Paper], Green Hispanisms Conference, Swansea , 15-JUL-21. [Details]
(2021) Objetos sobre la mesa: El giro material en la literatura,
Robinson, Rachel (2021) Espíritu a través de lo material: Los poemas digitales de Ana María Uribe. [Conference Paper], Objetos sobre la mesa: El giro material en la literatura, Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago , 16-SEP-21. [Details]
(2020) Bern,
Robinson, Rachel (2020) La neo-vanguardia lationoamericana: El caso de Carmen Berenguer. [Invited Lecture], Bern, University of Bern , 11-NOV-20. [Details]
(2019) ZTR Radio roundtable discussion,
Robinson, Rachel (2019) Latin American Women's Poetry. [Oral Presentation], ZTR Radio roundtable discussion, Instituto Cervantes, London , 21-SEP-19. [Details]
(2019) La Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso,
Robinson, Rachel (2019) Juan Luis Martínez a través de Saussure, Barthes y Foucault. [Invited Lecture], La Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso , 20-MAR-19. [Details]
(2019) American Comparative Literature Association,
Robinson, Rachel; Bardazzi, Adele (2019) The Works of Cecilia Vicuña and Antonella Anedda as Poetic Textiles¿. [Conference Paper], American Comparative Literature Association, Washington, DC , 14-MAR-19. [Details]
(2017) Brazil Week 2017,
Robinson, Rachel (2017) Brazilian Concrete Poetry. [Invited Paper], Brazil Week 2017, University of Oxford , 17-FEB-17. [Details]
(2016) Outside-In/Inside-Out: A Festival of Outside and Subterranean poetry,
Robinson, Rachel (2016) Betweenness in the Work of Cecilia Vicuña. [Conference Paper], Outside-In/Inside-Out: A Festival of Outside and Subterranean poetry, University of Glasgow , 21-OCT-16. [Details]
(2016) Spanish and Latin American Graduate Seminar,
Robinson, Rachel (2016) What is Concrete Poetry?. [Invited Paper], Spanish and Latin American Graduate Seminar, University of Oxford , 06-MAY-16. [Details]
(2016) Latin American Literary Studies Association Annual Conference,
Robinson, Rachel (2016) The Concrete Poetics of Juan Luis Martínez. [Conference Paper], Latin American Literary Studies Association Annual Conference, York , 10-NOV-16. [Details]
(2016) Spanish Sub-Faculty Graduate Research Seminar,
Robinson, Rachel (2016) Concrete Poetry and Juan Luis Martínez's La nueva novela. [Invited Paper], Spanish Sub-Faculty Graduate Research Seminar, University of Oxford , 08-NOV-16. [Details]
(2016) St Cross Arts Society,
Robinson, Rachel (2016) Concrete Poetry. [Invited Paper], St Cross Arts Society, University of Oxford , 10-FEB-16. [Details]

Blog

  Year Publication
(2022) Synapse International.
Robinson, Rachel (2022) Synapse International. Blog [Details]

Translation

  Year Publication
(2021) Sonetos prestados.
Robinson, Rachel (Translator), Gilbert, Annette (2021) Sonetos prestados. Tenso Diagonal 12 Translation [Details]
(2021) En buena salud.
Robinson, Rachel (Translator), Morris, Simon (2021) En buena salud. Tenso Diagonal 12 Translation [Details]
(2021) Perdón.
Robinson, Rachel (translator) (2021) Perdón. Tenso Diagonal 12 Translation [Details]
(2021) Contra el inglés: la escritura conceptual y el poema multilingüe.
Robinson, Rachel (translator), Skoulding, Zöe (2021) Contra el inglés: la escritura conceptual y el poema multilingüe. Tenso Diagonal 12 Translation [Details]
(2021) Publicación de manifiestos de publicación.
Robinson, Rachel (translator), Pichler, Michalis (2021) Publicación de manifiestos de publicación. Tenso Diagonal 12 Translation [Details]
(2021) Poesía en la época del contenido generado por el consumidor.
Robinson, Rachel (translator), Dworkin, Craig (2021) Poesía en la época del contenido generado por el consumidor. Tenso Diagonal 12 Translation [Details]

Honours and Awards

  Year Title Awarding Body
2024 Strategic Research Development Scheme School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, University of Galway
2022 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
2020 DICYT Postdoctoral award Universidad de Santiago de Chile
2018 Nomination for the Association of Hispanists of Great Britain & Ireland Thesis Publication Prize Nominated by DPhil viva examiners
2016 Santander Travel Award Santander
2016 Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages Travel Grant University of Oxford
2016 St Cross College Travel Grant St Cross College, University of Oxford
2015 Cañada Blanch Foundation Award Cañada Blanch Foundation, University of Manchester

Professional Associations

  Association Function From / To
Association of the Studies of Literature and Environment Member /
American Comparative Literature Association Member /
Association of Hispanists of Great Britain and Ireland Member /
Latin American Literary Studies Association Member /
Women in Spanish and Portuguese Studies Member /
Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation Fellow /
Association for the Study of Arts of the Present Member /
Society for Latin American Studies Member /
Instituto Internacional de Literatura Iberoamericana Member /
Modern Languages Association Member /

Committees

  Committee Function From / To
School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures Research Committee Member /

Employment

  Employer Position From / To
USACH DIYCT postdoctoral fellow 30-APR-20 / 30-APR-21
Polity Books Translation Reviewer 01-JAN-18 /
St Catherine's College, University of Oxford Spanish Lecturer 01-OCT-17 / 31-DEC-19
Fondo de la Música, Línea Investigación y Registro de la Música Nacional, Investigación, Publicación y Difusión Research Assistant 01-MAY-21 / 28-FEB-22
Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow 01-JUL-22 / 31-DEC-23

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2015 University of Oxford MPhil Medieval and Modern Languages
2012 Barnard College, Columbia University BA Spanish and Latin American Studies
2018 University of Oxford DPhil Modern Languages

Other Activities

  Description

Co-Organizer of symposium: `Materia poética. Poesía, materialidades y el medio ambiente en las literaturas hispánicas contemporáneas¿ (Sept. 2024, Martin-Luther Universität Halle-Wittenberg); with Prof. Dr. Jenny Haase; partially funded by Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Member of PoEx: Poéticas experimentales transatlánticas (transatlantic network)

Co-Organizer: Marx Reading Group (Oxford, Santiago, Stanford, Johannesburg)

Contributor to `Libros sin papel: IV festival de libros¿; Oficina de la nada (Chile); https://laoficinadelanada.cl/

Co-organizer: Argentina Week Oct 2019; a week of talks and events exploring and celebrating culture and ideas from Argentina; funded by TORCH, Cervantes Institute (London), Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages (U Oxford)

Member: Zentrum für Inderdisziplinäre Regionalstudien Reading Group (MLU)

Member: Adorno Reading Group (University of Glasgow)

Teaching Interests

Spanish and Latin American literature
Latin American poetry
20th- and 21st-century poetry and poetics
Spanish language
Latin American visual culture
Literary theory
Migration literature
Ecological literature
Gender and literature