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
University of California, Los AngelesUnited States
Aamir R. Mufti serves as Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles, with affiliations at the Asia Pacific Center. His scholarly work bridges literary studies, anthropology, and area studies focused on South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Jewish diaspora communities. His research centers on: Global colonialism and decolonization processes Postcolonial reconfigurations of Western humanities concepts (secular, minor, cosmopolitan) Migrant/refugee experiences in European unification projects Palestine as historical experience of homeland loss Critical examinations of world literature frameworks Analysis of his publications reveals consistent engagement with suppressed narratives in colonial and postcolonial contexts, particularly examining how enforced immobility contradicts world literature's mobility discourse and how minority experiences in Europe were disseminated globally through colonial nation-state formations. His work systematically interrogates Orientalism's legacy in contemporary humanistic practice. Mufti maintains a long-standing editorial role with the journal boundary 2 , where he has curated special collections advancing critical postcolonial discourse. His current research trajectory emphasizes migrant subjectivity within European political crises and reimagining humanities frameworks from colonized perspectives. Academic foundations include doctoral training under Edward Said at Columbia University, with formative influences from South Asian literary traditions (notably Faiz Ahmed Faiz) and European critical theory (Heinrich Heine). His institutional work positions Comparative Literature as a discipline uniquely equipped to address contemporary global political rightward shifts through interdisciplinary humanistic analysis.
Lindsay Turner is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Case Western Reserve University. A poet, critic, and translator, her work bridges creative writing, translation theory, and interdisciplinary research. Her prior role as Assistant Professor at the University of Denver’s Department of English and Literary Arts underscores her commitment to literary education. AB in English, Harvard College Masters in cinema studies, Université Paris III Sorbonne-Nouvelle MFA in poetry, New York University PhD in English, University of Virginia Turner’s research spans creative writing , transnational poetry , and gender studies , with a focus on the intersections of literature and labor. Her recent work examines gendered domestic and reproductive labor through poetic forms. Key trends in her publications include experimental translation , queer theory , and postcolonial philosophy . National Translation Awards Best Translated Book Awards French American Foundation recognition She has received grants such as the WPR Creative Grant from Harvard’s Woodberry Poetry Room and multiple French Voices Grants . Her translations have been praised by The New Yorker and The New York Times for their intellectual rigor and stylistic innovation.
Michael Mejia is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Utah, where he teaches creative writing. He is also Editor-in-Chief of Western Humanities Review and co-founding editor of Ninebark Press . Mejia is the author of the novels TOKYO and Forgetfulness , with his work appearing in journals like AGNI , DIAGRAM , and Seneca Review . His creative practice bridges fiction, nonfiction, and visual media, interrogating narrative form and socio-cultural dynamics.
Charles Athanasopoulos is an Assistant Professor of African American and African Studies & English at The Ohio State University. His research focuses on intersections of Black rhetorics, media, and culture, with expertise in The Black Radical Tradition, Rhetorical Theory, and Cultural Critique. He earned his Ph.D. in Rhetoric & Communication from the University of Pittsburgh. His work analyzes racial progress, public symbols, and post/Ferguson America through lenses of iconoclasm and critical race theory. Education: Ph.D., Rhetoric & Communication, University of Pittsburgh. Research interests span Black American and Diasporic Cinema, Afro-Caribbean and Greek-Roma identity critiques. He has published in venues like Lateral: The Journal of the Cultural Studies Association and Western Journal of Communication. His 2024 book Black Iconoclasm explores dismantling racial symbols in public discourse. Recent articles address Fanonian thought, anti-racist campus rhetoric, and transnational Blackness studies. His publications critically engage with visual activism, film analysis, and decolonial theories. Current projects include studies on sonic rhetorics in Black women’s music and global race discourses in Mediterranean contexts.
Jiwon Min serves as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of English at Emory University, teaching undergraduate courses including ENG 185 Writing and Inquiry in the Liberal Arts and ENG 256 Survey of English Literature since 1660. Her academic position places her within Emory's humanities division with direct responsibility for literary curriculum development and student mentorship. Her educational foundation includes: BA in English Literature from Seoul National University (2003) MA in English Literature from Seoul National University (2007) PhD in English from Louisiana State University (2021) Dr. Min's research interrogates the intersection of Victorian-era literature with contemporary ecological crises through decolonial frameworks. She specializes in EcoGothic studies, examining how 19th-century texts like Mary Shelley's The Last Man encode environmental anxiety and colonial violence. Her work bridges literary analysis with climate discourse, emphasizing global perspectives and non-Western epistemologies in Victorian scholarship. Particular focus areas include pestilential colonialism, weather weirding narratives, and the rhetoric of empire in periodical literature. Analysis of her publications and 12 conference presentations since 2020 reveals consistent engagement with environmental humanities and global Victorian studies. Her scholarship demonstrates how historical literary representations of ecological disruption inform modern climate discourse, particularly through decolonial reinterpretations of Gothic and nature writing traditions. The recurring emphasis on Korean Victorianist perspectives highlights transnational scholarly networks and challenges Eurocentric academic frameworks.
Wang Ning is a distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature with affiliations at Tsinghua University (part-time) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. His career spans prestigious roles including Zhiyuan Chair Professor (2009–present) and Changjiang Distinguished Professor (2013–present). Born in 1955, he holds academic qualifications from institutions in China, Europe, and North America. Research interests focus on cosmopolitanism, translation studies, Northrop Frye's mythopoeia, cultural studies, and Chinese-Western comparative literature. He has secured over ten grants since 1991 aimed at introducing European theory to China and has conducted research across Europe, North America, and Australia as a visiting professor/research fellow. Key achievements include the Changjiang Scholars Award (2013), membership in Académé de la Latinité (2010), and fellowships at Cambridge and Gottingen Universities. He co-founded Chinese editions of New Literary History and Critical Inquiry , advancing transnational literary discourse. Wang has delivered keynote lectures globally and led initiatives to bridge Chinese and Western literary traditions. His work emphasizes global literary dynamics, translation’s role in cultural exchange, and reinterpreting modern Chinese literature within global contexts.
Pheng Cheah serves as Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in interdisciplinary research bridging philosophy, literature, and political theory with global implications. His academic credentials include: PhD from Cornell University LLB from University of Sydney His research spans continental philosophy from Kant to Derrida, postcolonial theory, world literature, and globalization studies, with concentrated focus on human rights frameworks, cosmopolitan/national tensions, feminist perspectives, and contemporary Chinese cinema. His methodology integrates literary analysis with political philosophy to examine power dynamics in transnational contexts, particularly across postcolonial Asia where he conducts fieldwork with filmmakers. Publication analysis reveals an evolving trajectory from foundational cosmopolitan/national theory toward biopolitical human rights frameworks and cinematic representations of globalization. His work consistently centers non-Western perspectives—especially Chinese, Southeast Asian, and global South contexts—challenging Eurocentric paradigms through comparative analysis of cultural production and political transformation. No scientific awards are documented in available sources. Professor Cheah mentors graduate students in critical theory and postcolonial studies, guiding research on literature's political dimensions. His scholarly activities are supported by standard academic funding mechanisms enabling extensive archival work and international collaborations, particularly with Asian film communities. He maintains active participation in global studies consortia and postcolonial research networks, frequently collaborating with filmmakers and scholars across the three Chinas through interview-based methodologies.
Dr. Fabian Schulz is a Senior Researcher in Ancient History at the University of Tübingen, where he works in the Department of History within the Faculty of Humanities. He leads a prestigious Junior Research Group under the Emmy Noether Programme of the German Research Foundation (DFG), titled 'Power and Influence: Influencing Emperors between Antiquity and the Middle Ages.' His academic profile also includes association with the Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 923 'Threatened Order - Societies under Stress' and active participation in the 'Tübingen Theosophy' research group. Previously, he contributed to the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities project on John Malalas' Chronicle and the University of Tübingen's DFG project 'East and West 400-600 AD.' Dr. Schulz earned his PhD in Classics from Freie Universität Berlin (2006-2010), where he also served as a teaching assistant. During his doctoral studies, he was a Pensionnaire étranger at the École Normale Supérieure Paris. Prior to that, he completed an MA equivalent degree in Classics at Freie Universität Berlin, with time spent as a visiting student at the University of Oxford (1999-2005). His early career included teaching Latin and Greek at a grammar school in Lübeck (2006). His research specializes in power structures and influence mechanisms in ancient societies, with particular focus on how advisors shaped imperial decisions in Late Antiquity. He has made significant contributions to understanding councils of elders in Archaic Greece (especially the Spartan Gerousie), Byzantine chronography (particularly John Malalas' works), and the complex dynamics between Eastern and Western Roman empires during the 5th and 6th centuries. His methodological innovation lies in applying modern sociological models of interpersonal influence to historical analysis of ancient political culture, bridging literary representation with political reality in pre-modern monarchical states. Young researchers award for 'Ratgeber, Experten, Manipulatoren: Einfluss als Machtfaktor und Diskursobjekt in der Antike' As principal investigator of his Emmy Noether project, Dr. Schulz has secured substantial research funding from the German Research Foundation. His collaborative work includes multiple edited volumes on Late Antique history and Byzantine chronography, reflecting his strong international scholarly network. He currently serves as a deputizing member (non-professorial academic staff) on the faculty board of Humanities at the University of Tübingen. His research often intersects with contemporary concerns about power dynamics, political influence, and historical memory, as evidenced by his work on video game representations of ancient history. Dr. Schulz is an active contributor to the online commentary project on John Malalas' chronicle, specifically editing sections of Book XVIII. His work frequently involves detailed textual criticism and analysis of historical sources, with particular attention to how narratives are transmitted and reinterpreted across different cultural contexts. His scholarly approach combines philological precision with broader historical and sociological perspectives.
Alexander Key is an Associate Professor of Comparative Literature at Stanford University, specializing in Classical Arabic literature and the intellectual history of Arabic and Persian-speaking worlds from the 7th century onwards. His scholarship focuses on the philosophy of language, literary theory, and cross-cultural translation. Ph.D. in Arabic and Islamic Studies from Harvard University (2012) Current research: Arabo-Persian linguistic intersections, poetics in translation, and pre-modern theories of syntax and affect His articles span diverse eras and topics, including: Medieval Arabic language philosophy (5th–11th century) Modern Arabic political poetry analysis (20th–21st century) Comparative methodologies bridging Islamic and Western traditions A key editorial role includes: Board Member of Stanford University Press Advisory roles at Habib University and Stanford’s Markaz Resource Center His work bridges academic publication with public discourse through: Contributions to Arcade Colloquy Interviews on poetics, religion, and contemporary politics Podcasts and literary salon discussions
Rosa Andujar is a Senior Lecturer in Liberal Arts at King's College London, where she is affiliated with both the Department of Liberal Arts and the Department of Classics within the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. She serves as Editor of the American Journal of Philology and holds positions on the editorial boards of Brazilian journals Nuntius Antiquus and PhaoS - Revista de Estudos Clássicos. Dr. Andujar was elected to the Program Committee of the Society for Classical Studies for a three-year term (2022-2025), serving as Vice President for Program and Chair from 2023-2025. Her research focuses on two complementary areas: Ancient Greek tragedy, particularly the tragic chorus and its performance capabilities Global receptions of Greek drama, with special emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean Dr. Andujar's work examines how engagements with Graeco-Roman antiquity intersect with questions of gender, race, class, and national identity. She has particular expertise in Cuban adaptations of Greek tragedy and Latinx receptions of classical drama, exploring how these cultural encounters create new narratives that challenge traditional understandings of classical reception. Her research has been recognized with prestigious awards including the 2020 London Hellenic Prize for 'The Greek Trilogy of Luis Alfaro' and the 2022 AJP Best Article Prize. She has secured significant research funding from the Loeb Classical Library Foundation, British Academy, A. G. Leventis Foundation, Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Fundación BBVA. Dr. Andujar's current research projects include 'The Cambridge Companion to Classics and Race' (edited volume), 'La Puerta Electra/The Electra Door' (critical bilingual anthology of Cuban rewritings), and 'Tragedy and Revolución' (monograph on Greek drama in Caribbean cultural history), supported by recent fellowships from the Loeb Classical Library Foundation and British Academy. She is actively involved in academic service as Editor of the American Journal of Philology, co-editor of the 'Classics and the Postcolonial' book series for Routledge, and Advisory Board member of 'Hesperides: Classics in the Luso-Hispanic World.' Her external examining work for the University of Birmingham (2018-2023) demonstrates her commitment to academic standards across institutions.
Wendy Gay Pearson serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies at Western University. Her academic work spans multiple interdisciplinary fields with a particular focus on identity, citizenship, and belonging through the lenses of gender and sexuality. Professor Pearson's research interests encompass gender and sexuality studies, queer theory, feminist theory, critical race theory, and cultural studies. She approaches these topics through postmodernist and postcolonial theoretical frameworks, with emerging intersectional approaches to race, ethnicity, and diaspora. Her work specifically investigates these issues within science fiction, Canadian literature and film, and Indigenous film, examining connections between seemingly disparate areas such as analyzing Eden Robinson's Monkey Beach through both science fiction and Indigenous studies perspectives. Professor Pearson's scholarly output demonstrates a clear trajectory toward increasingly intersectional analyses, particularly in the most recent publications that bridge Indigenous studies with gender and sexuality frameworks. Her work consistently explores how science fiction functions as a space for imagining alternative gender and sexual possibilities, while simultaneously examining how Canadian cultural production engages with queer identities. The publications reveal a growing emphasis on Indigenous perspectives in film and literature, with multiple forthcoming 2024 contributions to the Routledge Handbook of Indigenous Film . As evidenced by her extensive editorial work including The Routledge Companion to Gender and Science Fiction (2023) and Reverse Shots: Indigenous Film and Media in an International Context (2014), Professor Pearson has established herself as a significant contributor to scholarly conversations at the intersection of gender studies and speculative fiction. Her book Zero Patience (2011) with Susan Knabe demonstrates long-standing engagement with queer cinema. Professor Pearson's academic supervision extends across multiple disciplines, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach. Her work has been supported through various academic channels that enable her to explore connections between Indigenous film, queer Canadian culture, and science fiction, though specific grant details are not provided in the available information. Her research methodology combines close textual analysis with theoretical frameworks from queer studies, feminist theory, and critical race theory, creating innovative approaches to understanding how cultural texts negotiate complex identity formations. This integrative approach is particularly evident in her examination of works by authors like Hiromi Goto, Nalo Hopkinson, and Larissa Lai, where she simultaneously considers sexuality, gender, race, and science fiction elements.
Vicente Cervera Salinas is a Professor of Spanish Literature at the University of Murcia, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Department of Spanish Literature, Literary Theory and Comparative Literature. He has been a full professor since 2004 and specializes in Latin American literature, intertextuality, and literary theory. His research interests include: Spanish and Latin American Literature Comparative Literature and Intertextuality Poetry and the Essay as Literary Genres Classical Mythology and its Modern Reinterpretations Aesthetic Criticism and Cultural Memory Philosophical Dimensions in Literature His scholarly and creative work reflects deep engagement with figures like Jorge Luis Borges, Dante Alighieri, and George Santayana. His publications span poetry, critical essays, and editorial projects, often exploring the intersections between literature, philosophy, and cultural identity. The themes across his recent articles reveal a consistent focus on myth, authorship, and transatlantic literary traditions, particularly in Hispanic contexts. He has received recognition including the Second Prize in the America Poetry Prize (1993). He co-directs the journal Cartaphilus: Revista de investigación y crítica estética and has directed the Humanities Classroom at the University of Murcia. He served as president of the Association of Hispanic American Literary Studies (2014–2018). He has supervised at least one doctoral thesis and has been a visiting professor at institutions in Havana, San José (Costa Rica), Buenos Aires, and Vienna. His academic leadership includes editing multi-volume works on literary figures and movements, contributing significantly to the study of Hispanic intellectual and aesthetic traditions. He leads the research group Plural Scriptures: Intertextuality and Interdisciplinarity , continuing to influence both literary scholarship and creative writing in Spain and Latin America.
Niklas Salmose is a Professor at the Department of Languages , Linnaeus University , Sweden. His research integrates Nostalgia , Intermediality , and Ecocriticism , focusing on Environmental Humanities and Modernist Literature . PhD in English from the University of Edinburgh (2012) Visiting Professor at UCLA (Autumn 2018) Vice-Chair of Department of Languages (Linnaeus University) Co-coordinator of the graduate school MIDWorld (Swedish Research Council-funded) His recent work explores the intersection of Climate Crisis and Intermediality through monographs like Mediations of Nostalgia: Aesthetics, Intermediality, Ecology (Edinburgh UP, 2024). He co-edits special issues on Ecological Emergencies and Blue-Eco Stories with journals Humanities and Textus . Salmose supervises four PhD projects on topics ranging from Intermedial Ecocriticism to Western Imperialism and Nostalgic Aesthetics . He is a member of the Linnaeus University Centre for Intermedial and Multimodal Studies and leads projects like Future Food Cultures in the Anthropocene and IMS Green . His publications span Climate Crisis , Anthropocene , Nordic Noir , and Sensorial Aesthetics , with notable works in The Palgrave Handbook of Intermediality , The Routledge Handbook of Nostalgia , and Contemporary Ecocritical Methods . Salmose is actively involved in editorial boards for Humanities and Text Matters , and serves on the executive board of the F. Scott Fitzgerald Society .
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.
