College:
St Anne’s College
Thesis Title:
Queer Metropolises: Representations of Urban Spaces in Post-1980 East Asian Queer Literature
Supervisor:
Dr. Linda Flores
Educational background:
University of Manchester, MA Modern and Contemporary Literature (2023-24)
University College London, Affiliate Arts and Sciences (2021-22)
Hitotsubashi University, Japan, BA Social Sciences (2019-23)
Biography:
During his studies at Hitotsubashi University and the University of Manchester, Sen Huang explored a wide range of interests spanning English and comparative literature, critical theory, social thought, French, and gender and sexuality studies. Now pursuing a DPhil at Oxford, his research centers on Sino-Japanese comparative literature, with a particular focus on East Asian queer (tongzhi/ku’er) literature from the 1980s to the 2000s. His current project examines how queer subjects navigate the (post)modern metropolis in the post-1980 era, drawing connections across Sinophone literature (from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan) and Japanese texts. By bridging East Asian literary contexts with theoretical frameworks often rooted in the West, his work seeks to foster a critical dialogue that rethinks the West/East relationship and challenges dominant epistemologies in queer and literary studies.
Research interests:
Sinophone and Japanese Literature;
Queer Theory;
Gender and sexuality studies;
Literary topography and spatial critics
Recent publications:
“Abandoned Sons and Futureless Futures: Queer Anti-Futurity in Mu Cao’s In the Face of Death We Are Equal”, 122nd Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association (PAMLA) Conference, United States (20-23 November 2025, San Francisco)
“Is the Rectum a Void? - Cui Zi-en’s Peached-Coloured Lips Queers China” Counter-Narratives, University of Glasgow Arts and Humanities Postgraduate Conference (11th-12th of June, 2025, Glasgow)
