Simone Pfleger

Simone Pfleger is an Associate Professor with dual appointments in Women’s and Gender Studies and Modern Languages and Cultural Studies at the University of Alberta. They hold a PhD and specialize in gender and queer theoretical methodologies, examining temporality, political subjectivity, affect, intimacy, and precarity in post-2000 German-language literature, film, and culture. Their first monograph, *Un timely Bodies, Un timely Aesthetics: Temporality, Relationality, and Intimacy in the Cinema of the Berlin School* (2023), analyzes queer temporal frameworks in visual narratives.

Research Interests: Their work intersects gender studies, queer theory, and cultural analysis. Current projects include Making Strides, an autoethnographic study linking ultra-distance trail running to critiques of binary gender norms and advocacy for policy reforms in Alberta’s athletic events. This project bridges physical embodiment, cultural critique, and socio-political activism.

Teaching: In Fall 2025, they teach GERM 460: Seminar in Literature, WGS 220: Feminism and Popular Culture, and WGS 470: Sexualities: Special Topics. In Winter 2026, they lead MLCS 652: Critical Theory II for graduate students.

Advising & Grants: While specific grants are not listed, their interdisciplinary research integrates theory and practice, reflecting a commitment to both scholarly and community-engaged work. Courses emphasize feminist critiques of cultural representation and contemporary sexuality studies.

Labs/Teams: Collaborations are implied through their policy-oriented research on gender norms in athletic events, though no formal lab names are specified.