After 14 years in North American institutions (University of Toronto, Indiana University and University of Cincinnati), I returned to my native Spain to join the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) in 2020. At UAM I teach undergraduate courses on literary modernism and literary criticism; I also teach a graduate class on literary theory in the MA in English Literary Studies. I am a comparatist scholar with a special interest in modern drama and narrative, literary theory (Slavic schools, in particular) and the role of translation in literary traditions. I am the author of two monographs: Baroque Lorca: An Archaist Playwright for the New Stage (Routledge, 2020) and Drama, literatura, filosofía: Itinerarios del realismo y el modernismo europeos (Fundamentos, 2015). I also edited and translated ‘Despistemes’: La teoría literaria y cultural de Emil Volek (Verbum, 2018). I am currently working on a book-length manuscript on the Spanish translations of James Joyce from 1924 to 1964. I am director of the research group TRANSFER (Translation Studies and Comparative Literature, UAM, 2023–present) and a member of the research project CONSTEMAD (PI: Julio Vélez, UCM, 2025–present).
Selected books
Baroque Lorca: An Archaist Playwright for the New Stage
“Intelligently argued and full of provocative insights … thoughtful and well researched … the analysis of [Lorca’s] The Dream of Life … is superb, as are the new perspectives offered on Lorca’s puppet theatre.” Jonathan Mayhew, Modern Drama
“There is much thought-provoking critical commentary here.” Andrew A. Anderson, Modern Language Review
“Constantly stimulating and, in a scholarly way, provocative.” John London, Hispanic Research Journal
“An important addition to Lorquian scholarship.” Beth Bernstein, Letras Hispanas
‘Despistemes’: La teoría literaria y cultural de Emil Volek
“Un fascinante repaso a los debates que han definido los estudios culturales y la crítica literaria en los últimos años.” Vicent Moreno, América sin Nombre
“La selección y cuidado de los textos … favorece una visión global del pensamiento de Volek.” Luis Estrada Orozco, Tropelías
“Una revisión sobre el estructuralismo y el posestructuralismo para mencionar el impacto de estas dos perspectivas en la teoría literaria del siglo XX.” Laura Rubio León, Literatura: Teoría, Historia, Crítica
Drama, literatura, filosofía: Itinerarios del realismo y el modernismo europeos
“Ground-breaking in that it opens a new line of research that challenges the boundaries of literary and discursive genres.” Asunción López-Varela, JCLA
“Un sanísimo impulso de heterodoxia.” Juan Carlos Pueo, Tropelías
“Pérez-Simón se atreve a leer la literatura moderna sin naturalizar ninguna de las categorías con las que se suele analizar.” Bernat Padró Nieto, 452ºF
“Un verdadero afán por abrir nuevos caminos de exploración.” Laeticia Rovecchio Antón, Anagnórisis
“Una propuesta innovadora y necesaria.” José Chávarry, 1616: Anuario de Literatura Comparada
Research, editorial work and supervision
I hold two six-year research periods (sexenios) awarded by ANECA, the Spanish national research assessment agency, as well as the i3 certification of the Spanish Ministry of Universities.
My publications are indexed on my Google Scholar profile. I have also published a number of book reviews.
I am assistant editor of Pygmalion: Revista de teatro general y comparado (Universidad Complutense de Madrid). I was editor of the graduate journal Transverse (University of Toronto, 2006–08) and co-editor of the Cincinnati Romance Review (2012–14). I served on the editorial board of the drama journal Anagnórisis (U of Barcelona) from its inception in 2011 until 2022. As a peer reviewer, I evaluate manuscripts for numerous journals such as PMLA, Studies in Theatre and Performance, Signa, Hispanic Review, Bulletin of Hispanic Studies, Theatralia, and Papers on Joyce; I have also evaluated manuscripts for Lexington Books (Rowman & Littlefield).
I have supervised seven doctoral dissertations and am currently supervising four more at UAM.