Steven Ridgely

Steven Ridgely is Associate Professor of Modern Japan Studies in the Department of Asian Languages & Cultures at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, specializing in modern Japanese literature, cultural theory, and transasian media. He teaches undergraduate surveys and graduate seminars on topics ranging from Japanese counterculture to anime and post-modernity, and co-advises doctoral students working on modern East-Asian literature and media.

Education:

• Ph.D. in East Asian Languages & Literatures, Yale University (2005)
• B.A. in Physics & Japanese, Carleton College (1996)

Research Interests: Ridgely’s work moves between literary studies and media theory, focusing on 1960s Japanese counterculture, Expo 70, post-war kitsch, and the "topological imaginary" that links mathematics, physics, and twentieth-century Japanese arts. He has published extensively on avant-garde playwright Terayama Shūji and explores intersections of cinema, graphic design, and narrative form.

His recent articles and reviews (2010-2024) trace a consistent engagement with experimental arts, media archaeology, and gender politics in modern Japan, often foregrounding transnational and interdisciplinary methodologies that connect Japan to broader Asian and global contexts.

Fellowships & Awards:

• NSEP Fellow (1994-95)
• Monbushō Fellow (1996-98)
• Fulbright-IIE Fellow (2002-04)
• Fulbright-Hays Fellow (2008-09)
• Japan Foundation Fellow (2014-15)

Doctoral Advising & Grants: Ridgely has co-advised six completed Ph.D. dissertations and currently supervises one ABD candidate, mentoring projects on modern Chinese and Japanese popular science, visual culture, dance, animation, and colonial cinema. Grant activity is embedded within the noted fellowships; no separate large grants are listed.

Labs & Teams: While no formal lab is specified, he regularly co-teaches graduate seminars with colleagues in History and Media Studies, indicating active participation in UW–Madison’s Transasian Studies research cluster and the Center for East Asian Studies.