Tania Islas Weinstein is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at McGill University’s Department of Political Science. Her work bridges art, politics, and aesthetics, particularly in the context of Mexico’s democratic transitions and socio-cultural dynamics. She holds a PhD from the University of Chicago and has held academic appointments at institutions including the University of Colorado Denver and the University of Chicago. Education: PhD in Political Science, University of Chicago (2019) MA in Political Science, University of Chicago (2011) BA in Political Science and International Relations, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE), Mexico (2007) Research focuses on how art shapes political imaginaries, with a current book project analyzing Mexico’s cultural policies post-autocratic rule. Key themes include nationalism, racial justice, and the intersection of art with state violence. She co-edited Beyond Mestizaje: Contemporary Debates on Race in Mexico (2024) and has published in Journal of Latin American Studies and Signs . Awards include a FQRSC Team Grant for governance research in Latin America and fellowships from the University of Chicago and CONACyT. She actively collaborates with artists, such as on Sun Ra’s poetry translation, and teaches courses on art politics, qualitative methods, and anti-racism in Latin America.
Lady Rojas Benavente is an Associate Professor in the Department of Classics, Modern Languages and Linguistics at Concordia University, where she has been teaching since her appointment as Assistant Professor in 1996, with promotion to Associate Professor in May 2003. Prior to joining Concordia, she served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa and as a lecturer at the Faculty of Education at The University of Western Ontario, where she taught second language methodology, French and Spanish. Dr. Rojas Benavente received her PhD in Hispanic Literature from the University Laval in 1991, following an MA in Spanish Literatures (Cum Laude, 1985) and BA in History and Spanish (1983), both from the University of Ottawa. She also holds a Diploma qualifying as a Secondary School teacher specializing in Spanish Language and Literature, Psychology and Philosophy from the National Pedagogic University of Women in Lima, Peru (Cum Laude, 1968). Her research focuses on Critical Feminism in Peruvian & Latin-American Women Writers, with special emphasis on contemporary Peruvian and Mexican narrative, drama, poetry and essay. Her work encompasses Cultural Studies and Literary and Critical Theories, Latin American History, Post-colonialism, Human Rights, Women Studies, Feminist Theories, Gender Issues, Latin America Black History, Indigenous and Minorities Studies, and Comparative Studies in Education. She has published nine books (two poetry collections and seven critical interpretations) and over 50 refereed papers in Latin American Women's literary work, particularly focusing on Peruvian and Mexican authors. Dr. Rojas Benavente's scholarly output demonstrates consistent engagement with themes of gender, ethnicity, and power structures in Latin American literature. Her recent publications explore the works of contemporary Peruvian women writers, examining how they address issues of violence, racism, and gender in post-independence national contexts. Her research trajectory reveals a deepening focus on decolonial perspectives, indigenous resistance, and the intersection of gender with other social categories. Hispanic Literary and Cultural Institute's Honor Diploma (2010) Publication Award from the University of New Brunswick for the Anthology, Constructing Memory: Latino-Canadian Women Writers in the New Millennium Recognition by Mouvement Desjardins in celebration of International Women's Day (2008) As president of the Society for Literary Criticism of Spanish American Women Writers' work (CCLEH), Dr. Rojas Benavente has facilitated connections between Concordia colleagues, local artists, international writers, and the Latino-Montreal community. She serves on the editorial boards of Alba de America, a literary magazine from the United States, and Voces, a Peruvian cultural magazine. Her leadership extends to organizing numerous conferences on Latin American women writers across Canada, Latin America, and Montreal, including multiple meetings of Hispano-Canadian Women Writers and events commemorating significant figures in Latin American literature.
Peter O’Brien is an Assistant Professor of Classics in the King’s-Dalhousie Joint Faculty, with formal affiliations at both Dalhousie University and the University of King’s College. Holding degrees from the University of Windsor (BA Hons), Dalhousie (MA), and Boston University (MA, PhD), he has been a faculty member since 2001 after teaching at a Boston private school. Roles: Graduate Coordinator, King’s-Dalhousie Carnegie Professor, Public Orator (2011-present), Vice-President (2017-2021) Editorial: Co-Editor of Mouseion: Journal of the Classical Association of Canada Teaching: Specializes in Virgil, Ovid, Catullus, and late Roman history Research Focus: Literary analysis of Ammianus Marcellinus’ historiography, Virgilian allusions in late antiquity, and Neo-Latin literature with Canadian themes. His work spans classical formation, emotional rhetoric in Jesuit texts, and classical tradition in Atlantic Canada. Publications Trends: 15 recent works (2006-2019) demonstrate expertise in Latin historiography, Virgilian intertextuality, and Neo-Latin studies. Key themes include rhetorical analysis of imperial speeches, classical reception in colonial contexts, and sacred/secular dynamics in historical narratives. Scientific Awards: Recognized for teaching excellence and graduate advising (2006, 2007, 2010). Holds leadership roles in the Classical Association of Canada (Vice-President 2022-2024). Advising & Outreach: Served as graduate coordinator, contributed to Halifax Humanities 101 and Halifax Thinks community programs, and coordinated the Foundation Year Programme at King’s College.
Peter Hodgins is an Associate Professor at Carleton University's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, with a focus on Canadian public history and cultural critique. He holds degrees from the University of Ottawa (B.A.) and Carleton University (M.A., Ph.D.), and serves as a Research Associate at the Carleton Centre for Public History. Academic Rank: Associate Professor University: Carleton University Research Affiliation: Carleton Centre for Public History Research Interests: Dr. Hodgins specializes in analyzing how memory, nationalism, and colonial legacy intersect in Canadian cultural production. His work explores: Politics and poetics of public memory Canadian cultural nationalism Settler colonial intellectual histories Haunted landscapes and affective memory Critical analysis of national identity formation Subversion of romantic/extractive gazes in contemporary art Publication Trends: His publications reveal sustained engagement with: Decolonizing historical narratives Media representation of national trauma Language politics in francophone-anglophone dynamics Artistic interventions in memory studies Historiography of Canadian institutions Critical theory applications to Canadian contexts
Suzy Anger serves as an Associate Professor and MA Advisor in the Department of English Language and Literatures within the Faculty of Arts at the University of British Columbia. Her academic work bridges literary studies with the history of science, focusing on how Victorian literature engaged with contemporary scientific thought. Dr. Anger received her BA from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by her MA and PhD from the University of Washington. Her educational background established the foundation for her interdisciplinary approach that connects literary analysis with scientific and philosophical inquiry. Her research primarily explores Victorian literature in relation to nineteenth-century science, psychology, and philosophy. Currently, she investigates Victorian fiction and nineteenth-century theories of consciousness, examining novels by Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, George Gissing, and Sarah Grand across genres including ghost fiction and scientific romance. Her scholarly work demonstrates how literary texts engaged with emerging scientific concepts of the period, particularly in the areas of mind sciences, hermeneutics, and technological understanding. She has particular expertise in how literary works processed scientific developments related to consciousness, automatism, and the relationship between humans and machines. Her publication record reveals a consistent trajectory of scholarship examining the intersection of Victorian literature and scientific thought, with recent work increasingly focused on theories of consciousness, literary automatism, and the philosophical implications of scientific developments in the nineteenth century. Her research demonstrates how literary works served as laboratories for exploring complex scientific concepts before they were fully developed in scientific discourse. Sonya Rudikoff Prize for the best first book in Victorian Studies (2006) Killam Teaching Prize, University of British Columbia (2018) Newhouse Center Faculty Fellowship, Wellesley College (2006-2007) SSHRC Faculty Research Grant (2005-2008) American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship (2000-2001) National Endowment for the Humanities Stipend (1999) As an academic leader, Dr. Anger has served as president of the Northeast Victorian Studies Association and was former co-chair of UBC's interdisciplinary graduate program in Science and Technology Studies. Her research has been supported by multiple prestigious fellowships and grants from major funding bodies including the American Council of Learned Societies, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Her editorial work on collections like 'Victorian Science as Cultural Authority' and 'Victorian Automata' has helped shape contemporary scholarship in the field. Through her editorial projects and interdisciplinary collaborations, Dr. Anger has been instrumental in developing the field of Science and Technology Studies within literary scholarship. Her work with colleagues across disciplines has created important spaces for examining how literature processes scientific and technological change, particularly in historical contexts where such changes were rapidly transforming society's understanding of itself.
Magdalena Kay is a Professor and Honours Program Adviser in the Department of English at the University of Victoria. She has been teaching since 2007, specializing in contemporary British, Irish, and Polish poetry, comparative literature, and poetics. Her research explores the complex interplay between form, cultural context, and identity in poetry. Education: She earned a B.A. (magna cum laude) in English from Harvard University (1999) and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of California, Berkeley (2007). Teaching: Her courses cover modern and contemporary British and Irish literature, including seminars on practical criticism, Modernism, and the poetry of Seamus Heaney. She has taught both undergraduate and graduate-level courses, emphasizing close reading and comparative analysis. Research Interests: Kay’s work focuses on 20th- and 21st-century poetry, particularly examining how Eastern European poets like Czesław Miłosz and Zbigniew Herbert influence Irish and British writers. She investigates themes of belonging, cultural displacement, and the ethical dimensions of poetic form. Publications: Her monographs include Poetry Against the World (2012) and In Gratitude for All the Gifts (2012), which analyze the transnational connections between poets. Recent articles explore the aesthetics of Seamus Heaney, the legacy of Philip Larkin, and the cross-cultural dialogues shaping modern poetry. Advising & Engagement: As Honours Program Adviser, Kay mentors students in advanced literary studies. Her work also extends to co-creating The Close Reading of Poetry , a resource for students and educators.
Catherine Khordoc is a Professor in the Department of French within Carleton University's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, where she also serves as Deputy Provost (Academic Operations & Planning). A native of Ottawa, she has been integral to Carleton since 2003 after earning her BA (Journalism with French minor) and MA at the institution, followed by a PhD from the University of Toronto. Her educational background includes: BJ (Honors) in Journalism with French minor from Carleton University MA in French from Carleton University PhD in French from the University of Toronto Professor Khordoc's research centers on contemporary Québécois literature , specializing in migrant writing , transnational writing , and the works of Monique Bosco . She explores transcultural writing , multilingualism , and the Tower of Babel myth in modern contexts, with recent interdisciplinary work bridging literature and mathematics in francophone texts. Analysis of her 2019-2025 publications reveals intensified focus on mathematical structures in Wajdi Mouawad's works and sustained scholarly engagement with Monique Bosco's oeuvre, demonstrating consistent evolution from migrant to transnational literary frameworks while maintaining critical attention to Quebec's cultural landscape. Her scholarly excellence is recognized through: Prix Jean-Cléo Godin 2021 (Canadian Association for Theatre Research) Best Essay Prize 2020 (Canadian Studies Network) She has mentored 10+ graduate students on topics including transcultural bodies, racial passing in comics, and multilingual migrant literature, while co-founding Carleton's Center for Transnational Cultural Analysis to foster cross-disciplinary research networks. Her leadership extends to academic administration as Deputy Provost. As co-founder of the Center for Transnational Cultural Analysis (CTCA), she cultivates scholarly communities examining transnational cultural flows, migration narratives, and transcultural exchange through collaborative research initiatives and international partnerships.
Sara Saljoughi is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Toronto Scarborough . She is currently on leave for the 2024–2025 academic year. Her interdisciplinary work bridges cinema studies, critical theory, and postcolonial studies, with a particular focus on non-Western and postcolonial cinemas, Iranian film, and feminist theory. Education & Training: While specific degrees are not detailed in the provided text, her extensive publication record and fellowship history indicate advanced training in cinema studies and critical theory. Research Interests: Professor Saljoughi’s scholarship centers on the intersection of aesthetics and politics , particularly in relation to non-Western, postcolonial, and Iranian cinemas. Her work draws from film theory, feminist theory, and postcolonial studies to examine how cinematic form engages with questions of collectivity, statelessness, and transnational feminism. She is completing a monograph on collectivity in Iranian cinema during the 1960s and 1970s , and developing a second book project titled Stateless Cinemas: Aesthetics, Autonomy, Mobility , which explores the cinemas of stateless peoples. Grants & Fellowships: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Andrew W. Mellon Foundation American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Social Science Research Council (USA) Connaught Foundation Mellon Early Career Fellow, Jackman Humanities Institute Editorial & Scholarly Service: She is co-editor of the book 1968 and Global Cinema (Wayne State University Press, 2018) and co-editor of Discourse: Journal for Theoretical Studies in Media and Culture .
Dr. Golam Rabbani is a Contract Lecturer in the School of Creative Industries at Toronto Metropolitan University. He holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies from Queen’s University and has taught at institutions like Queen’s University, Carleton University, and various universities in Bangladesh. His research focuses on Baul spirituality, cultural industries, and postcolonial studies, with a particular emphasis on Bangladesh’s folk traditions and immigrant identities in Canada. He has received prestigious awards including the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship and Erasmus Mundus Scholarship. Education: Ph.D. in Cultural Studies, Queen’s University (2021) MA in Literature and Linguistics (Distinction), University of Antwerp (2015) BA (Hons) and MA in English Literature, Jahangirnagar University (Bangladesh) Research Interests: Creative Industries, Cultural Studies, Ethnomusicology, Postcolonial Theory, South Asian Popular Culture, Baul Spirituality. His work explores intersections between spirituality, music, and contemporary consumer culture in Bangladesh, while also examining immigrant experiences in Canada through creative research initiatives. Grants and Awards: SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship Award Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Queen’s Graduate Award PKSF Best Volunteer Award (2010) Dr. Rabbani’s academic contributions span interdisciplinary courses on creative processes, media representation, and cultural theory. He collaborates with creative industries in Bangladesh and Canada, blending scholarly research with community-based projects addressing EDII (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigeneity) in workplaces and cultural spaces.
Professor Jose Jouve-Martin is a faculty member in the Department of Hispanic Studies at McGill University. His research focuses on the intersection of history and literature in colonial Latin America, particularly exploring themes of slavery, literacy, and colonialism. He has held significant academic roles including Director of Undergraduate Programs in Hispanic Studies and has been funded by major grants such as SSHRC and FQRSC. His work spans monographs, peer-reviewed articles, and edited volumes, with notable publications like Esclavos de la ciudad letrada (2005). He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on colonial literature, the baroque, and Afro-Hispanic studies. Education: Ph.D. in Hispanic Literature, Georgetown University (2003) Licenciatura in Philosophy, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (1994) His research interests include the cultural history of opera, funerary rituals in the Spanish Empire, and the role of writing among enslaved populations. He has advised numerous graduate and undergraduate students on topics ranging from colonial drama to modern Latin American literature. His international collaborations include membership in the MCRI 'The Hispanic Baroque' and Brown University's research groups. Prof. Jouve-Martin’s scholarly contributions have been recognized with awards such as an honorable mention for the Franklin Pease G.Y. Memorial Prize (2007). He actively participates in academic service roles, including editorial boards for Revista Canadiense de Estudios Hispánicos and Latin American Research Review .
Daniela Janes serves as a Sessional Lecturer III-Long Term in the Department of English and Drama at the University of Toronto Mississauga, specializing in Canadian literary traditions with emphasis on Indigenous voices, modernist movements, and First World War narratives. Her academic profile centers on late-nineteenth to early-twentieth-century Canadian writers and the structural complexities of short fiction forms. Her research interrogates trauma representation in works like Rilla of Ingleside , epiphanic structures in Joyce and Mistry, and social reform themes in Victorian industrial novels. She examines how historical events reshape narrative temporality and explores Indigenous literary sovereignty within colonial contexts, particularly through short story cycles and war literature. Publication trends reveal sustained engagement with Canadian literary historiography, demonstrating methodological versatility across comparative analysis (De Mille/Martel), modernist studies (Joyce/Mistry), and trauma theory (Montgomery). Her work consistently bridges canonical and marginalized voices, with recent scholarship focusing on First World War poetry and Nobel-recognized short fiction traditions in Canadian letters.
Katarina O’Briain is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at York University's Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. from the University of Alberta. Her research explores eighteenth-century literature, georgic poetry, and its intersections with settler colonialism and racial capitalism. A secondary project investigates Tagalog poetry and the Manila–Acapulco Galleon Trade. Before joining York, she taught at St. Mary’s University in Calgary, receiving a Teaching Excellence Award in 2021. Her pedagogical approach emphasizes close reading to connect historical texts with contemporary social issues.
Jeff Mitscherling is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Guelph, specializing in phenomenology, hermeneutics, ancient philosophy, and aesthetics. His research explores the intersection of realist phenomenology with cognitive science, particularly through the works of Aristotle and early phenomenologists like Ingarden and Reinach. He holds degrees from the University of California, Santa Barbara (B.A.), McMaster University (M.A.), and the University of Guelph (Ph.D.). His research interests include the ontological foundations of Aristotle's philosophy, intentional being, and the historical development of cognitive concepts. He has published extensively on topics such as the nature of art, literary criticism, and Platonic dialogues. Notable works include Aesthetic Genesis (2010) and The Image of a Second Sun (2009), which critically engage with classical and modern philosophical frameworks. His scholarly contributions span hermeneutic theory, ancient philosophy, and the philosophy of art. Though no awards are explicitly listed, his prolific publication record reflects significant academic impact. His teaching and research emphasize interdisciplinary dialogue between historical philosophy and contemporary cognitive inquiry.
Ian Williams is a Professor, Graduate Faculty, and Undergraduate Instructor at the University of Toronto, where he serves as Director of the MA in English in the Field of Creative Writing. He holds a BSc, MA, and PhD from the University of Toronto. His research explores the intersections of literature, identity, and form, with a focus on contemporary creative expression. Research Focus Williams specializes in: Poetry and poetic innovation Fictional narrative structures African Canadian literary traditions Contemporary Canadian literature Creative nonfiction methodologies Awards and Honors Scotiabank Giller Prize (2019) for Reproduction Griffin Poetry Prize Shortlist for Personals Raymond Souster Award (2021) for Word Problems Danuta Gleed Literary Award for short fiction Dublin Literary Award Longlist for global fiction Multiple ReLit Prize and book award nominations Leadership and Future Work Williams directs UofT's Creative Writing MA program and will be the 2025 Miegunyah Distinguished Fellow at the University of Melbourne. His forthcoming novel You've Changed releases in August 2025.
Thomas Keymer is the Chancellor Henry N.R. Jackman University Professor of English at the University of Toronto , with affiliations to University College and Massey College . A leading scholar of Restoration, eighteenth-century, and Romantic-era British and Irish literature , his work spans narrative and the novel book history and print culture literature and law intertextuality and reception textual editing His research explores how censorship and legal constraints shaped literary creativity, as seen in his award-winning book Poetics of the Pillory . He has directed U of T's Collaborative Graduate Program in Book History & Print Culture and serves as General Editor of The Review of English Studies (OUP). Keymer’s scientific awards include fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation , Leverhulme Trust , and All Souls College, Oxford . His publications analyze intersections between literature and politics , with recurring themes in 17th-19th century British literature censorship and libel textual materiality authorship economies His editorial work includes the Cambridge Edition of Samuel Richardson and projects on Henry Fielding and Jane Austen .
