Miriam Lay Brander

Professor Miriam Lay Brander serves as Head of the Chair of Romance Literary Studies II and Director of the Central Institute of Latin American Studies (ZILAS) at the Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt since 2018. Previously, she held research positions at the University of Konstanz where she completed her doctorate (2010) and habilitation (2017), and received a Junior-Fellowship at the University of Bern (2016-2017).

Her research spans Latin American literature, post-colonial studies, genre theory, aphorism studies, digital humanities, Caribbean studies, and Amazonian studies. Professor Lay Brander employs innovative approaches to analyzing space-time configurations in literature, particularly in urban contexts and post-colonial settings. Her work often examines how literary forms transform across cultural boundaries with special attention to archipelagic approaches to literature and digital memory practices.

Professor Lay Brander's recent publications demonstrate a growing focus on ecological perspectives in Latin American literature, particularly regarding Amazonian studies, while maintaining her established expertise in genre transformation and post-colonial discourse. Her work bridges traditional literary analysis with contemporary digital humanities approaches, creating interdisciplinary connections between literary studies, memory studies, and spatial theory.

• Werner Krauss Prize of the German Hispanic Association (2013)
• Award of the City of Konstanz for promotion of young scientists (2011)
• Baden-Württemberg Foundation's elite programme scholarship (2014-2017)
• Brigitte-Schlieben-Lange-Programme scholarship (2011-2014)

Professor Lay Brander currently supervises seven doctoral candidates and one postdoctoral researcher, with research projects spanning topics from Venezuelan migrant women's literature to Amazonian representations. She leads two major DFG-funded projects including 'Practicing Place: Soziokulturelle Praktiken und epistemische Konfigurationen' (2025-2030) and 'Espacio, tiempo y género en la literatura narrativa de las mujeres migrantes venezolanas' (2024-2027). Her editorial work includes the series 'Americana Eystettensia' and 'Transozeanische Literatur- und Kulturbeziehungen', demonstrating her commitment to fostering scholarly exchange in Latin American studies.

As Director of ZILAS, Professor Lay Brander oversees a vibrant research center dedicated to interdisciplinary Latin American studies, providing students and researchers with resources and opportunities for collaborative work across disciplinary boundaries. Her leadership has strengthened the university's connections with Latin American academic institutions and research networks.