Dr Koenraad Claes recently joined Lucy Cavendish College and brings a rich background in academic mentorship as well as scholarship in literary studies and the history of the periodical press. We had the pleasure of sitting down with him to discuss his career, research, and what excites him about his new role at Lucy.
Can you tell us about your background and research?
Absolutely! I was born in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of language-obsessed Belgium, and when I went to university, I initially thought I was going to be a linguist. But that didn’t last long! My very first class was on British Romantic poetry, and it completely changed my direction. I became fascinated by the literature and culture of the so-called ‘Long 19th Century’, which spans from the French Revolution to the outbreak of World War I.
The bulk of my research has been dedicated to the periodical press in this period. I started off with an interest in ‘little magazines’, avant-garde publications that played a crucial role in the art and literary movements of the time, offering a platform to artists and writers who wanted to position themselves as opposed to a perceived mainstream. Lots of later famous writers and visual artists started off in these aesthetically fascinating but commercially unviable publications. My PhD, at Ghent University (Belgium), specifically focused on the earliest examples of such magazines, from the Pre-Raphaelites in the 1850s to the Decadents in the 1890s, and how they shaped the cultural and intellectual landscape of that era. For example, magazines like the Yellow Book, featuring iconic illustrations by the likes of Aubrey Beardsley, were seen as scandalous at the time, partly because of their bold aesthetic and the taboo subjects they covered. When Oscar Wilde was arrested he carried with him a random yellow book with him that was mistaken for a copy of the magazine, causing a mob to trash its editorial offices! But publications such as this were also lastingly influential and to a great extent paved the way for the more overtly experimental modernist movement, and already in their own time brought attention to new artistic and literary styles as well as controversial themes and political activism. I published a monograph on the topic in 2018 titled The Late-Victorian Little Magazine. It's an area that I’m still very interested in.
Later on, I went on to research the identities of anonymous and pseudonymous contributors to the pioneering women’s periodical the Lady’s Magazine of the 1780s to the 1830s (for a postdoc at the University of Kent), and, during a subsequent postdoc back at Ghent and a three-year teaching stint in Romantic literature at our neighbours’ Anglia Ruskin, I did quite some work on Romantic-era British novelists who used their fiction for counter-revolutionary political purposes, doing much for the consolidation of British conservatism as we know it today. I’ve got some work on the latter coming out soon. My research is obviously restricted to the weekends now that I’ve got a different and very fulfilling day job to keep me busy!
Can you tell us more about your role at Lucy Cavendish College?
At Lucy, I serve as the Assistant Tutorial Programme Coordinator. I work closely with Ben Wiedemann, who is the Senior Coordinator. We are tutors ourselves, but—as our job titles indicate—also coordinate the provision of personal and academic support for students across the college. We organise group tutorial seminars for first-year undergrads and full-time Masters that focus on wellbeing in college and various skills relevant to their studies and life after university, including employability. We are also Day Duty Tutors, which means that if students need to see somebody urgently and their personal tutors are unavailable, we can step in.
The group tutorials are particularly important because they give students a chance to not only get advice and guidance on topics like time management, academic skills, and wellbeing, but also to connect with each other. Cambridge’s collegiate system can be confusing, especially for new students, and one of our key goals is to help demystify the experience early on. We want students to feel supported and confident as they navigate both the academic and personal challenges of university life.
Additionally, my role includes signposting students to resources like mental health and wellbeing services and helping them develop a balanced approach to their studies. Often, we see students either overcommit to extracurricular activities or—what is actually more common—become overly fixated on their studies, which can lead to a burnout and, ironically, often leads to poorer coursework. We aim to help them find a healthy balance that allows them to make the most of their time here.
What do you find most rewarding about working with students?
One of the things I love most is seeing students grow in confidence and enthusiasm over the course of their studies. When they first arrive, there’s often a mix of excitement and nerves. All have worked very hard to get here, and even our postgrad students, who mostly come from other institutions, are stepping into a completely new environment. My goal, and that of the tutorial team, is to help ease that transition, providing them with the tools and support they need to thrive.
For me, it’s very rewarding when a student starts to believe in their own potential. It’s not uncommon for students to doubt themselves, especially in the early days, but as they settle in, you can see them feel ever more at home. I want them to keep that spark of curiosity alive while also gaining the skills and resilience to handle the challenges they’ll face, both academically and personally. Seeing students evolve over their time at Lucy, from hesitant first-years to confident, capable graduates, is a highly rewarding part of my job.
What do you look forward to most while at Lucy Cavendish College?
One of the things I’m especially excited about is helping students realize that they are part of something much bigger than just their own studies. Cambridge is a place where you can connect with a vast network of people, ideas, and opportunities. But, our college is also part of a vibrant community that comprises ‘town’ as well as ‘gown’. I want students to feel empowered to explore not just their academic interests but also the wide range of extracurricular activities, from sports to arts to community service. Cambridge—both the University and the city—offer so much, and I hope to help students make the most of it while maintaining a healthy balance.
I also really enjoy being part of a college that values both academic excellence and personal development. At Lucy, there’s a strong emphasis on fostering a supportive community, and I’m excited to contribute to that ethos.