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Michael Lucey is the Sidney and Margaret Ancker Chair and Distinguished Professor of French and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. His work bridges French literature from the 19th to 21st centuries with social theory, sexuality studies, and linguistic anthropology. He has authored the critically acclaimed What Proust Heard: Novels and the Ethnography of Talk (2022) and Thinking about Sexuality with Novels (forthcoming). As founding director of the Center for the Study of Sexual Culture , he has shaped interdisciplinary research in queer theory and gender studies. Current research focuses on novels as ethnographic tools Specializes in Proust, Balzac, Woolf, and contemporary French fiction Translation work includes Didier Eribon and Édouard Louis His recent articles explore phonetics in narrative, readability frameworks, and sociological implications of literary form. He actively engages with comparative methodologies and critical theory, while his teaching spans British and American literature’s intersections with French modernism. Lucey’s academic leadership includes directing Berkeley’s Center for the Study of Sexual Culture, which supports global discourse through fellowships and conferences. His office hours are held in Dwinelle Hall and via Zoom. Contact: mlucey@berkeley.edu

• French Literature
• Comparative Literature
• Sexuality Studies
• +7 more

Jessica Straley is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Utah, where she has served since 2005 (Visiting Assistant Professor 2005-2007, Assistant Professor 2007-2016, Associate Professor 2016-present). She holds a PhD in English from Stanford University, an MA in Literature, Culture, and Modernity from Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, and a BA in English from Cornell University. Education: PhD, English - Stanford University MA, Literature, Culture, and Modernity - Queen Mary and Westfield College BA, English - Cornell University Her research focuses on intersections between Victorian literature, children's literature, animal studies, disability studies, and ecocriticism. She explores how literary imagination interacts with scientific and moral discourses, particularly in 19th-century contexts. Recent publications analyze feral child narratives, zoo representations, and evolutionary theory in children's texts. Her work bridges historical literary analysis with contemporary critical frameworks like disability rights and environmental ethics. Scientific Awards: Faculty Fellowship Award (University Research Council, 2017) Ramona W. Cannon Award for Teaching Excellence (2016) Tanner Humanities Center Fellowship (2016) University Research Committee Faculty Fellowship (2011) Newberry Library Short-Term Library Research Fellowship (2008) She teaches courses in 19th-Century British Literature, Intellectual Movements, and Honors Thesis/Project supervision. Her external grant (Animal Testing URC, 2017-2018) demonstrates institutional support for her interdisciplinary work.

• Victorian Literature
• Children's Literature
• Animal Studies
• +4 more

Robert Kaufman is a Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. He holds a B.A. (1979), J.D. (1982), and Ph.D. (1995) from UC Berkeley. Prior to academia, he practiced labor and employment law. His career includes positions at McGill University, Stanford University (where he was an Assistant Professor of English and affiliated with German Studies and Modern Thought & Literature), and visiting roles at the University of Chicago and UC Berkeley. He has held fellowships including Stanford Humanities Center, Hellman Family, and Institute of International Studies. He co-chairs Berkeley's Program in Critical Theory. His research focuses on 20th-21st century American poetry, Latin American poetry, Romantic-era poetics, Frankfurt School Critical Theory, and aesthetic philosophy. Key projects include Negative Romanticism: Adornian Aesthetics in Keats, Shelley, and Modern Poetry , and studies on César Vallejo, Paul Celan, and Robert Duncan. His work bridges Marxist theory, lyric form, and sociopolitical critique. Kaufman's essays analyze Adorno's influence on modern poetry, the ethics of lyric form, and intersections between poetry and democracy. His recent work engages postmodernism's aftermath and contemporary political crises. He frequently collaborates on translation projects and public humanities initiatives, including events on Paul Celan's centenary.

• 20th-21st Century American Poetry
• Modern Latin American Poetry
• Frankfurt School Critical Theory
• +4 more

Matthew Potolsky is Professor of English at the University of Utah, specializing in nineteenth-century literature and literary theory. His career spans from 1998 Lecturer at Harvard University to current University Professorship. He earned a BA in Comparative Literature and Philosophy (1990), followed by MA and PhD in Comparative Literature (1992, 1997) from UC Irvine. Chair of English Department (2013-2016) University Professor (2014-2016) Research focuses on Decadence , Mimesis , Finance-Aesthetics intersections , and Government Secrecy . His work traces connections between financialization and decadent aesthetics, revealing how economic cycles influence artistic production. Key themes include: Decadent anti-realist literary movements Finance capital's cultural impact Decadent counterpublic formations Victorian aesthetic education debates Sublime aesthetics in national security Cosmopolitanism in literary communities Recent publications analyze: Decadent style as financialization rhetoric Reintroduction of verisimilitude theory Decadent responses to financial crises Mimetic labor in artistic production Decadent cosmopolitan counterpublics Historical parallels between financialization and literary decadence

• Decadence
• Mimesis
• 19th-Century European Literature
• +3 more

Sophie Volpp is a Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on Chinese literature from the 16th to 19th centuries, with particular emphasis on theatricality, material culture, and literary objects. She is the author of *Worldly Stage: Theatricality in Seventeenth-Century China* (2011) and *The Substance of Fiction: Literary Objects in China, 1550-1775* (2022). Her current projects include a book on the National Peiping Library’s preservation efforts during the Sino-Japanese War and an analysis of referents in *The Story of the Stone*. Her scholarly work bridges literary analysis and cultural history, examining themes such as gender, power, and spectacle in late-imperial China. She has translated works by pre-modern women poets and dramatists, contributing to gender-centric scholarship in East Asian studies. Her publications span journal articles and edited volumes, addressing topics like Qing-era theatrical design, material circulation in classical novels, and cross-cultural influences in literary production. Her research has been published in venues such as *Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies* and *Journal of Asian Studies*.

• Chinese Literature
• Early Modern Chinese Literature
• Comparative Literature
• +3 more

Emilio Sauri is a Professor in the Department of English at the University of Massachusetts Boston. His expertise spans American literature, Latin American literature, critical theory, and photography, with a focus on literature’s relationship to the global economy from the 19th to 21st centuries. PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago BA, Northwestern University Sauri's research examines literature and visual art in the context of globalization, capitalism, and cultural theory. He is currently working on a monograph titled *Imperial Decay: Literature, Autonomy and the End of Modernization in the Americas* (under contract with Northwestern University Press). His prior editorial work includes co-editing *Literature and the Global Contemporary* (Palgrave, 2017) and *Literary Materialisms* (Palgrave, 2013), alongside a special issue of *nonsite* on Latin American literature and theory. His recent publications explore intersections of literature with global capitalism, materialism, and postmodernism, often analyzing Latin American and U.S. texts. Notable topics include the labor of the novel, economic value in contemporary Mexican fiction, and critiques of modernization in Bolaño’s works. Fulbright Fellow, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2018 Sauri has served on the Executive Committee of the Faculty Staff Union (2018–2020) and co-founded the Literary Theory Reading Group. He has taught courses such as *Post-1945 American Literature*, *Literature and the Political Imagination*, and graduate seminars on literary theory and critical methods.

• American Literature
• Latin American Literature
• Critical Theory
• +7 more

Kate Holland is an Associate Professor and Acting Associate Chair (Graduate) at the University of Toronto, specializing in 19th-century Russian literature and its cultural contexts. Her work focuses on the history of the novel, Russian literary theory, and the interplay between Russian and European literary traditions. She teaches courses such as 'The Golden Age of Russian Literature' and 'Dostoevsky in Literary Criticism and Theory.' Dr. Holland earned her PhD from Yale University (2004) and a BA/MA from the University of Cambridge (1998). Her research explores themes like genre evolution in Dostoevsky’s works, the publication culture of 19th-century Russian periodicals, and the theoretical frameworks of Historical Poetics. Her recent publications include A Dostoevskii Companion: Texts and Contexts (2018) and The Novel in the Age of Disintegration (2013), analyzing Dostoevsky’s engagement with genre and modernity. Her scholarship frequently examines narrative form, cultural history, and the intersection of literature with philosophical and religious thought.

• 19th Century Russian Literature
• Literary Theory
• History of the Novel
• +3 more

Andrea Selleri is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English Literature at Bilkent University, where he joined in September 2020. He holds a BA and MA from the University of Trieste and a PhD from the University of Warwick. His research focuses on the intersections between British literature, criticism, and philosophy in the long nineteenth century, with particular attention to authorship, aesthetics, and interdisciplinary approaches. Dr. Selleri has published extensively on Victorian literature and its philosophical contexts, including a monograph exploring the evolution of authorship concepts and co-editing Literary Studies and the Philosophy of Literature (Palgrave, 2016). His recent work includes a three-volume critical edition, Literature and Philosophy in Nineteenth-Century British Culture (Routledge, 2024), which compiles annotated primary sources. At Bilkent, he teaches courses such as ELIT 246 (Drama and Performance) , ELIT 366 (Victorian Literature) , and ELIT 458 (Literature and Philosophy in Nineteenth-Century British Culture) . He coordinates the Philosophy and Literature Colloquia series and serves as a review editor for the Journal of Victorian Culture . His research interests span literary history, modern literatures in English, French, Spanish, and Italian, and the philosophy of literature. Current projects include studies on free will in Victorian fiction and the legacy of Romantic authorship in formalist aesthetics.

• Literary History
• Nineteenth-Century British Literature
• Literary Criticism
• +3 more

Laurie Shannon is the Franklyn Bliss Snyder Professor of English at Northwestern University, with a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. She studies English literature and culture in the long sixteenth century, focusing on the history of ideas in language, stakeholdership, embodiment, and cross-species relations. She serves as convener of The Anne Lister Society and is collaborating with Oxford University Press on a scholarly edition of Anne Lister’s Journal. Education: J.D., Harvard Law School; Ph.D., University of Chicago Shannon’s research explores the political imagination in early modern literature, particularly through friendship (Sovereign Amity: Figures of Friendship in Shakespearean Contexts) and animal studies (The Accommodated Animal: Cosmopolity in Shakespearean Locales). Her current monograph, 'Frailty’s Name: Shakespeare and the Natural History of Human Being,' examines human negative exceptionalism in Renaissance thought and its implications for climate crisis ethics. Her publications span Shakespeare studies, queer theory, environmental humanities, and textual editing. Notable awards include the Elizabeth Dietz Memorial Award, Robert B. Cox Teaching Award, and Dean’s Award for Graduate Mentoring. She has held NEH, ACLS, and Guggenheim fellowships. Scientific Awards: Elizabeth Dietz Memorial Award, Robert B. Cox Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award, Dean's Award for Graduate Mentoring, NEH Fellowship, ACLS Fellowship, Guggenheim Fellowship Shannon contributes to the Anne Lister Diary Transcription Project and has served as English Department Chair at Northwestern. Her recent articles focus on Shakespeare’s engagement with natural history, queer cosmology, and animal sovereignty, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach.

• Early Modern Literature
• Gender & Sexuality Studies
• Environmental Humanities
• +5 more

William Kennedy is a Professor in the English Department at the University at Albany, State University of New York. For over 40 years, he has crafted a body of literature centered on Albany, New York, creating what is known as the "Albany Cycle" of novels. His work has established Albany as a significant place in American literature, comparable to Joyce's Dublin and Bellow's Chicago. His educational background includes a BA from Siena College, following attendance at Public School 20 and Christian Brother's Academy. Professor Kennedy's creative work focuses on American fiction, particularly historical and urban narratives rooted in Albany's cultural and political landscape. His writing explores machine politics, family sagas, and the interplay between individual lives and historical events, rendering Albany's "outcasts and machine politicians, lowlifes and swells" with profound humanity. His narratives transform the city into a mythic capital of national memory. His publications consistently draw from Albany's history, with recurring themes of political corruption, redemption, and the resilience of marginalized communities. The "Albany Cycle" demonstrates his mastery in blending local history with universal human struggles across multiple literary forms. William Kennedy's distinguished honors include: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship Election to the American Academy of Arts and Letters National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship Regents Medal of Excellence from SUNY Governor's Arts Award Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters in France Election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences As an educator, Kennedy taught creative writing and journalism at the University at Albany from 1974-1982 and Cornell University in 1982-83. His MacArthur Fellowship directly funded the creation of the New York State Writers Institute at Albany, with matching funds from the university and legislative support from Governor Cuomo. He has served on the New York State Council for the Humanities board and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. William Kennedy co-founded the New York State Writers Institute in 1984, which has grown into a major literary hub conducting statewide cultural and educational activities. The Institute remains central to his legacy, fostering literary arts through readings, workshops, and educational programs across New York.

• Fiction
• Creative Writing
• American Literature
• +2 more

Michael Kinski serves as Professor of Japanese History of Thought and Japanology at Goethe University Frankfurt within the Faculty of Languages and Cultural Studies, concurrently leading the Institute for East Asian Philologies as Acting Director since 2013. His academic trajectory spans prestigious German institutions including Humboldt University Berlin (1998-2009) and Tuebingen University (1991-1998), with prior research engagement at Japanese universities including Tokyo University and Ritsumeikan. He completed his doctoral studies at Tuebingen University in 1991 following an M.A. at Bochum University (1987), with formative research periods in Japan at Nagoya University, Tokyo University, and Ritsumeikan University. His scholarly foundation centers on Japanese intellectual history, particularly the Edo period. Kinski's research program systematically examines Japanese societal structures through interconnected domains: Historical conceptions of childhood and developmental frameworks Formalized etiquette systems as cultural expression Material culture studies focusing on food practices and consumption Scientific knowledge transmission via Rangaku (Dutch Studies) Social value systems reflected in travel literature Intellectual history of Early Modern Japan No scientific awards were documented in source materials. Information regarding student supervision, research grants, laboratory facilities, or collaborative teams was not provided in the available texts.

• History of Childhood and conceptions of childhood in Japan
• Japanese Rules of Etiquette
• Early Modern Japanese lifestyles and value orientations as reflected in Japanese guidebook literature
• +3 more

Dr. Silvia VESCO is an Associate Professor in the Department of Asian and North African Studies at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, where she specializes in Japanese art history, particularly Edo-period visual culture, ukiyo-e prints, illustrated books, and the works of Katsushika Hokusai. She is actively involved in research, teaching, and cultural curation, with a strong focus on Italian collections of Japanese art and cross-cultural artistic dialogues between Japan and the West. Education: PhD in History of Indian and East Asian Art, Ca' Foscari University of Venice (1999) Master in Art & Archaeology, SOAS, University of London (1995) Degree in Oriental Languages and Literatures, University of Venice (1993, with honors) Her research interests encompass Japanese aesthetics, museum studies, and the global reception of Japanese art. She has led major digitization projects for the Museum of Oriental Art in Venice and contributed to the development of its new museological framework. Her scholarly work reveals a consistent focus on Hokusai, Edo-period print culture, and the philosophical dimensions of Japanese visual forms. The recent publications highlight a deep engagement with Hokusai’s pedagogical works, the aesthetics of emptiness, and contemporary reflections on nature in post-Fukushima Japan. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges art history, cultural studies, and museum practice. Scientific Recognition: Finalist, Premio Nazionale per la divulgazione scientifica 'Giancarlo Dosi' (2020) Japan Foundation Fellowship (1997) Postgraduate scholarship from the University of Venice (1994) She has supervised numerous MA theses, served on PhD committees, and mentored students in Japanese art history. Her research has been supported by grants from the Japan Foundation and institutional collaborations with museums and cultural centers. She is a referee for VQR, Edizioni Ca' Foscari, and international journals, and serves on the scientific committees of several academic and museum publications. Labs and Teams: Scientific Committee, Museum of Oriental Art, Ca' Pesaro, Venice Scientific Committee, Edizioni Ca' Foscari Coordinator, Scientific Committee for Ca' Foscari Japanese Studies, Arts and Literature Member of the editorial board of 'Venezia Arti' and 'Quaderni del Polo museale del Veneto'

• Japanese Art History
• Edo Period Art
• Ukiyo-e Prints
• +7 more

Georges Kostakiotis is a Senior Lecturer at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilisations (INALCO) in Paris, France, specializing in Modern Greek language and literature. His academic appointment falls under CNU Section 15, covering Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew and other languages and literature. He serves as Head of the TEMPO course for Modern Greek and teaches across multiple levels from L1 through L3, including text study, written and oral practice of Greek, Modern Greek thematic courses, specialized Greek text corpora, and technical translation at M1 and M2 levels. Dr. Kostakiotis's research focuses on the intersection of language pedagogy and literary studies. He investigates teaching oral communication from both practical and theoretical perspectives, examining how literary texts function as effective pedagogical tools in foreign language classrooms. His work develops specialized strategies for teaching Greek to Latin-speaking audiences, leveraging linguistic connections while addressing acquisition challenges. Additionally, he explores literary representations of politics and urban worlds, situating Greek literature within broader European and Balkan contexts through the CREE (Centre de Recherches Euro-Méditerranéennes et Euro-asiatiques) research center. Analysis of Dr. Kostakiotis's publication record from 2009-2024 reveals consistent scholarly engagement with Greek literature's relationship to Balkan cultures and historical contexts. His work demonstrates particular interest in how Greek literature addresses themes of foreignness, crisis, and identity through comparative analysis with other Balkan literary traditions. His research spans pedagogical approaches to language teaching, literary analysis of Greek texts, historical examinations of Greek literature, and cultural studies of Greek communities in the Balkans. Dr. Kostakiotis has been instrumental in organizing numerous academic events that bridge language pedagogy and literary scholarship. He has coordinated multiple conferences and study days focused on language teaching methodology, including sessions on oral communication techniques, vocabulary acquisition strategies, and assessment approaches. In the realm of literature and cultural studies, he has organized scholarly gatherings examining Greek-Romanian relations, Phanariote history, women's perspectives in Greek literature, and urban studies with particular attention to cities like Thessaloniki and Alexandria. His collaborative work, including co-edited volumes on Greek-Romanian relations, demonstrates his commitment to fostering academic dialogue across national and disciplinary boundaries.

• Teaching oral communication
• Literary text as pedagogical teaching tool
• Strategies for teaching Greek to Latin-speaking audiences
• +5 more

Albrecht Fuess is a Professor of Islamic Studies at Philipps University of Marburg since 2010, specializing in Middle Eastern History (13th–17th centuries), Mamluk socio-cultural dynamics, and contemporary European Islamic discourses. His research spans historical continuity in Ottoman-Mamluk-Safavid interactions, Islamic youth cultures, and Mediterranean geopolitics. Research Focus: Medieval Islamic history, Transottomanica mobility studies, Islam in Europe, and cultural integration of Muslim migrants. Awards: Le Studium Fellowship (2007–2009) at Université de Tours. His publications emphasize military-economy interplay, legitimacy through religious narratives, and resource management in empires, with a focus on Mamluk and Ottoman transformations. He has advised on doctoral projects covering topics like Islamic welfare, Arabic ʾAmālī literature, and Cypriot-Ottoman relations. Leadership: Co-coordinator of Transottomanica (DFG-SPP 1981), member of ANR and DAAD committees, and liaison professor for the German National Academic Foundation. Editorial Roles: Co-editor of 'Transottomanica' and 'Muslim Worlds' series, and advisory board member for journals in Cairo, Paris, and Leuven.

• Middle Eastern History
• Mamluk Studies
• Islamic Studies in Europe
• +5 more

Monika Gabryś-Sławińska is a Professor at the Department of Polish Literary History , part of the Faculty of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at the University of Maria Curie-Skłodowska (UMCS). Her research spans 19th- and 20th-century Polish literature , focusing on Stefan Żeromski , historical journalism , text editing , voice emission , and museology . MA in Polish Philology (1998, UMCS) PhD in Literary Studies (2007, UMCS) Habilitation in Literary Studies (2016, UMCS) Her research interests include political commentary in historical press , media's role in cultural identity , and sociolinguistic trends . She has edited over 29 academic volumes and authored 5 monographs. Scientific awards: Bronze Cross of Merit KEN Medals (Bronze, Silver) 8 Rector's Awards (UMCS) Lublin Mayor's Medal (2019) She has participated in 5 research grants , organized 35 academic conferences , and contributed extensively to Annales UMCS as a scientific editor.

• Literary History
• History of Journalism
• 19th-Century Polish Literature
• +10 more