Paul db Watkins

Paul db Watkins is a Professor of English at Vancouver Island University, where he bridges literary and sonic practices through interdisciplinary research. His work intersects Canadian literature, African Canadian poetry, jazz improvisation, and Digital Humanities. He is affiliated with the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation and serves as Artistic Director for VIU's “Writers on Campus” series.

His research explores music-literature intersections, focusing on how sonic practices like DJing inform pedagogy and cultural critique. Current projects include a sound lab at VIU’s MeTA Lab and a forthcoming poetry collection, Listenings. Recent publications examine Thelonious Monk, Wu-Tang Clan, and Dionne Brand through lenses of resistance and identity.

• Books: SOUNDIN’ CANAAN: Black Canadian Poetry, Music, and Citizenship (WLU Press, 2025)
• DJ Projects: Dedications I-III, Portals (avant-garde sound art)