Uwe Durst

PD Dr. Uwe Durst is a Lecturer in Literary Studies at the Institute for Speech and Communication Pedagogy, State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart, specializing in literary theory and fantastic literature. His academic career spans over two decades with appointments at the University of Stuttgart, University of Kassel, and Musikhochschule Stuttgart.

Education

• Master of Arts in General and Comparative Literature and Art History (University of Stuttgart/Saarland University, 1996)
• PhD in Literary Theory (University of Stuttgart, 1999)
• Habilitation: The Limited Marvelous: On the Theory of Marvelous Episodes in Realistic Narrative Texts (University of Stuttgart, 2008)

Dr. Durst's research focuses on the theoretical frameworks of fantastic literature, magic realism, and narrative structures. His work bridges literary theory with media studies, examining how reality-systemic structures operate across traditional and contemporary media. He has pioneered analysis of parahistorical literature and alienation techniques in narrative sequences.

His publications reveal consistent engagement with interdisciplinary approaches, connecting literary theory to television studies (e.g., The Sopranos analysis) and advertising semiotics. The trajectory shows increasing integration of media studies with traditional literary analysis.

Scientific Awards

• Hans-Bernhard-Schiff-Preis der Stadt Saarbrücken (2024)
• Vincent Preis for Best Horror Anthology (2024)
• Preisträger der Freunde der Universität Stuttgart (1996)
• Essay-Wettbewerb des Landes Baden-Württemberg (1999)

Dr. Durst has secured multiple research grants including DFG funding (2003-2006) and Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg support (2002). He co-organized the interdisciplinary conference The Marvelous: Dimensions of a Phenomenon in Art and Culture (2015) and co-edited the resulting publication (2018). His creative writing complements his academic work, with three published horror story collections that demonstrate practical application of his theoretical frameworks.

As a founding member of the Gesellschaft für Fantastikforschung (2010), he has shaped institutional frameworks for fantastic literature studies while maintaining active peer review roles for the Zeitschrift für Fantastikforschung.