Imke Meyer

Imke Meyer, PhD is a Professor in Germanic Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on narrative theory, critical theory, gender studies, visual culture, and German/Austrian literature and film from the late 19th to 20th century. She has held notable positions such as Senior Research Fellow at the University Alliance Ruhr (2024-2025) and Helen Herrmann Chair at Bryn Mawr College (2011-2013).

• Education: PhD from University of Washington

Her research integrates queer theory, critical approaches to urban spaces, and interdisciplinary analysis of cultural texts. Recent work explores Kafka’s legacy in AI contexts, Grillparzer’s queered genealogies, and Barbara Albert’s feminist film aesthetics. She has edited special journal issues on topics like human rights in German intellectual history and Kafka’s centenary impact.

Her 15 most recent articles (2025-2011) reflect themes of posthumanism, transnational cultural memory, and gendered modernity. Notable works include analyses of Schnitzler’s urban anxiety, Grillparzer’s sensory epistemology, and Stifter’s queer realism. These publications demonstrate methodological innovation in combining textual analysis with historical and theoretical frameworks.

Awards include the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award (2002) and DAAD Research Grant (2002). She serves as Series Editor for Bloomsbury’s New Directions in German Studies and editorial board member for Journal of Austrian Studies.

Her academic leadership includes curating interdisciplinary forums and fostering global collaborations. Current work expands into digital humanities and AI’s intersection with literary analysis.