Find Academic Supervisors

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

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

Dr. Edyta Chlebowska is an Assistant Professor at the Cyprian Norwid Research Center, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin. Specializing in the visual art and literary legacy of Cyprian Norwid, she explores intersections between Polish Romanticism, art history, and cultural studies. Her work extends to album art analysis and interdisciplinary connections with music (e.g., Pink Floyd, Czesław Niemen). Her research focuses on Norwid's self-portraits, eschatological themes in his drawings, and comparative studies with 19th-century Warsaw painting. She reconstructs lost artworks, documents private collections (e.g., Konstancja Górska, Victor Gomulicki), and examines Norwid's reception in Florence and Odessa. Key projects include translating Studia Norwidiana and critical editing of Norwid's complete works. As editor-in-chief of multiple On Cyprian Norwid. Studies and Essays volumes and organizer of conferences like Niemen Non Stop and Colloquia Norwidiana , she bridges academic rigor with public engagement. Her publications span peer-reviewed books, journal articles, and popular science pieces, emphasizing Norwid's unpublished works and symbolic programs.

• Cyprian Norwid's Visual Art
• Polish Romanticism
• Art History
• +3 more

Stephen Cushman is the Robert C. Taylor Professor at the University of Virginia, specializing in American literature and poetry. His interdisciplinary work bridges Civil War studies, 19th-century poetry, and environmental literature. He earned his Ph.D. (1982), M.Phil. (1981), and M.A. (1980) from Yale University, and a B.A. from Cornell University (1978). His research explores how literary forms shape historical understanding, particularly through works like *The Generals' Civil War* (2021) and *Belligerent Muse* (2014). He has edited major volumes such as *The Princeton Handbook of Poetic Terms* (2016) and *Civil War Writing* (2019). His poetry collections include *Keep the Feast* (2022) and *Hothead* (2018), blending personal reflection with historical inquiry. Cushman has received prestigious awards including the Cavaliers' Distinguished Teaching Professorship (2014–2016) and the All-University Teaching Award (1992). His writing often intersects with Virginia’s literary landscape, as seen in *After Great Pain, Dickinson in Charlottesville* (2018). He actively engages with environmental themes in works like *Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, and U.S. Environmentalism* (2017). His articles critically analyze figures like Lincoln, Sherman, and Thoreau, while exploring modernist engagements with biblical texts and Civil War memory. He serves as a leading voice in American literary history, emphasizing the interplay between form, content, and cultural context.

• American Literature
• Poetry
• Civil War Studies
• +3 more

Marsha S. Collins is a Professor of Comparative Literature and Department Chair at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She specializes in Early Modern European literature, particularly Spanish literature within its broader European context. Her research focuses on romance forms, literature-visual arts intersections, early modern lyric poetry, and court culture. Education includes a PhD in Romance Languages (Spanish) from Princeton University, an MA in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an AB in Comparative Literature from Smith College. Her research interests span Comparative Literature, Early Modern Studies, Genre Theory, Poetry and Poetics, and Visual Culture. She is currently writing a book titled 'Novel Friendships: Amity and Community in Cervantes’s Don Quijote.' Awarded the John L. Sanders Teaching Award (2000) and prestigious fellowships, her work bridges literary analysis with interdisciplinary approaches. She teaches courses like 'Global Cervantes' and 'Literature of Pilgrimage.'

• Early Modern Literature and Culture
• Comparative Literature
• Genre Theory
• +4 more

Casey Elledge is a Professor in the Department of Religion at Gustavus Adolphus College since 2002. His teaching and research focus on New Testament, Early Judaism, Archaeology, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. He previously worked on the Princeton Dead Sea Scrolls Project and was a Fulbright Scholar at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Institute for Archaeology. Education : B.A. in English and Classics (1994) from Centenary College; M.Div (1997) and Ph.D. (2001) from Princeton Theological Seminary; studied at École Biblique de Jérusalem. Elledge's research integrates literary, historical, and theological studies of Early Christian and Jewish literature. His 2017 book, Resurrection of the Dead in Early Judaism, 200 BCE - CE 200 , explores resurrection theology in early Jewish texts. He teaches courses like The Bible (REL-110), New Testament (REL-210), and Jesus (REL-290). Scientific Awards : Faculty Scholarly Achievement Award Fulbright Scholar Elledge serves on the Faculty Senate and participates in Gustavus's International Friendship Family program. Outside academia, he enjoys physical conditioning, gospel music history, grilling, martial arts films, and Alabama football. He is currently reading the Mahabharata and studying Latin with his children.

• New Testament Studies
• Early Judaism
• Archaeology
• +3 more

Dr. Hester Lees-Jeffries is a University Associate Professor at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of St Catharine's College, where she serves as Director of Studies in English. She earned her BA and MA (Hons.) from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, before completing her PhD at Cambridge as a Commonwealth Scholar. Her academic career includes a Research Fellowship at Magdalene College (2003-2006) and ongoing fellowship at St Catharine's since 2006. Her research focuses on Shakespeare and early modern literature, with particular expertise in performance studies, visual culture, and material textuality. She investigates topics including Renaissance textiles, costume semiotics, garden symbolism, and material objects in literature. Her interdisciplinary approach connects literary analysis with cultural history and performance theory. Lees-Jeffries maintains an active publication record with scholarly works spanning Shakespearean criticism, material culture studies, and Renaissance literature. Her research demonstrates consistent focus on textual materiality, performance interpretation, and interdisciplinary methodologies bridging literary analysis with visual and material culture. Her forthcoming publications include monographs on textile symbolism in Shakespeare and an introduction to Shakespeare's histories. Honors and Awards: Commonwealth Scholarship Research Fellowship, Magdalene College (2003-2006) Fellowship, St Catharine's College (since 2006) She coordinates exhibitions for the Centre for Material Texts and regularly contributes to Shakespeare Survey as London theater reviewer. Her innovative #SlowShakespeare projects provide daily literary analysis of Shakespeare's plays through social media platforms.

• Shakespeare Studies
• Early Modern Literature
• Performance Studies
• +4 more

Jennifer Whiting is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh, where she has held dual tenures from 1986–1997 and 2015 to present. She also taught at Harvard, Cornell, and the University of Toronto (2003–2014), where she was Chancellor Jackman Professor of Philosophy. Her research focuses on the nature of persons and selves, bridging metaphysics, ethics, and philosophy of mind. Specializing in ancient philosophy (especially Aristotle and Plato), her work also extends to contemporary moral psychology and feminist philosophy. Whiting has received prestigious awards including the Royal Society of Canada’s Konrad Adenauer Research Award (2006) and fellowships from ACLS, NEH, the Howard Foundation, and Stanford’s Center for Advanced Study. She co-directed an NEH Summer Institute on Mind, Self, and Psychopathology with Louis Sass. Her publications include three Oxford volumes: *First, Second, and Other Selves* (2016), *Living Together* (2023), and *Body and Soul* (2023). Her teaching spans ancient philosophy, feminist philosophy, and philosophy of literature. Key research interests include Aristotle’s hylomorphism, ethical agency, and the intersection of psychology and virtue. Her recent work engages with Plato’s *Philebus* and Aristotelian categories, reflecting her commitment to interdisciplinary philosophical inquiry.

• Ancient Philosophy
• Metaphysics
• Ethics
• +4 more

Michelle O'Callaghan is a Professor of English Literature at the University of Reading, part of the School of Humanities. Her research focuses on early modern literature and culture, including print and manuscript culture, literary networks, poetic forms, and women’s writing. She has authored influential monographs such as The Shepheards Nation: Jacobean Spenserians and Early Stuart Political Culture (2000) and Crafting Poetry Anthologies in Renaissance England (2020). She co-edits the Palgrave Macmillan series Early Modern Literature in History and leads the Mapping the Early Modern Inns of Court project. Her work integrates digital humanities, exemplified by the Verse Miscellanies Online digital edition. Teaching includes modules like EN3TBS: The Bloody Stage: Revenge and Death in Renaissance Drama and EN2EM: Early Modern Texts and Cultures . She actively supervises postgraduate research in early modern studies. Notable collaborations include co-authoring Early Modern Women and the Poetry of Complaint with Sarah Ross and Rosalind Smith. Research highlights include exploring literary networks through material culture and investigating women’s voices in early modern poetry. She is affiliated with the Early Modern Research Centre and contributes to interdisciplinary projects bridging literature, history, and digital scholarship.

• Early Modern Literature
• Print and Manuscript Culture
• Literary Networks
• +4 more

Dr. Deirdre Nic Mhathúna is a Professor at Dublin City University's Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge. Her research focuses on 18th-century Irish poetry, manuscript studies, and the works of Piaras Feiritéar. She holds leadership roles in Studia Hibernica and Chumann Merriman . She earned a BA in Irish and German from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD from University College Cork. Her research explores post-classical Irish manuscript culture, the poetry of Piaras Feiritéar, and the cultural heritage of Corca Dhuibhne. Recent work includes analyses of scribal transmission, accentual verse development, and the influence of place on literary expression. She has contributed to major publications like the Cambridge History of Irish Poetry and edited volumes such as Ar an Imeall i Lár an Domhain . Her articles span topics from Jacobitism to the Great Famine, Peig Sayers' life narratives, and the enduring legacy of Piaras Feiritéar. She frequently presents at international conferences, including the American Conference for Irish Studies and the Ó Thrácht go Twitter seminar series. No scientific awards are listed, but her editorial and collaborative roles highlight her contributions to Irish literary preservation and scholarly networks. Her work bridges historical and modern contexts, emphasizing cultural continuity and the interplay between oral tradition and written text. Her research often intersects with regional identity, religious thought, and transnational literary connections.

• 18th Century Poetry
• Manuscript Studies
• Irish Literary Tradition
• +3 more

Naisargi N. Dave is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto. Her work spans sociocultural anthropology, queer theory, and animal studies, with a regional focus on India. She is affiliated with the Centre for South Asian Studies and the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies. PhD, University of Michigan (2006) Research interests include interspecies ethics, affect theory, and the politics of imagination in South Asia. Her ethnographic work explores how activists navigate legal systems, emotional exhaustion, and intersectional inequalities. She has published extensively on queer communities and animal rights in India, arguing for ethics of indifference and creative relationality. Key awards: 2024 Gregory Bateson Prize for Indifference , 2013 Ruth Benedict Prize for Queer Activism in India , and an honorable mention for the Ruth Benedict Prize for her latest book. Advises graduate students in queer anthropology and animal activism Teaches courses on animality, literary anthropology, and affect Current projects include a book titled Murder: The Social Life of Violent Death in Queer India , examining violence against queer communities.

• Sociocultural Anthropology
• South Asia
• Animal Studies
• +5 more

Yiqun Zhou serves as Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures and, by courtesy, of Classics at Stanford University. Holding dual appointments since 2013, Zhou is actively engaged in teaching and research within Stanford's Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and the Department of Classics, with program affiliations at the Center for East Asian Studies. Research interests span Chinese and comparative women's history, early Chinese literature, Ming-Qing fiction, China-Greece comparative studies, and the reception of classical antiquity in modern China. Zhou's scholarly approach emphasizes cross-cultural analysis between ancient Chinese and Greek civilizations, particularly examining gender relations, literary traditions, and the modern Chinese reception of classical antiquity. Zhou's publications demonstrate consistent scholarly output with recent works appearing in 2024, focusing on imperial performance, gender dynamics, and intellectual history. The research trajectory reveals a sustained engagement with comparative methodologies, particularly examining intersections between Chinese and Greco-Roman civilizations across historical periods. Zhou actively mentors graduate students through multiple roles including Doctoral Dissertation Advisor for Xiaoyi Huang and Bingxiao Liu, Master's Program Advisor for Helen Bovi and Yuan Wei, and Doctoral Program advisor for ZiFan Yang. Teaching responsibilities include courses such as Beginning Classical Chinese, Heroes and Heroism (co-listed with Classics), Proseminar in East Asian Humanities, and The Use of Classical Antiquity in Modern China. Academic background includes a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Chicago (2004). Zhou maintains an active research agenda with publications spanning journal articles and book chapters, primarily focusing on comparative approaches to Chinese literature and history with Greco-Roman antiquity.

• Chinese and comparative women's history
• Early Chinese literature
• Ming-Qing fiction
• +2 more

Dr. Philip Tallon is an Associate Professor of Theology and Dean of the School of Christian Thought at Houston Christian University. He holds a PhD in Theology from the University of St. Andrews, an MA in Theology from Asbury Theological Seminary, and a BA in English from the University of South Florida. His teaching spans courses such as Theology and Culture , Christian Theology and Tradition , and Film, the Visual Arts, and Apologetics . Dr. Tallon’s research focuses on theological aesthetics, particularly how the arts enrich theological understanding. He explores intersections between Christian truth and artistic expression in his work, including contributions to the Transpositions blog and Seedbed . His academic interests extend to C.S. Lewis, Sherlock Holmes philosophy, and theodicy through aesthetic frameworks. He has published widely on topics ranging from Wesleyan theology to horror film analysis, including books like The Poetics of Evil (2011) and edited volumes such as The Philosophy of Sherlock Holmes (2012). His articles engage with theological aesthetics, ethical dilemmas in literature, and philosophical arguments for God’s existence. A member of the Evangelical Philosophical Society and the Wesleyan Theological Society, Dr. Tallon balances academic work with ministry involvement and outdoor activities. He maintains an active presence on Twitter (@philiptallon) and contributes to academic and popular theological discourse through writing and speaking engagements.

• Christian Theology
• Theological Aesthetics
• Philosophy of Religion
• +4 more

Dr. Sookyoung Lee is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at St. Lawrence University. She holds a PhD from UC Berkeley and a BA from Swarthmore College. Her academic focus bridges modernist literature, critical theory, and postcolonial perspectives, with a current book project exploring linguistic transformations within the British Empire. Her research examines 20th-century Anglophone literature through interdisciplinary lenses, including: Modernist narrative structures and theoretical frameworks Queer theory applications in epic literature Postcolonial film and mass cultural development Political economy in Victorian and mid-century fiction Lee's publications reflect sustained engagement with modernist innovation, from grammatical experimentation in novels to queer re-readings of canonical works. Her forthcoming James Joyce Quarterly article continues this trajectory through contemporary theoretical lenses. Courses taught include: British Literature (1700-present) Modern Poetry & Fiction Postcolonial Film Theory Queer Feelings in Literature Planetary Modernisms

• Modernism
• 20th-century British and Anglophone Literature
• Critical Theory
• +4 more

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.

• 20th- and 21st-century British Poetry
• Irish Poetry
• Polish Poetry
• +3 more