Francisco Chen-López

Francisco (Paco) Chen-López, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at Spelman College's Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Academic Center since 2022, specializing in World Languages and Cultures. His research focuses on contemporary Spanish American narratives, particularly exploring diaspora, race, identity, and trauma through the lens of Chinatown representation across Latin American literatures.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Hispanic Literature, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • M.A. in Spanish Languages and Cultures, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan
  • B.A. in Spanish Languages and Cultures with German minor, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan

Chen-López investigates intersections between Latin American literature and Chinese diasporic experiences, analyzing how narratives of otherness, trauma, and spatial identity are constructed in works from Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Argentina. His publications appear in journals like Latin American Literary Review and Transmodernity.

His refereed articles examine topics such as Chinese Brazilian identity in speculative fiction, queer transgression in Chino-Latinoamerican literature, and transpacific connections in Spanish American poetry and novels. The research demonstrates consistent engagement with critical theory, particularly frameworks addressing violence, hybridity, and cultural documentation.