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Kai Mikkonen is a Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Helsinki, affiliated with the Department of Philosophy, History and Art Studies within the Faculty of Arts. He holds a Docent title from both the University of Helsinki and University of Tampere. His academic career includes visiting fellowships at Clare Hall College, Cambridge University (UK) and the ENSSIB in France. He serves as a supervisor for the Doctoral Programme in Philosophy, Arts, and Society. Research interests span French and British literature, narratology, graphic narratives, terrorism in literature, travel literature, and stylistics. He has authored over 100 publications and actively participates in international conferences, peer reviews, and editorial roles. Notable awards include Life memberships in the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters, and Clare Hall College. Mikkonen has supervised numerous doctoral theses and reviewed research applications across Europe. He has organized conferences on topics like narrative theory and intermediality, and his recent work explores character construction in comics and media epistemologies of graphic narratives.

• Comparative Literature
• French Literature (19th/20th century)
• British Literature (19th/20th century)
• +7 more

Prof. Dr. Judit Árokay is a full professor of Japanese Studies (Literature and Cultural Studies) at Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg since 2007. Her academic journey includes a PhD from Universität Hamburg (1998) and habilitation at Freie Universität Berlin (2007). She specializes in classical Japanese literature, poetics, gender studies, and cultural geography. Notable research projects include the Digital Literary Map of Japan and co-editing the journal Bunron . Awards include guest professorships at Osaka and Chūō Universities, and election to the Academy of Europe (2013). Education: Master's in German/English (1990), Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Japanese Studies in Hiroshima University (1990–1991) PhD in Japanese Studies (1998) and Habilitation (2007) Research Interests: Focus on premodern Japanese literature, especially classical poetry, gender roles, and spatial symbolism (e.g., utamakura ). Explores intersections of cultural semiotics, intertextuality, and literary theory. Current projects emphasize digital humanities approaches to mapping literary landscapes. Publications: Over 20 monographs, edited volumes, and peer-reviewed articles. Recent work addresses performative aspects of premodern texts and the reception of Genji Monogatari . Themes include authenticity in historical narratives and transcultural autobiography. Awards & Grants: Supported by the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (Kaken 2021–2025), National Institute of Japanese Literature, and Marsilius Kolleg Heidelberg. Collaborates internationally with scholars from Osaka University and the University of Tokyo.

• Classical Japanese Literature
• Japanese Poetry
• Poetics and Rhetoric
• +5 more

Thomas Ballhausen is a Professor of Media Education with a focus on innovative digital learning environments at the Vienna University of Teacher Education. He leads the Competence Center for STEM and Digitality (K:MID) and contributes to the Department for Media Education, Information Technology Education, and Digitality. His work bridges academic and artistic research, emphasizing media pedagogy, digitality critiques, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Ballhausen holds degrees in comparative literature, German philology, philosophy, and linguistics. His research explores (post-)digitality, material ecocriticism, and the intersection of literature with AI. He co-edits the journal Medienimpulse and has authored influential works like Fiction: Language Arts and Spatial Storytelling (2023) and Under Electric Moons (2023). His recent projects include the internationally acclaimed HOORCH initiative funded by Vienna’s 'Mutmillion' program, addressing youth communication skills. He received the 2023 International Main Prize for Science & Research from the Salzburg Cultural Fund, recognizing his contributions to media education and artistic research. Ballhausen actively engages in policy-making, co-authoring the university’s position paper on AI in higher education and delivering lectures on AI ethics and pedagogical innovation.

• Media Education
• Media Pedagogy
• Teaching and Learning with New Media
• +7 more

Dr. Alexander Preisinger serves as a Senior Lecturer at the Department of History within the Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies at the University of Vienna. His work bridges historical education with digital innovation, focusing particularly on the integration of games and interactive media in teaching methodologies. He also holds positions as an external lecturer at the University of Performing Arts and Music Vienna since 2009 and teaches at the Schumpeter Business Academy/Business School since 2011. Preisinger completed his teacher training in multiple disciplines including German, History, Social Studies, Political Education (2002-2007), and Psychology and Philosophy (2003-2011). He earned his doctorate from the University of Duisburg-Essen with a dissertation titled "Narrating Neoliberal Economy. Criticism of Capitalism in Literature around 2000" (2009-2013). His research centers on innovative approaches to history education through digital media, with particular expertise in serious games, gamification, and computer games for historical and political education. Preisinger has developed numerous educational resources including the textbook "Schlagwort Geschichte" and co-authored "Digitale Spiele in der Politischen Bildung und im Geschichtsunterricht." His extensive publication record demonstrates a clear trajectory toward integrating game-based learning into historical and political education. Recent works focus on practical applications of digital games in classrooms, critical analysis of historical representation in games, and developing frameworks for active, agency-based learning in history education. His research spans multiple disciplines including educational technology, game studies, history didactics, and political science. Preisinger maintains an active presence in educational development through workshops, conference presentations, and collaborative projects. His organizational work includes the GameLab initiative at the University of Vienna and numerous workshops exploring the intersection of gaming and education across various historical and political contexts.

• History Didactics
• Serious Games
• Gamification
• +5 more

Stefan Zahlmann is a full-time Professor at the Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies , Department of History , University of Vienna. He holds a doctorate and habilitation from the Westfälische Wilhelms-University Münster and the University of Konstanz, respectively. His academic career spans teaching and research roles in Berlin, Konstanz, Vienna, Washington, and Philadelphia. Research Focus : Media history, media theory, Human-Animal Studies, body and gender history, science fiction, and public history. Academic Activities : Organizer of conferences like GFF 2017 - Realities and World Building and International Workshop: Fantasy – The Significance of the Imaginary for the Constitution of the World , exploring intersections of media, culture, and historical narratives. Email : stefan.zahlmann@univie.ac.at His current projects examine images of people in science fiction , animals and fear in cultural contexts , and media cultures of the fantastic . While recent publications include edited volumes on Media of the Fantastic and Media Cultures , his work emphasizes interdisciplinary methodologies bridging history, media theory, and cultural studies. Stefan engages in public discourse through platforms like SoundCloud and Vimeo, discussing topics such as noise and the Kennedy assassination in media theory . He contributes to the Forum Animals and History , fostering dialogue between historical research and animal studies.

• Media History
• Media Theory
• Human-Animal Studies
• +4 more

PD Dr. Isabella Walser-Bürgler is a professor at the University of Innsbruck's Institute for Classical Philology and Neo-Latin Studies. She specializes in early modern Latin literature, rhetoric, and European cultural history. Her work focuses on Neo-Latin texts, Habsburg historiography, and the intersection of literature with political and religious discourse. Education: Completed studies and habilitation in classical philology at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg and Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck. Key roles include organizing conferences like 'Early Modern Discourses on Europe' and leading the FWF-funded project 'The Dissertations of the Academia Taxiana.' Research interests span Neo-Latin literature, European identity formation, and the rhetoric of academic inaugural orations. Awards include the Rhetorica Prize (2022) and the Preis der Landeshauptstadt Innsbruck (2024). Her publications include monographs on Anton Wilhelm Ertl and Giovanni Battista Graser, and co-edited volumes on the Neo-Latin novel and European discourses. Teaching includes advanced Latin literature seminars and courses on rhetorical theory. Active in educational initiatives like 'Mittel- & Neu-Latein macht Schule,' promoting Neo-Latin texts in school curricula. Engaged in peer review for journals such as History of European Ideas and book series like Acta Conventus Neolatini .

• Classical Philology
• Neo-Latin Literature
• Early Modern History
• +3 more

Clemens Peck is an Associate Professor at the Department of German Studies, University of Salzburg, specializing in Early Modern Drama and European Diplomacy. His research explores the intersection of theatrical practices and diplomatic negotiations in historical contexts. Key Research Areas Performance Studies in Diplomacy Early Modern Festive Culture Neobaroque Aesthetics in Modernity Crisis and Renewal in Cultural Contexts Peck's recent publications (2024–2025) demonstrate a consistent focus on theatrical negotiations of sovereignty, diplomatic rituals, and the revival of Baroque forms in contemporary literature. His work spans interdisciplinary methods combining literary analysis, historical theory, and cultural diagnostics. Scientific Awards IFK Junior Fellowship (2007) IFK Research Fellowship (2013) Peck has participated in 99 academic activities, including organizing international conferences like "Der Tag danach" (2025) and editing volumes on Stefan Zweig Poetry Lectures (2023–2025). He actively contributes to peer-review processes and research networks.

• Early Modern Drama
• European Diplomacy
• Performance Studies
• +3 more

Gudrun Rath is a Senior Researcher in Cultural Studies at the University of Art and Design Linz, with a habilitation from the University of Konstanz and a Ph.D. from the University of Vienna. She was a fellow in the interdisciplinary graduate program "The Figure of the Third" at Konstanz and a member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences' Young Academy (2017-2025). Key research areas: translation theory, memory politics, colonial history, and undead symbolism Labs/Teams: Building History Working Group, Research Board at Linz, Mission Control collaboration Her recent work focuses on transatlantic zombie narratives, forensic methods in cultural analysis, and colonial infrastructures in Europe-America contexts. Publications include Intermediate Zones (2013) and Undead Memory (2022), with projects like the 2023 "Endstation" audio installation exploring urban mobility history. Scientific Awards: 2016 Outstanding Artist Award (Interdisciplinarity) for "Gravity of History" Active in collaborative research with institutions like Vienna Technical Museum, focusing on extractivism and colonial infrastructures.

• Cultural Studies
• Translation Theory
• Narrative Theory
• +7 more

Anna Babka is an Associate Professor at the Institute of German Studies in the Faculty of Philology and Cultural Studies at the University of Vienna. Her research intersects Gender Studies , Queer Studies , and Postcolonial Studies with Deconstruction , Rhetoric , and Cultural Theory . She specializes in German literature from Romanticism (Heinrich von Kleist) to contemporary Austrian authors like Elfriede Jelinek and Semier Insayif. Education : PhD in German Studies (University of Vienna, 1998), MA in Comparative Literature (University of Vienna, 1994) Her methodological focus includes: Theory and Methodology of Literary/Cultural Studies Autobiography and Genre Theory Postcolonial-Queer Intersections Transdisciplinary Research Her recent publications analyze posthumanism in Kleist's work, queer readings of Barbara Frischmuth, and precarity in academic labor. She co-edited volumes on Broken Narratives , Postcolonial Readings , and Obscure Differences with Marlen Bidwell-Steiner and others. Scientific Awards : Hertha Firnberg Position (FWF, 2006–2008) Elise Richter Position (FWF, 2008–2011) Erwin Schrödinger Mobility Stipend (FWF, 2001–2002) She teaches courses on Theories and Methods of Literary Studies , Modern German Literature , and Postcolonial Theory , with a focus on gendered and postimperial narratives. Her editorial work includes founding the aka|Texte book series and managing the Produktive Differenzen research platform.

• Gender Studies
• Queer Studies
• Postcolonial Studies
• +8 more