Magic realism
After obtaining his master's degree at the University of Southampton with a thesis on magic realism, Spindler moved to Essex University to explore the subject of his thesis further with a world expert in indigenous artistic and literary sources, with a focus on Latin America. In 1996, Spindler obtained a PhD from the Department of Art History and Theory of the University of Essex, for his work on magic realism and the Latin American novel. His article "Magic realism: a typology" is often quoted in scholarly works on the subject.