David Boyk

David Boyk is an Associate Professor at Northwestern University's Department of Asian Languages and Cultures. He specializes in Hindi-Urdu language and literature, alongside broader research in South Asian literature, film, and history.

His work bridges South Asian urban history with contemporary cultural studies, focusing on provincial intellectual networks, Bollywood cinema, food studies, and the evolution of Hindi-Urdu linguistic traditions. His book Provincial Metropolis (2025) and peer-reviewed articles in journals like Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East and South Asia highlight his interdisciplinary approach.

He coauthored the interactive Urdu script textbook Zer o Zabar (2023) with Daniel Majchrowicz and is currently translating Urdu short stories by Saadat Hasan Manto and Qazi Abdul Ghaffar. His research explores the interplay between provinciality and cultural innovation in colonial India.