Ben Pladek

Dr. Ben Pladek is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of English at Marquette University. His research focuses on British Romanticism, literature and medicine, and medical humanities, with a particular interest in how literary works engage with medical ethics and pain management. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto and previously taught at the University of King's College in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His first book, *The Poetics of Palliation: Romantic Literary Therapy, 1790–1850* (2019), explores the intersection of Romantic literature and healthcare. He also writes speculative fiction, including the novel *Dry Land* (2023).

Pladek's research has been supported by grants such as the Marquette University Summer Faculty Fellowship (2018-19) and the University of Toronto Fellowship (2011-12). He teaches courses on 18th- and 19th-century British literature, literature and medicine, creative writing, and poetry. His creative work appears in journals like *Strange Horizons* and *Lightspeed*, and his critical essays contribute to interdisciplinary discussions in Romanticism and health humanities.

Pladek’s scholarly contributions blend literary analysis with medical history, emphasizing the role of narrative in healthcare. His current projects include a second novel and essays exploring speculative fiction's engagement with contemporary societal issues.