Biography

Dr. Kathleen Clare Waller writes novels and researches culture through the arts. Hailing from Lexington, Massachusetts, she is currently based between Basel and London with her family. She has previously lived and worked in Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, and Vienna where she taught literature, cultural studies, the arts, ethics, and epistemology to high school and university students. She has had a multifaceted and transformative body of work and career going from scholar, educator, to writer. Currently she is writing her intellectual pieces online, in a blog style approach, called The Matterhorn.

Experience at MALCS

I applied to MALCS because I had always loved bringing together through different types of texts and deepening understanding through critical theory; I was also interested in doing a PhD in comparative literature. Instead of simply a foundation for the further degree, I found that the MALCS opened up new ways of thinking through an interdisciplinary nature. Although I had degrees in literature and art, I had never studied film and was blown away by the way the department helped us investigate film in a multifaceted way. This element as well as urban studies and post-structural theory became the groundwork for my doctoral thesis. The MALCS also helped me connect and become friends with all types of creative people in Hong Kong: musicians, journalists, lawyers, artists, and other teachers.

Although I had degrees in literature and art, I had never studied film and was blown away by the way the department helped us investigate film in a multifaceted way.

Words for Fellow MALCS Students and Potential Applicants

Be open to where this degree can take you. Try to avoid a fixed plan, because the ideas and people you will encounter can lead you somewhere new. Also, stay connected with your classmates and professors, or even guest speakers. In addition to great friendships, I’m collaborating with many of them now.

Note: Dr. Kathleen Clare Waller completed her MALCS in 2011 and received her PhD at the Department of Comparative Literature, HKU in 2018. From scholar, educator, to writer, she has had a transformative and rich career experience. We had the honour to do a short interview with her, which can be found on our Facebook and Instagram at the links.