About
Orrin Wang is a Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of Maryland, with an affiliation in American Studies. He holds a joint appointment in the College of Arts and Humanities. His research focuses on the intersection of Romanticism and literary theory, with particular emphasis on media studies, cultural studies, and the philosophical underpinnings of Romantic literature. Wang’s work bridges historical texts with contemporary theoretical frameworks, examining themes like mediation, modernity, and the Anthropocene.
His publications include Fantastic Modernity (1996), Romantic Sobriety (2011), and Techno-Magism (2022), which explore Romanticism’s engagement with media, commodity culture, and critical theory. He has also edited Frankenstein in Theory (2021) and serves as General Editor of Romantic Circles.
Wang has received prestigious recognitions such as the Jean-Pierre Barricelli Prize (2011), the Marilyn Gaull Book Award Shortlist (2022), and the Keats Shelley Association’s Distinguished Scholar Award (2021). His current research examines the interplay of fantasy and the death drive in works by Keats, Tennyson, and N.K. Jemisin.
He teaches courses on Romanticism, media theory, and the Gothic, and his scholarship often critiques narratives of sobriety in Romantic thought while engaging with post-Romantic media forms. His interdisciplinary approach integrates psychoanalysis, art history, and cultural critique, reflecting his commitment to rethinking Romanticism’s relevance to modern intellectual discourse.
