Research interests
Michael currently concentrates on Critical Love Studies and their grounding in a wide range of critical theory, linking narrative approaches from literary studies, linguistics, social sciences and psychology.
Postgraduate supervision
Michael welcomes PhD project proposals in German and comparative literature or cultural studies on any period from the 1750s onwards. Ideas for contemporary studies are also very welcome.
Students' research interests should broadly match his so they can get the most out of his supervision.
These include the history of emotions, critical theory (in particular gender theory and queer theory), work across genres of "high" and "popular" culture, and research which combines methodologies from the arts and humanities, and social sciences.
Michael's research focus is currently on experiences and representations of romantic love (erotically charged, intimate love between non-related adults). He would be very happy to consider research topics on any other phenomenological type of love.
He especially welcomes students with an interest in researching experiences of love which involve issues of physical disability, mental health, non-neurotypical people, non-conformist expressions of gender or sexualilty, age (young & old), or migration.