Åsa Arping

Åsa Arping serves as Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Gothenburg, where she is affiliated with the Department of Literature, History of Ideas, and Religion. With a distinguished academic career spanning over two decades, she has held significant leadership roles including Associate Head of Department for Education (2011-2016) and representation on the University Board (2019-2022).

• PhD and Docent (Swedish academic qualification equivalent to Associate Professor)
• Professor in Comparative Literature at University of Gothenburg
• Dean, Faculty of Humanities
• Former Associate Head of Department for Education (2011-2016)
• Former member of University Board (2019-2022)

Arping's research focuses on literature in relation to gender, class and intersectionality, with particular expertise in literary criticism, essay writing, literary history writing, canon formation, and critical editing. Her work prominently features Swedish and British 19th century fiction, examining how literary traditions intersect with social structures. She has made significant contributions to understanding literary reception, particularly through her work on "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and its cultural impact across Nordic countries.

Her recent publications reveal consistent engagement with contemporary debates about literary canon formation, academic freedom, and the societal relevance of humanities education. Arping frequently addresses the relationship between literature and social structures, with particular attention to class representation in contemporary Swedish fiction. Her work demonstrates ongoing commitment to feminist literary scholarship and intersectional approaches to literary analysis.

• Member of August Prize jury (2008-2010)
• Member of working group distributing grants for translated literature in Swedish Arts Council (2000-2003)
• Editorial leadership on multiple academic journals including Kriterium and Samlaren

As an academic leader, Arping has supervised three postgraduate students and contributed to educational development through her role as Associate Head of Department. Her externally funded research projects, including "Doing Class: Intersectional Encounters in Swedish Contemporary Fiction" and "Swedish Women Writers on Export in the Nineteenth Century," demonstrate her commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship. Arping has also been actively involved in editorial work, serving as Editor in Chief of Kriterium (2017-2022) and contributing to numerous academic publications.