Claudia Leitner

Claudia Leitner is a Senior Scientist at the Department of Romance Studies, University of Vienna, specializing in Hispanic literatures, cultural studies, and ecocriticism. Her work bridges colonialism, feminist theory, and animal studies with a focus on Mexico and Mesoamerica.

Education

• Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literature, University of Vienna (2001)
• M.A. in Hispanic Studies & English and American Studies, University of Vienna (1995)
• Business and Economics, WU Vienna (1986-1992)

Research Interests

Leitner’s research explores intersections of colonial and postcolonial discourse, feminist theory, and animal studies, with particular emphasis on ecocritical frameworks in Spanish and Latin American literature. She investigates cultural memory and gender dynamics in the Americas, often analyzing texts through posthumanist and interdisciplinary lenses.

Selected Scientific Awards

• KWA Grant for research at UNAM and Colegio de México (1994)
• Joint Study Scholarship BA (Hons) English, UC Dublin (1990-1991)

Academic Contributions

Her publications span Malinche studies, zoopoetics, and enlightenment-era cultural analysis, with a focus on Mexican and Central American literary traditions. She co-edited interdisciplinary volumes on human-animal-machine relationships and served as executive editor of the LAF Austria publication series Investigaciones: Research on Latin America (2015-2021).