Dennis Duncan

Dennis Duncan is an Associate Professor in English at University College London, with affiliations to the Royal Historical Society and the Society of Antiquaries of London. His expertise spans book history, translation studies, and experimental literary movements like the Oulipo.

• PhD in Translation and the Oulipo (Birkbeck, 2023)
• MSc in Computing (Birkbeck, 2002)
• MA in English (University of Manchester, 1996)
• BA(Hons) in English Language and Literature (University of Manchester, 1995)

Research focuses on book history (especially indexes and paratexts), translation practices (notably Oulipian and modernist works), and literary combinatorics. Recent work explores intersections between typography, narrative, and historical reception.

His publications include the monograph Index, A History of the (2021) and co-edited collections like Book Parts (2019). Articles analyze topics from audiobook evolution to the cultural significance of indexes.

• Fellow, Royal Historical Society (2021)
• Fellow, Society of Antiquaries of London (2021)

Duncan actively participates in academic events, including speaking engagements at Oxford (2025) and conferences on AI and indexing (2024). He contributes to public discourse through regular writing in the New York Times, Guardian, and Times Literary Supplement.