I was born and raised in the former British colony of Hong Kong, and I also have roots in Vancouver, BC, Canada. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of English and a Researcher Affiliate at the Center for Social Science Inquiry at the University of Iowa. I earned my PhD at the University of Virginia, where I was a fellow at the Jefferson Scholars Foundation from 2020-2025. In 2026, I was invited to join the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Leaders List. My CV is available at the end of this page.
My research focuses on global Anglophone literature from the 19th century to today. I place canonical British Romantic and Victorian literatures in conversation with literatures by writers in regions outside of Britain, such as the Caribbean and East Asia. My first book project brings these interests to bear on a literary style called decadence in the nineteenth century. My digital research project, the Jeanne Duval Archive, extends these interests into the present day. The global nature of my work means that I am eager to collaborate with researchers around the world, especially Paris—an important city for some of the Anglophone and Francophone writers in my book project.
I also serve as the Founder of the Global Decadence Lab in the Decadence Research Centre at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Chair of the Aestheticism and Decadence Caucus at the North American Victorian Studies Association. My work has received awards and honors from the British Association for Decadence Studies and the Northeast Victorian Studies Association, and is published or forthcoming in Victorian Studies, Victorian Poetry, Volupté: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Decadence Studies, Humanities, and the German-based Zeitschrift für Anglistik und Amerikanistik.
I teach courses about global Anglophone literature and direct two digital pedagogy projects, Brontëgram and Meet Cutes, linked to the courses that I teach. I also serve as Co-Director for Undisciplining the Victorian Classroom, a digital peer-reviewed publication focused on expanding how we teach the 19th century. We collaborate with instructors to publish curricular materials related to 19th century literature and culture, ranging from anti-semitism and Palestine to the African diaspora and the environment. I have also published a peer-reviewed article about my own teaching in The Journal of Interactive Techology and Pedagogy.
I draw from, and contribute to, fields such as:
- Global 19th Century Studies
- Aestheticism and Decadence Studies
- Anticolonial, Decolonial, and Postcolonial Theory
- Asian Diaspora Studies, Black Studies, Indigenous Studies, and Latin American Studies
- Race and Empire Studies
- Archival Politics, Cultural Materialism, and Deconstructionism
- Queer-of-Color Critique
- Digital Humanities
Outside of academia, I enjoy tending to my houseplants, playing guitar, spending time with dogs and (some) cats, swimming, yoga, and running. I also enjoy circulating amongst various artistic and literary communities in Iowa City, especially Prairie Lights and the Wright House of Fashion.
My surname, Kwok (郭), is pronounced like the word "walk," but with an added "k" sound at the beginning.
Last Updated: July 2026