Chair of English Literature and Cultural Studies

Prof. Zwierlein studied at the Universities of Bonn, Oxford (Exeter College) and Münster (1991-96) and received scholarships from the 'Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes' (German National Academic Foundation) and the 'DAAD' (German Academic Exchange Service). From 1997-2001 she was research assistant in English Literature and associate lecturer in Comparative Literature at the University of Münster. She held a Ph.D. scholarship from the 'Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes' during that time. Her Ph.D. was completed in 2000 ("summa cum laude"; dissertation prize of the University of Münster). From 2001 she was assistant professor at the University of Bamberg. In 2005 she was one of the recipients of the Heinz Maier Leibnitz prize, awarded by the DFG (German Research Foundation). In 2005/2006 she was Feodor Lynen Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and associate member of the English Faculties at Sheffield and Oxford, as well as Plumer Visiting Fellow at St Anne's College, Oxford. She completed her 'Habilitation' in 2007. In 2008 she was Acting Chair of English Literature and Culture at the University of Regensburg; in 2009 she was appointed as Chair and elected to receive special funding from the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Research ('Neuberufene Professorinnen'). In 2013/14 she was Humboldt Visiting Fellow at Birkbeck College, London, and in 2015-17 Corresponding Research Fellow at the Centre for Research into Gender and Culture at the University of Swansea. Prof. Zwierlein served as Dean of Research of the Faculty of Languages, Literatures and Cultures (2013-15), as board member of the Anglistenverband (2014-18), and as elected member of the DFG Review Board 'European and American Literatures' (2020-24). She conducted a DFG funded research project (SBH) on Victorian lecture culture and mass print (2015-22) and is professorial member of the DFG Research Training Group (GRK) 'Pre-Modern Metropolitanism' (2017-25). She was elected a member of the International Association of University Professors of English (IAUPE) in 2024. In the winter term 2025/26, she was a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at King's College London. - She is married and has two children.

External referee / advisor for:

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Cusanuswerk, DFG (German Research Foundation), ERC (European Research Council), ERC Advanced Grant 'Diseases of Modern Life in the 19th Century', University of Oxford (International Advisory Board, 2013-19), FWO (Research Foundation Flanders), Schweizerischer Nationalfonds, Slovenian Research Agency, Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German National Academic Foundation), Research Advisory Panel, University of Huddersfield (2013-18), Volkswagen Foundation, Zukunftskolleg Konstanz.

Anthem Press, ASNEL Papers (Review Board, 2012-18), Authorship, College Literature, Comparative Drama, Connotations, Cultural History, Jahrbuch Literatur und Medizin, Journal for the Study of British Cultures (Editorial Committee, 2015-19), Literaturwissenschaftliches Jahrbuch, Milton Quarterly, Renaissance Studies (Editorial Board, 2025-), Review of English Studies, Routledge, Shakespeare Jahrbuch.