John Farrell

John Farrell holds the Waldo W. Neikirk Professorship in the Department of Literature, specializing in English and American Literature with interdisciplinary reach across philosophy, science, and psychoanalysis.

Education:

• A.B., Brown University
• M.A., 1979 (institution unspecified)
• Ph.D., Harvard University, 1988

His research critically engages Modern Literature and Culture through frameworks of Criticism and Critical Theory, Literature and Philosophy, Literature and Science, and Psychoanalysis. Farrell examines tensions between utopian ideals and political reality, deconstructs authorial intention in literary theory, and pioneers psychoanalytic readings of canonical texts from Cervantes to Pynchon. His work consistently bridges historical context with philosophical inquiry, particularly in exploring paranoia as a lens for modernity.

Publication trends reveal sustained focus on psychoanalytic-literary intersections (e.g., Freud’s influence on Auden and Pynchon) evolving toward broader political-utopian themes in his 2023 monograph. Recent works emphasize ethical dimensions in modernist/postmodernist texts while maintaining rigorous engagement with philosophical traditions from Plato to contemporary critical theory.

Scientific Awards:

Farrell secured competitive federal funding through his National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, supporting research on Western political imagination. No student advising details appear in source materials, though his publications suggest mentorship in literary theory and psychoanalytic criticism. Office hours are conducted via Zoom from Roberts South 217, indicating active institutional engagement.