About Dr Miguel Gomes Gargamala
I received my bachelor’s degree in English Linguistics and Literature from the University of Vigo in 2004 and my MA in Comparative Medieval Literature in 2006. I also obtained a master's degree in 2006 in Teaching in Secondary Schools, Vocational Training and Language Centres.
In 2007, I left Spain and moved to Newcastle upon Tyne. Since then, I have worked for several institutions and universities in the north-east, including Durham University, The North East Centre for Lifelong Learning and Gosforth Academy.
In 2015, I completed a PhD in English Literature with an international mention (Confronting Evil and the Monstrous ‘Other’ in Beowulf and its filmic adaptations: Understanding Heroic Action and the Limits of Knowledge).
I am also a trained teacher of Spanish in Higher Education (University of Durham, 2010). For many years, I was a literature and history tutor at the Joseph Cowen Centre for Lifelong Learning in Newcastle. I have also been a visiting researcher at the Universities of Durham and Oxford.
I am currently the English for Academic Purposes Manager.
Teaching and supervision
I teach:
- English for Academic Purposes
- BA (Hons) English: Creative and Professional Writing.
I currently lead and/or teach a range of modules including:
- EAP313: English for Academic Purposes: Dissertation Writing
- EAP314: Discussing and Presenting Research.
I am supervising a number of PhD students in English and education, and have supervised undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations in English, MFL, and History on a great variety of topics.
I am happy to work with prospective research students who wish to do research that relates to one or more of my areas of expertise.
Interests
I approach research from a multidisciplinary perspective. Specialising in the early medieval period and its adaptations in the context of the modern world, I look at the Old English literary corpus and aim to work on translations of the most significant texts into modern languages (eg Spanish and Galician). I am also interested in critical thinking and academic writing skills.
As someone who contributes to different teams across two faculties, I have conducted research on Early Medieval Literature and History, translation studies, and the work of J.L. Borges and J.R.R. Tolkien.
Research
My research interests include the translation of medieval texts, Old English language and literature, historical linguistics, the work of J.L. Borges and J.R.R. Tolkien, critical thinking in education, comparative literature and the study of cinematic adaptations of medieval texts.
Areas of expertise
- Old English literature
- Translation studies (translation of literature)
- Critical thinking
- Academic writing
- Spanish culture, language and literature
- Medieval history and literature
- Fantasy literature: J.R.R. Tolkien, J.L. Borges.