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Laura Edmondson is the Helman Family Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Theater at Dartmouth College. She holds affiliations with the African and African American Studies Program and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program. Her work bridges postcolonial African drama, feminist/queer performance studies, and transnational theater historiography. Education: B.A. Indiana University, M.A./Ph.D. University of Texas at Austin. Her research examines Eastern/Central African performance through lenses of empire, trauma, and humanitarianism. Recent projects include a NEH-funded book on contagion and care in Central Africa. Notable publications include Performing Trauma in Central Africa: Shadows of Empire (IU Press, 2018) and articles in GLQ , Theatre Journal , and Journal of the African Literature Association . She received the 2021 Oscar Brockett Prize for her analysis of Faustin Linyekula's work. Service includes editing Theatre Journal , leading Dartmouth's Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program, and mentoring through awards from the Dean of the Faculty. Her collaborative theater project Forged in Fire (2015) explored South Sudanese refugee narratives.

• African Performance Studies
• Postcolonialism
• Empire Studies
• +4 more

Alaina Lemon is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Michigan, affiliated with the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA). She serves as Director of Undergraduate Studies in Anthropology and holds affiliations with the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (CREES), the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia, and the Interdepartmental Program in Anthropology and History. Her research focuses on socio-cultural anthropology, performance studies, and visual culture, with expertise in Russia, the Romani diaspora, and post-Socialist states. Education: BA in Anthropology (University of Wisconsin, 1987), MA (University of Chicago, 1988), and PhD (University of Chicago, 1996). Notable awards include the Wayne S. Vucinich Book Prize (2001), Heldt Book Prize (2001), and a 2023 visiting scholar position at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (Paris). Her work bridges historical and contemporary issues, exploring themes like phatic labor, media infrastructures, and affective politics. Recent projects include editing the documentary Tremors (2023) and researching Soviet-era moral projects through studies of Moscow’s Metro and canine-human interactions. Lemon’s interdisciplinary approach integrates performance studies, linguistic anthropology, and critical race theory to analyze cultural dynamics in transitional societies. Grants include a 2019-2024 University of Michigan Office of Research grant for film collaboration and a 2002-2003 International Research and Exchanges Board fellowship. She has authored influential books such as Between Two Fires (2000) and Technologies for Intuition (2017), and her films document Romani experiences and urban cultural phenomena.

• Socio-cultural anthropology
• Performance and language
• Historical narrative
• +5 more

Nathan Martin is an Associate Professor of Music Theory at the University of Michigan, School of Music, Theatre & Dance. He joined in 2015 after postdoctoral fellowships at Columbia, Harvard, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Hochschule für Musik Freiburg, and Yale. He holds a PhD from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music (2009). His research focuses on the history of music theory and musical form analysis, particularly the works of Jean-Philippe Rameau and their reception among Enlightenment thinkers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He integrates intellectual history with practical analytical methods, emphasizing both contextual and emic perspectives. Recent interests include adapting empirical social science and linguistics methods to study musical form. Key publications include articles on Rameau’s harmonic concepts, Rousseau’s musical writings, and global music theory history. His 2014 article on Rameau’s supposition/suspension theories earned the Society for Music Theory’s Outstanding Publication Award. He co-edited Formal Functions in Perspective (2015) and served as co-editor of Music Theory & Analysis until 2019. Professional highlights include the Edward T. Cone Membership at the Institute for Advanced Study (2018–2019) and a 2023 visiting researcher role at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary empirical approaches, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue in music theory.

• History of Music Theory
• Musical Form Analysis
• Jean-Philippe Rameau Studies
• +3 more

Andrew J Fleck is an Associate Professor in the English and Comparative Literature Department at San José State University, affiliated with the College of Humanities and the Arts. He has been teaching since 2001, specializing in Early Modern British Literature with a focus on Dutch-English cultural relations between 1588-1688. Fleck holds a PhD from Claremont Graduate University (2000). His research explores how Dutch figures influenced English literary and cultural imagination, including studies on John Donne, Thomas Nashe, and early modern drama. He has published widely in journals like Studies in Philology and Journal of British Studies , with a particular emphasis on textual analysis, historical narratives, and cross-cultural exchanges. Fleck’s work spans from examining the role of Dutch language performances in early modern theater to analyzing the representation of national identity in texts like The Shoemaker’s Holiday . His recent publications (2013) include studies on John Donne’s engagement with astronomical themes and global adaptations of Macbeth . He maintains an active presence in academic encyclopedias, contributing entries on Milton’s Dutch connections and Renaissance authors. His scholarship bridges literary analysis with historical context, often highlighting how literature reflects political, religious, and cultural tensions of the period. Fleck’s teaching and research reflect a commitment to interdisciplinary approaches, integrating historical, linguistic, and cultural methodologies.

• Early Modern British Literature
• Dutch-English Cultural Relations
• Literary Analysis
• +3 more

Dotun Ayobade is an Assistant Professor of Performance Studies and Black Studies at Northwestern University. His research focuses on how embodied popular culture shapes community, justice, and activism in postcolonial West Africa, particularly examining the interplay of aesthetics and social performance in Nigeria. He holds a joint appointment across disciplines and has taught at the University of Texas at Austin and Brown University prior to Northwestern. His academic interests include African/Black Performance Theory, African Popular Culture, and the intersection of performance with postcolonial politics. He is currently completing a book on Nigeria’s Afrobeat Queens, analyzing their role in Fela Kuti’s music subculture, under contract with Indiana University Press. This work has earned him prestigious awards, including the University of Texas Continuing Fellowship and Brown University’s Salomon Award. His scholarly contributions span peer-reviewed journals like Dance Research Journal and Journal of African Cultural Studies , with articles exploring topics such as sonic embodiment in Nigerian music and the spatial poetics of protest. He also engages with public discourse through platforms like Africa is a Country , addressing issues like neoliberalism and cultural netizenship. Ayobade’s work bridges performance ethnography, gender studies, and postcolonial theory, emphasizing the agency of marginalized voices in shaping cultural narratives. His research integrates interdisciplinary methods to unpack how performance mediates between individual creativity and collective socio-political realities in Africa and its diasporas.

• African/Black Performance Theory
• African Popular Culture
• Performance Ethnography/Historiography
• +3 more

Juan Eduardo Wolf is an Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of Oregon's School of Music and Dance. He holds a PhD in Folklore and Ethnomusicology from Indiana University (2013), alongside degrees in Chemical Engineering and Art Studio from prestigious institutions. His research focuses on music-dance traditions of Afro-descendant and Indigenous communities in Latin America and the Caribbean, exploring decolonial methodologies and cultural equity. He directs the Latin American Studies Program and coordinates the World Music Series, which hosts global music performances. His awards include grants from UO's Center for Latin American and Latinx Studies (2018) and Global Oregon (2018). Wolf teaches courses like Decolonizing Music, Music in World Cultures, and directs World Music Ensembles focusing on Andean and Puerto Rican traditions. His research examines how marginalized groups use music-dance to resist colonial legacies, with fieldwork in Chile, Puerto Rico, and Bolivia. He is a core faculty member in Folklore and Public Culture Programs and advises on Latinx Studies initiatives. Notable publications include Styling Blackness in Chile (2019), analyzing Afro-Chilean music-dance, and Un Tumbe Ch’ixi (2021), integrating Afro-descendant ideas into Andean methodologies. His work challenges colonial frameworks and advocates for socially just music science practices. He performs as a percussionist/guitarist in global ensembles and mentors students through experiential learning.

• Ethnomusicology
• Latin American Studies
• Decolonial Thought
• +7 more

Kamari Clarke is a Professor at the University of Toronto and an Adjunct Professor at UCLA. Her work bridges Legal Anthropology , Affect Theory , and Transnationalism , focusing on the interplay between legal institutions, human rights, and globalization. Education: Ph.D., Anthropology (UC Santa Cruz, 1997) M.Phil., Anthropology (UC Santa Cruz, 1994) M.A., Anthropology (New School for Social Research, 1993) M.S.L., Yale University Law School (2003) B.A., Political Science (Concordia University, 1988) Research Interests span Culture and Power , Legal Anthropology , Religious Nationalism , and Geospatial Technologies . Her scholarship examines how International Law and Human Rights are mediated through transnational and African diasporic frameworks. Key Publications include Affective Justice (2019), Fictions of Justice (2009), and Mapping Yoruba Networks (2004). She has also co-edited volumes on Law and Society and African Withdrawals from the ICC . Scientific Awards 2019 Royal Anthropological Institute’s Amaury Talbot Book Prize 2019 Elliot Skinner Book Award Finalist 2021 Guggenheim Prize for Career Excellence 2024 Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada Advising : Clarke is not currently accepting students. She has served as a technical advisor to the African Union Legal Counsel , producing policy reports on International Law and UN Challenges . Her Labs and Teams engage interdisciplinary approaches to Transitional Justice , Legal Pluralism , and Anthropology of Expertise .

• Legal Anthropology
• Affect Theory
• Transnationalism
• +9 more

Alexei Yurchak is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on Soviet and post-Soviet societies, with particular attention to cultural practices, political transformations, and the intersection of history and anthropology. He is renowned for his work on late socialism, the collapse of the USSR, and the cultural legacies of Soviet ideology. Yurchak’s scholarship bridges anthropology, history, and political theory, exploring themes such as parody, memory, and the paradoxes of power in authoritarian systems. Key contributions include his book Everything Was Forever, Until It Was No More: The Last Soviet Generation , which examines the cultural identity of the final generation raised under Soviet rule. His research also delves into post-Soviet Russia’s political dynamics, ethnographic analyses of systemic change, and the role of cultural forms like music, art, and media in shaping societal narratives. His articles span topics from Soviet music culture and the aesthetics of parody to contemporary Russian politics. He critiques the interplay between ideology and everyday life, emphasizing how cultural practices reveal deeper political and social structures. Yurchak’s interdisciplinary approach has positioned him as a leading scholar in postsocialist studies and critical anthropology.

• Cultural Anthropology
• Soviet Studies
• Post-Soviet Societies
• +3 more

Norma Claire Moruzzi is an Associate Professor in Political Science and Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). She also serves as Director of the International Studies Program and Co-Chair of the Middle East and Muslim Societies Cluster at UIC. Her research focuses on the intersection of gender, religion, and nationalism, with particular emphasis on Iran and the Middle East. She employs political theory, feminist theory, archival research, and ethnographic methods in her work. Education: PhD in Political Science from Johns Hopkins University (1990). She conducted extensive fieldwork in Iran from 1998-2008, collaborating with women’s groups and contributing to local journals. Her forthcoming book Tied Up in Tehran: Women, Social Change, and the Politics of Daily Life in Postrevolutionary Iran (Cambridge University Press, 2025) examines transformations in Iranian women’s lives since 1979. Research Grants and Fellowships include: UIC Great Cities Faculty Scholar Fellowship (2009-2010), UIC Humanities Institute Fellowship (2005-2006), and a NEH community grant (2013-2014) for public programming on Muslim cultures. Her work has been recognized with the 2002 Gradiva Award for her book Speaking through the Mask: Hannah Arendt and the Politics of Social Identity . Professional Roles: Associate Editor of Iranian Studies , former chair and editorial committee member of Middle East Report . Active in interdisciplinary collaborations, affiliated with UIC’s History and Art History departments. Her scholarship bridges theory and practice, addressing topics like feminist cinema, revolutionary movements, and the politicization of daily life.

• Political Theory
• Feminist Theory
• Politics of Social Identity
• +2 more

Benjamin D. Piekut is a Professor in the Department of Music at Cornell University, New York. His academic journey includes a Ph.D. in historical musicology from Columbia University, M.A. in composition from Mills College, and B.A. in music and philosophy from Hampshire College. Research Focus: Music and performance after 1950, critical improvisation studies, sound art, and intersections of music with race/gender politics Key Publications: Experimentalism Otherwise (2011), Henry Cow: The World Is a Problem (2019), and The Oxford Handbook of Critical Improvisation Studies (2016) Recognitions: Whiting Foundation Fellow, MIT Press '50 Most Influential Articles' selection, and funding from NEH and Arts and Humanities Research Council Editorial Roles: Co-editor of Oxford Handbook, editor of Tomorrow is the Question, and special issues for Contemporary Music Review and Third Text Contemporary Engagement: Curatorial advisory board member at Blank Forms (NYC), contributor to Flash Art and Texte zur Kunst His recent work explores the 'vernacular avant-garde' concept, analyzing experimental music's relationship with commercial institutions and mass audiences. Research spans from 1960s New York avant-garde to 1970s European experimental rock band Henry Cow. Current projects include sound art preservation challenges and media-specific music analysis.

• Music and Sound Studies
• Critical Improvisation Studies
• Avant-Garde Music
• +5 more

Judith Maxwell is Professor of Anthropology at Tulane University, specializing in linguistic anthropology with primary focus on Mayan languages (Kaqchikel, Chuj, Nahuatl) and discourse analysis. Her work bridges theoretical linguistics and applied language revitalization, particularly through the Tunica-Biloxi language project since 2010. Education PhD in Anthropology, University of Chicago (1982) Research Focus : Maxwell investigates discourse structures in Mayan languages regarding artistry canon, cultural constructs, coherence mechanisms, and societal relationships. Her colonial manuscript analysis explores language change in Kaqchikel/Nahuatl, while contemporary work examines bilingual education, language shift, and gender performance across English and Indigenous varieties. She pioneered the revival of Tunica language through community-academic collaboration. Publication Trends : Recent works (2014-2024) demonstrate consistent focus on Mayan language documentation ( Kaqchikel chronicles , Chuj Narratives ), revitalization pedagogy ( Maja'il Kaqchikel ), and sociopolitical dimensions of language ( Mayan Languages and Guatemala Law ). Key themes include decolonizing methodologies, Indigenous knowledge systems, and practical applications for endangered language communities. Advising & Grants : Maxwell leads the Tunica-Biloxi Language Revitalization Project training Tulane students in documentation techniques. Her collaborative model integrates tribal knowledge with academic research, securing sustained community engagement despite specific grant details being unreported. Research Teams : Directs the Tunica-Biloxi collaborative team comprising Tulane students, tribal scholars, and native speakers, developing e-learning tools like the Q'anil Kaqchikel lessons filmed in Guatemala with native instructors.

• Linguistics
• Anthropological Linguistics
• Mayan Languages
• +6 more

Susana M. Morris is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She holds a Ph.D. in English and a Women’s Studies certificate from Emory University (2007) and a B.A. in English from Mount Holyoke College (2002). Her research focuses on Black Feminism, Afrofuturism, and African American literature, with a current project exploring Black women’s engagement with Afrofuturism and feminism. Prior to Georgia Tech, Morris taught at Auburn University (2007–2017) and Spelman College (2006–2007). She is the author of Close Kin and Distant Relatives: The Paradox of Respectability in Black Women’s Literature (2014) and co-editor of The Crunk Feminist Collection (2017) and Sycorax’s Daughters (2017). She co-edits the New Suns book series on race, gender, and sexuality in speculative arts. Her awards include the PULSE Community Building Award (2017), DILAC Fellowship (2017), and Dream Defender recognition (2015). Morris teaches courses on Afrofuturism, gender studies, and African American literature, emphasizing critical theory and cultural analysis.

• Black Feminism
• Afrofuturism
• Digital Media
• +3 more

Nari Shelekpayev is an Assistant Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures at Yale University, currently on leave for 2024-2025. His research focuses on transnational and comparative history, with specializations in urban history, Soviet and post-Soviet biopolitics, and the cultural history of Central Asia. He holds a Ph.D. in History from Université de Montréal, an M.A. in Social Sciences from EHESS Paris, and an M.L. in International Law from Université Paris 2, Panthéon-Assas, alongside a B.A. in Political Science from Nankai University. His research interests include the intersection of cities and political power, cultural memory in the Soviet and post-Soviet eras, and the role of opera in capital city formation. He has published extensively on topics such as Astana’s urban transformation, Soviet protests in Kazakhstan, and the symbolism of capital cities in imperial contexts. Recent publications include manuscripts on post-Soviet biopolitics and comparative Eurasian urban history. His work has appeared in Kritika , Urban History Review , and Slavic Review , among others. He has held prestigious fellowships including the Macmillan Center Research Grant (2024) and the Nizami Ganjavi Fellowship (2022). Shelekpayev teaches courses such as The Master and Margarita: Money, Sex, and Power in Stalin’s USSR and Second Sex After Second World War at the undergraduate level, and a graduate seminar on Central Asian studies. He is fluent in English, French, Italian, Russian, and Kazakh, with reading competency in Chinese and Portuguese.

• Cities
• Cultural History
• Global & Transnational History
• +4 more

Barbara Zocal Da Silva is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Maryland. She specializes in translation studies, decolonial feminisms, and Blackness in Latin America. She coordinates curricula and anti-racist initiatives for the Portuguese Minor Program, co-leads the SPAP Center for Translation and Interpreting, and serves on the ARHU Academic Planning Advisory Committee (APAC). Dr. Da Silva holds a Ph.D. in Spanish/Translation Studies from the University of São Paulo (2022), focusing on the reception of Hispanic-American women’s works in Brazil through decolonial lenses. Her research bridges translation, race, gender, and postcolonial theory. Recent projects include translating Capoeira Angola masters’ oral histories and co-editing scholarly works on women authors in translation. She actively participates in professional development initiatives like the ADVANCE Program for Women in Leadership and organizes cultural events such as UMD’s first Carnaval Celebration. Key contributions include translating bell hooks’ Talking Back , Venezuelan poetry collections, and graphic novels from Spain and Peru. Her work emphasizes humanitarian translation practices, anti-racist pedagogy, and fostering inclusive academic spaces for minoritized groups. Education: Ph.D. in Spanish/Translation Studies (University of São Paulo, 2022) Leadership Roles: PTK Symposium Committee member, Deputy Portuguese Director (Spring 2024), and APAC Representative Notable Initiatives: Carnaval Celebration organizer, anti-racist curriculum development, and project coordinator for the Portuguese Minor Program

• Translation Studies
• Decolonial Feminisms
• Blackness in Latin America
• +7 more

Matt Sakakeeny is the Department Chair and Associate Professor of Music at the Newcomb Department of Music, Tulane University. He holds a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from Columbia University (2008). His research examines intersections of music, sound, and structures of inequality, particularly anti-Black racism in New Orleans. Key projects include studies of brass bands, afterschool programs like The Roots of Music, and collaborations on documentaries such as Rudiments . His work bridges ethnomusicology, sound studies, and cultural anthropology, with notable publications including Roll With It: Brass Bands in the Streets of New Orleans (2013) and co-edited volumes like Keywords in Sound (2015). He teaches courses on New Orleans music, sound studies, and the politics of cultural expression. Recipient of fellowships from the National Humanities Center (2023) and Spencer Foundation (2018), Sakakeeny also serves on nonprofit boards and actively engages in community-based research. His recent work critiques liberal frameworks in music studies and explores sonic dimensions of social justice.

• Ethnomusicology
• Sound Studies
• New Orleans Culture
• +3 more