Christina Laffin

Christina Laffin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Arts. Her research focuses on medieval Japanese women's literature, education, and cultural practices.

• Affiliation: Faculty of Arts, Department of Asian Studies
• Academic Rank: Associate Professor

Research Interests:
Dr. Laffin specializes in medieval travel diaries, women's education before 1600, and poetic practices in waka culture. Her work engages with gender theory, autobiographical writing, and noh theatre, using comparative frameworks to analyze medieval literature across cultural boundaries.

Publication Trends:
Her scholarship combines analysis of classical Japanese texts like The Diary of the Sixteenth Night with comparative studies of European medieval literature. She contributes to ecocriticism in Japanese studies and examines textual transmission in female-authored works, including translations and critical editions of premodern sources.

Academic Contributions:
Dr. Laffin has organized international workshops on waka culture and Komonjo manuscripts, co-edited volumes on noh theatre, and served as managing editor for Gender and Japanese History. She has presented at conferences in Japan, Europe, and North America on topics ranging from female courtly advice to poetic capitals and journeys.