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Francisco (Paco) Y. Chen-López

Ph.D. Candidate in Spanish

Advised by Professor Oswaldo Estrada

paco@unc.edu | Dey 115

At UNC Since 2016

Education

M.A. in Spanish Language and Culture, Fu Jen Catholic University
B.A. in Spanish Language and Culture, German Minor, Fu Jen Catholic University

Bio

Francisco (Paco)’s area of expertise is contemporary Spanish American narratives. He focuses primarily on Mexican, Peruvian, Puerto Rican, and Argentinan literature discussing Chinese immigrants and their descendants. Also, he is interested in Chinese-Latin American writers’ literary works. His research revolves around otherness, violence, Transpacific Studies, Asian Diaspora, literary representations of the Far East, and Cultural Geography.

Refereed Articles

Book Reviews

Conference Presentations

PANELS ORGANIZED

  • “Show Me the Body: Asian-Latin American Intersections and the Representation of Xenophobia, Exploitation, and Objectification in Cultural Production.” Latin American Studies Association (LASA) Congress. May 26-29, 2021.

PAPERS PRESENTED

  • “Plasticity and Authenticity: The Re-Represented Chinese Brazilians in Plastic City (2008).” Latin American Studies Association (LASA) Congress. May 26-29, 2021.
  • “Dragon, Serpent, or Lizard? The (Lost) Chineseness of Chinese-Mexicans as Allegorical Reptiles in Ojos de Lagarto (2012) by Bernando Fernández and ‘La serpiente de Beijín’ (2013) by Guadalupe Nettel.” Conference on East-West Cross-Cultural Relations. Warsaw-Cracow-Bielsko Biala, Poland. May 9-12, 2019.
  • La historia ‘contrabandeada’ del encuentro transpacífico en La rosa de la China.” Latin American Studies Association (LASA) Congress. Barcelona, Spain. May 23–26, 2018.
  • “La musa ecléctica y asimétrica: Las colisiones de semiósferas en ‘Kakemono’ de Julián del Casal.” Kentucky Foreign Language Conference, Lexington, KY. April 19–21, 2018.
  • “Mímesis y alteridad como estrategias: la representación del sistema de Manila en La rosa de la China.” Conference of the Consortium in Latin American & Caribbean Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill & Duke University, Durham, NC. February 16-17, 2018.
  • “Tras tres prismas: La ‘mirada trasatlántica’ al Lejano Oriente en ‘Li-Po’ de José Juan Tablada.” Mountain Interstate Foreign Language Conference, Wilmington, NC. October 5–7, 2017.
  • “Chromatic Signifiers as the Vehicle to Construct the Heroic Figure in Selma.” Carolina Conference on Romance Studies, Chapel Hill, NC. March 30–April 1, 2017.

Professional Affiliations

  • Latin America Studies Association (LASA)
  • Modern Language Association (MLA)
  • Sigma Delta Pi – National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society

Awards & Fellowships

Awards

  • Chancellor’s Student Undergraduate Teaching Award (SUTASA)
  • Dana B. Drake Award for Excellence in Teaching Spanish

Grants & Fellowships

  • Dr. James Carlton Ingram Research Fellowship
  • Dean’s Office Summer Award
  • Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Academic Year Scholarship on Brazilian Portuguese
  • Mellon Dissertation Fellowship for Latin American/Caribbean Research
  • Dana B. Drake Research Travel Fellowship
  • Buchan Excellence Fund Award
  • Mellon Conference Travel Award
  • Graduate Student Transportation Grant
  • Romance Studies Department Conference Travel Grant

Courses

Instructor of Record

  • SPAN 101: Elementary Spanish I (Online)
  • SPAN 102: Elementary Spanish II (Hybrid)
  • SPAN 105: Spanish for High Beginners (Fall 2019 semester also as Assistant Course Coordinator)
  • SPAN 203: Intermediate Spanish I
  • SPAN 204: Intermediate Spanish II
  • SPAN 321: Spanish for the Medical Professions 
  • SPAN 329: Spanish for the Professional and Community Engagement (1 section, with a service-learning component)

Designed and Implemented Curriculum for the Following Course

  • SPAN 301: Introduction to Literary and Cultural Analysis (Online)