Dr. Paul Merchant

Biography

Paul Merchant is an Associate Professor at the University of Bristol specializing in Latin American Film and Visual Culture within the Department of Hispanic, Portuguese and Latin American Studies. His scholarly work examines cultural responses to the ecological crisis, particularly in relation to the Pacific Ocean, with a focus on modern Chile and Peru. He is currently developing a book tentatively titled 'The Ocean Comes: Pacific Futures Chile Peru', which will explore the Pacific Ocean as a site for reimagining alternative futures for these countries. Merchant has a strong academic background, having completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge, where his doctoral research laid the groundwork for his book 'Remaking Home: Domestic Spaces in Argentine and Chilean Film' published by the University of Pittsburgh Press in 2022. His interests in cinema intersect with visual media and critical frameworks in Latin American studies, emphasizing environmental humanities and postcolonial theory. Merchant's collaborative works include co-editing 'Latin American Culture at the Limits of the Human' and 'ReFocus: Films of Lucrecia Martel'. He is also active in research supervision and welcomes inquiries from prospective students researching Latin American cultural studies, particularly in ecological approaches to cinema, visual media, and urban domestic spaces.

Research Interests