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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

Tom McEnaney is an Associate Professor of Comparative Literature and Spanish & Portuguese at the University of California, Berkeley, and Director of the Berkeley Center for New Media (BCNM). He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Spanish & Portuguese and serves on the Executive Board of UC Cuba. He is affiliated with the Center for Cultural Analytics, the Program in Critical Theory, the Center for Science, Technology, Medicine and Society, and the Data Science Lab (D-Lab). His research focuses on the history of media and technology, Argentine, Cuban, and U.S. literature, sound studies, linguistic anthropology, computational humanities, and new media studies. His book Acoustic Properties: Radio, Narrative, and the New Neighborhood of the Americas (2017) explores the interplay of radio and narrative in Argentina, Cuba, and the U.S., analyzing populism, state socialism, and the reimagining of the vox populi through listening practices. McEnaney’s work has appeared in journals such as diacritics , PMLA , and Representations , and media outlets like The New York Times and Public Books . He is a Mellon New Directions Fellow (2020–2023) in cultural analytics and leads a project on tape technology’s impact on testimonial writing, rock nacional, electronic music, and audiobooks in the Americas. Previously an Assistant Professor at Cornell University, he founded the Latin American Journals Project, an online archive of digitized literary journals from Latin America and the Hispanophone Caribbean. His current affiliations emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration and expanding access to cultural archives globally.

• History of Media and Technology
• Argentine Literature
• Cuban Literature
• +6 more

Sasha Su-Ling Welland is Chair & Professor in Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies at the University of Washington, with an adjunct role in Anthropology and affiliation in China Studies. She holds a PhD (2006) and MA (1998) in Anthropology from UC Santa Cruz, and a BA (1991) in Ethnic Studies from Stanford University. Her research focuses on transnational visual culture, women of color, ecocriticism, and post-socialist gender dynamics. Current work explores embodied ecologies, nuclear colonialism, and racial capitalism in the Anthropocene. Welland’s scholarship bridges art, ethnography, and public scholarship. Her book Experimental Beijing (2018) won major prizes for its analysis of gender in Chinese contemporary art. Recent research intertwines military/medical histories with environmental justice in St. Louis. She curates feminist art exhibits in Asia and serves on the Journal of Visual Culture editorial board. Her awards include the 2019 Francis L.K. Hsu Book Prize and 2020 Joseph Levenson Prize. She advises graduate students and leads lab teams investigating transnational feminisms and environmental humanities. Resources include her CV and online office hours via the department’s website.

• Art
• Asian American Studies
• Chinese Studies
• +6 more

Haiyan Lee serves as the Walter A. Haas Professor of the Humanities and Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures and of Comparative Literature at Stanford University. She has held these positions since joining Stanford in 2009, and currently serves as Chair of the East Asian Languages and Cultures department (2020-present). Her academic journey includes previous teaching appointments at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Hong Kong, along with post-doctoral fellowships at Cornell University and Harvard University. Lee's research spans multiple interdisciplinary fields with particular focus on modern Chinese literature and cultural production. Her work bridges literary studies with law, philosophy, cognitive science, affect theory, gender studies, and environmental humanities. She has developed influential theoretical frameworks including the concept of "high justice" and "low justice" in Chinese legal imagination. Her current research explores animism, cognition, and the Chinese environmental imagination, extending her longstanding interest in human-animal relations. Lee's publications reveal a consistent trajectory examining Chinese cultural production through innovative theoretical lenses. Her recent work shows increasing engagement with legal theory, environmental humanities, and cognitive approaches to literature. She has produced significant scholarship on Chinese concepts of justice, love, and the stranger, moving across historical periods from early 20th century to contemporary China. Biennial Book Prize, Honorable Mention, International Society for Chinese Law and History (ISCLH) (2024) Humanities Seed Grant, Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences (2023-2025) Bass Fellowship in Undergraduate Education, Stanford University (2022-2027) Joseph Levenson Book Prize, The Association for Asian Studies (2009) Professor Lee actively mentors doctoral students across multiple disciplines, serving as dissertation advisor, co-advisor, and committee member for students working at the intersection of Chinese studies, law, literature, and cultural theory. Her teaching includes courses across East Asian humanities, comparative literature, and interdisciplinary environmental studies. She has received significant research support including the Frederick Burkhardt Residential Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies and a residency at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.

• Modern Chinese literature
• Chinese popular culture
• philosophy and literature
• +9 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

Beth Piatote is an Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. She holds a PhD in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford University and is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (Nez Perce). Her work bridges scholarly and creative realms, focusing on Indigenous literature, law, language revitalization, and cultural studies. Education: PhD in Modern Thought and Literature (Stanford University). Research interests include Native American legal systems, Nez Perce language preservation, global Indigenous literatures, and creative writing. She co-founded and chairs Berkeley’s Designated Emphasis in Indigenous Language Revitalization and directs the Arts Research Center, where she leads the Indigenous Poetics Lab. Her publications include Domestic Subjects: Gender, Citizenship, and Law in Native American Literature (2013) and the short story collection The Beadworkers (2019), which received multiple literary recognitions. Her plays Antíkoni and Tricksters, Unite! explore Indigenous narratives through performance. Awards include MLA honorable mentions, PEN/Bingham Prize longlistings, and a 2020 Playwrights Retreat win. Current projects involve a scholarly monograph on sensory representations of Indigenous law and creative works in poetry and essays.

• Native American Literature
• Indigenous Studies
• Legal Studies
• +4 more

Vincent J. Cheng is a Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Utah, holding appointments since July 2019. He previously served at the University of Southern California (1979–2019) in roles including Professor of English and Director of Asian American Studies. His academic leadership includes directing the Tanner Humanities Center (2003–2007). Cheng specializes in modernist literature, particularly James Joyce, with research focusing on cultural memory, national identity, and postcolonial studies. He has authored influential works like Amnesia and the Nation and edited volumes on Joyce’s legacy. Recognized for teaching excellence, he received the Calvin S. and JeNeal Hatch Prize in Teaching (2024) and the Distinguished Teaching Award (2014). Cheng’s research integrates philosophy, history, and literature, exploring themes like migration, empathy, and ethical remembrance. His recent work analyzes Joyce’s treatment of memory and history, connecting Irish and American Southern narratives. He also contributes to Joyce Studies Annual and serves on editorial boards for Western Humanities Review . Teaching-wise, he leads advanced seminars on literary studies and British writers, guiding Ph.D. thesis research. Award highlights include the Fulbright Scholar Award (2015) and the Carole & Gordon Segal Visiting Chair in Irish Studies (2014). He remains active in community outreach, such as presenting Joyce’s Dubliners to high school students. His interdisciplinary approach bridges literary analysis with cultural and ethical inquiry.

• Literary Studies
• Modernist Literature
• Irish Literature
• +3 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

Svetlana Evdokimova is a Professor of Slavic Studies and Comparative Literature at Brown University, where she has been a faculty member since 1991. She previously taught at Yale University and holds a PhD in Slavic Languages and Literatures from Yale University and an MA in French Language and Literature from St. Petersburg University. She is a leading scholar in Russian literature of the 19th and 20th centuries, with a focus on Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and especially Chekhov. Her research explores the intersections between literature, philosophy, history, and aesthetics. She has published extensively on Russian Romanticism, the Russian intelligentsia, and the cultural significance of St. Petersburg. Her major works include Pushkin's Historical Imagination (1999) and Staging Existence: Chekhov's Tetralogy (2023), with a forthcoming monograph A Genius of Culture: The Chekhov Phenomenon . The recent publications reflect a deep engagement with Chekhov’s aesthetics, corporeality, and cultural philosophy, as well as Dostoevsky’s dialogues with Nietzsche and postmodern thought. Her work frequently examines the ethical dimensions of literature and the interplay between fiction and historical consciousness. Choice Outstanding Academic Title (2004) for Alexander Pushkin's Little Tragedies: The Poetics of Brevity NEH Research Fellowship (1995–1996) IREX Research Fellowship (1995) The Bogliasco Foundation Residency Fellowship (2018) Paul C. Gignilliat Fellowship, Yale University (1988–1989) Council on Russian and East European Studies Summer Fellowship, Yale University (1985) She has advised numerous graduate students and has secured competitive research grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, IREX, and Brown University. She is actively involved in scholarly communities, including the Modern Language Association, AATSEEL, and author-specific societies such as the North American Chekhov Society and the North American Dostoevsky Society. She teaches courses on Russian Romanticism, major novelists, theater, and cultural history.

• Russian Literature
• Comparative Literature
• 19th-Century Russian Culture
• +12 more

Max Cavitch is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Arts & Sciences, specializing in American literature, psychoanalytic studies, and cinema. He joined Penn in 1999 after earning his B.A. from Yale and Ph.D. from Rutgers. His research spans 19th- and 20th-century literature, African American studies, and interdisciplinary fields like animal studies and gender theory. Cavitch has authored influential works such as *American Elegy* (2007) and co-edited volumes on Whitman and early American studies. He directs Penn's Psychoanalytic Studies program and edits the blog *Psyche on Campus*, honored with the 2022 American Psychoanalytic Association's Excellence in Journalism Award. His teaching includes courses on psychoanalysis, autobiography, and American poetry. Cavitch has held fellowships from the Fulbright Foundation, Newcombe Foundation, and others. His recent projects explore world autobiography, psychoanalysis in academia, and the history of 'ashes' as a conceptual and material symbol. Award-winning scholar and educator, Cavitch's work bridges literary criticism with clinical theory, media studies, and transnational frameworks. He advises doctoral students in American literature and affiliated programs, maintaining active collaborations with institutions like the McNeil Center for Early American Studies and the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia.

• 19th-Century American Literature
• 20th-Century American Literature
• African American Studies
• +7 more

Elizabeth Blake is an Associate Professor of Russian and Division Coordinator in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Saint Louis University's College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on 19th-century Russian literature, particularly Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, with emphases on empire studies, exile cultures, and religious dialogues between Russian Orthodoxy and Polish/French Catholicism. She has published two major books: *Dostoevsky and the Catholic Underground* (2014) and *Travels from Dostoevsky’s Siberia* (2019). Her work bridges literary analysis with historical context, examining themes like human rights, cultural mobility, and gender roles. Blake teaches courses ranging from language proficiency to advanced topics in Russian literature and cinema, including *Russian and Soviet Cinema* and *Dostoevsky Through the Centuries*. She has received numerous grants including Mellon and Fulbright-Hays awards for research in Russia and Poland. Her academic career includes extensive reviews for journals like *Slavic Review* and *Canadian Slavonic Papers*, alongside professional involvement with organizations such as the North American Dostoevsky Society. Blake’s teaching excellence is recognized through awards like the Spirit of the Billiken Award (2016), reflecting her impact on both scholarship and student mentorship.

• Russian Literature
• Cultural Studies
• Empire and Exile Studies
• +4 more

Nick Kapur is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Rutgers University–Camden, within the School of Arts and Sciences. He specializes in modern Japan and East Asia, with a focus on transnational perspectives, US-Japan relations, environmental history, gender, and cultural studies including literature and film. His educational background includes a Ph.D. from Harvard University (2011), an M.A. from Stanford University (2003), and a B.A. from Stanford University (2002). Kapur's research examines the intersections of political economy, culture, and international relations in modern Japan, particularly in the postwar era. His acclaimed book, Japan at the Crossroads: Conflict and Compromise after Anpo (2018), analyzes the 1960 protests and their lasting impact on Japanese society and US-Japan relations. He has also published extensively on the Japanese student movement, environmental policy, and Meiji centennial celebrations. His recent and forthcoming articles reflect a sustained engagement with Cold War Japan, dissent, nationalism, and transnational history. Kapur is known for innovative teaching methods, including historical simulations on Pearl Harbor and samurai-era Japan. He is the founder of the Modern Japan History Association and has contributed significantly to digital humanities through projects like the Digital Archive of Japan’s 2011 Disasters and the development of educational apps. His publications from the past decade show a consistent focus on political protest, cultural memory, and international relations in 20th-century Japan. His scholarly contributions include numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, translations, and book reviews in leading journals such as Diplomatic History , The Journal of Asian Studies , and The Asia-Pacific Journal . Kapur advises graduate students and teaches courses on Japanese, Chinese, and Korean history, World War II, and environmental history. He has played a leadership role in promoting Japanese studies globally and continues to be an active researcher with works forthcoming in 2025. His current projects include digital applications for historical education.

• Modern Japan
• East Asian History
• US-Japan Relations
• +12 more

Marc Redfield holds the Florence Pirce Grant University Professorship in English and Comparative Literature at Brown University, with additional appointments in German Studies. He previously taught at the Université de Genève and Claremont Graduate University. His work bridges literature and philosophy across British, American, French, and German traditions, with a focus on Romanticism and interdisciplinary studies. Education: Studied at Yale and Cornell universities. Research interests include literary theory, aesthetics, and the intersections of literature with philosophy. Major awards include the MLA First Book Prize for Phantom Formations . Editorial contributions include special issues of Diacritics , Romantic Praxis , and The Wordsworth Circle . His edited volumes include Legacies of Paul de Man and co-edited collections on cultural studies and critical theory.

• aesthetics
• comparative literature
• literary theory
• +6 more

Jeffrey Rossman is an Associate Professor at the University of Virginia , affiliated with the Department of History and serving as Director of the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies . His work bridges historical analysis with cultural and literary studies, focusing on Russia/USSR, Modern Europe, Communism, Genocide, Espionage, and Jewish Cultural Studies. Education: Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1997 A.B., Harvard University, 1989 His research explores worker resistance under Stalin, the intersection of Jewish identity and German literature, and the role of translation in cultural exchange. He has authored key works on Soviet labor movements and Holocaust memory, blending historical narratives with literary theory. Jeffrey’s recent publications and Google Scholar contributions highlight trends in 20th-century European history , Yiddish-German literary dynamics , and translation as a tool for identity formation . His work spans comparative literature, cultural memory, and diaspora studies, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. Scientific Awards: ACLS Collaborative Research Fellowship (2013-15) Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation Research Grant (2013-15) Multiple grants from the University of Virginia’s College of Arts & Sciences and Faculty Summer Research Grant program Fulbright-Hays and IREX fellowships for international research As an educator, Rossman has taught courses such as Genocide: A Global History and Stalinism , mentoring students in historical and literary analysis. His lab, the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, fosters research on Soviet history, Jewish cultural studies, and transnational literary exchange.

• Russia/USSR
• Modern Europe
• Communism
• +6 more

Timothy R. Tangherlini serves as the Elizabeth H. and Eugene A. Shurtleff Chair in Undergraduate Education and Professor in the Department of Scandinavian and the School of Information at the University of California, Berkeley. A distinguished folklorist and ethnographer, he has pioneered computational approaches to folklore studies, bridging traditional humanities scholarship with cutting-edge digital methods. His research expertise spans multiple interconnected domains: Digital humanities and computational folkloristics Danish and Scandinavian cultural traditions Network analysis of narrative structures Machine learning applications in cultural analysis Conspiracy theory formation and transmission Korean cultural studies and K-Pop analysis Tangherlini's work focuses on how stories circulate across social networks and how individuals use narratives to negotiate ideology within their social groups. He has been instrumental in developing the field of Culture Analytics, co-directing a three-year program at the NSF's Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics and leading the NEH's Institute for Advanced Topics in Digital Humanities on Network Analysis for the Humanities. His research combines ethnographic depth with computational sophistication, creating novel methodologies for analyzing large cultural corpora. His scholarly contributions have earned him significant recognition: Fellow of the American Folklore Society Fellow of the Royal Gustav Adolf Academy (one of Sweden's Royal Academies) Elizabeth H. and Eugene A. Shurtleff Chair in Undergraduate Education Tangherlini has secured substantial funding from prestigious organizations including the NEH, NSF, NIH, AFOSR, Mellon Foundation, Nordic Council of Ministers, and Google. His work on conspiracy theories, K-Pop choreography analysis, and historical Danish folklore has garnered media attention, demonstrating the public relevance of his research. With extensive international experience including appointments at the University of Copenhagen, University of Iceland, and Harvard University, he maintains a global scholarly perspective while contributing significantly to undergraduate education at Berkeley.

• folklore
• Danish culture
• Danish cinema
• +9 more