About
Damon Franke is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, specializing in literature and cultural studies. He teaches diverse courses including graduate seminars on Modernism and British environmental literature, senior seminars on Irish Renaissance and Generation X culture, and undergraduate courses in creative writing, literary surveys, and rhetoric. His pedagogical approach emphasizes bringing literature to life through interdisciplinary topics like New Orleans culture, utopian studies, and postmodern fiction.
Education:
- PhD, University of Iowa, 2003
- MA, University of Georgia, 1995
- BA, University of California-Berkeley, 1991
Research Focus: Franke's expertise spans Modernism, British/Irish literary history, environmental literature, and utopian thought. His work critically examines philosophical underpinnings in James Joyce's writings, environmental ethics in Edwardian literature, and intersections of heresy with modernist movements. Current book projects analyze 'becoming' in Joyce's works and environmental genealogy in The Organic Edwardians.
Publication Trends: His scholarship consistently explores modernist experimentation, with recent articles investigating Joyce's influence on popular culture (e.g., Twin Peaks), phenomenological readings of literary classics, and deconstructive approaches to textuality. Earlier works established frameworks for understanding heresy as a cultural force in British modernism.
Professional Engagement: Franke sponsors the Gulf Coast chapter of Sigma Tau Delta (International English Honor Society) and holds memberships in:
- Modern Language Association
- International James Joyce Foundation
- Association for the Study of Literature of the Environment
- Society for Utopian Studies
- Utopian Studies Society
