Mareike Huber, M.A.
PhD Candidate
Pronouns: she/her
Room: –
Office phone number: –
Email: mareike.huber@anglistik.uni-freiburg.de
Mareike Huber is a PhD student in English and American Studies at the University of Freiburg. Her thesis is about the effects and functions of invented languages – so-called constructed languages or ‘conlangs’ – across different types of media. She has a master’s degree in English Literatures and Literary Theory and a bachelor’s degree in English and American Studies, with a minor in Political Science, both from the University of Freiburg.
Research interests:
- Invented languages in fantasy and science fiction literature through a literary studies and linguistic lens
- J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, particularly his invented languages and worldbuilding
- Intersectionality and questions of ethnicity, gender, queerness, disability, and others
Awards, grants and fellowships: Recipient of the Landesgraduiertenförderung (State Graduate Funding Programme) through University of Freiburg.
Research stay (September 12 – December 19): Bodleian Libraries, Oxford University (with Professor Simon Horobin)
List of Publications
- “Intersectionality in Maria Dahvana Headley’s The Mere Wife”, in: Studies in Medievalism XXXIII: (En)gendering Medievalism, ed. Karl Fugelso, 2024, p. 201-216. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.7193919.17.
- “Tolkien and the Moral Function of Language”. (upcoming)
Conference Papers
- “Does Fair Speech Correlate With Fair Hearts? Surveying Invented Languages and Their Speakers?” for the “Wetzlarer Tagen der Phantastik” by the Phantastische Bibliothek Wetzlar (12-14/09/2025).
- “Lámatyávë or Holmey Wejwa’ – Evaluating Invented Languages by their Sound” as part of the LitCult Colloquium of Prof. Dr. Eva von Contzen und JunProf. Dr. Maria Sulimma (15/07/2025).
- “Languages on the Move: Tolkien’s Invented Languages and Their Use in Adaptations” as part of the Tolkien Seminar at Oxford University (14/03/2025).
- “From Page to Screen: Invented Languages in George R. R. Martin’s and J. R. R. Tolkien’s Writings, and How They Are Used in Adaptations”. Mythcon 53 Fantasies of the Middle Lands, The Mythopoeic Society, Hybrid (02/08-05/08/2024).
- “Tolkien and the Moral Function of Language” for the “20th Annual UVM Tolkien Conference“ by the University of Vermont (13/04/2024).
- “The Functions and Effects of the Invented Languages in J. R. R. Tolkien‘s Legendarium and Adaptations Thereof” for the “Reading Tolkien in the 21st Century” Conference by the University of Bonn (07 – 08/09/2023). Publication of the conference proceedings is pending.
- “Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in Sicherheitsfragen“ for the International Symposium of the Gesellschaft für Sicherheitswissenschaft e.V. (23 – 24/05/2023), together with Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Hochbruck.
Reviews
- “Review: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon Prime, 2022-): The Use of Tolkien’s Invented Languages”. https://messengersfromthestars.letras.ulisboa.pt/journal/archives/article/review-the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-power-amazon-prime-2022-the-use-of-tolkiens-invented-languages.
- Of “The use of Tolkien’s invented languages in the first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)”, Messengers from the Stars | On Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Teaching:
Summer term 2025
- PS “Tolkien’s World and Words” (co-taught with Dunja Haufe)
Winter term 2020/21
- Tutor for the “Introduction to Literary Studies” lecture | Prof. Dr. Sieglinde Lemke
Other (workshop organisation etc.):
- Workshop Organisation: “Arcastar Lerinosse: : A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Arda. J. R. R. Tolkien Workshop in Freiburg”, together with Dunja Haufe (28/06/2024)