Sophie Volpp is a Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on Chinese literature from the 16th to 19th centuries, with particular emphasis on theatricality, material culture, and literary objects. She is the author of *Worldly Stage: Theatricality in Seventeenth-Century China* (2011) and *The Substance of Fiction: Literary Objects in China, 1550-1775* (2022). Her current projects include a book on the National Peiping Library’s preservation efforts during the Sino-Japanese War and an analysis of referents in *The Story of the Stone*. Her scholarly work bridges literary analysis and cultural history, examining themes such as gender, power, and spectacle in late-imperial China. She has translated works by pre-modern women poets and dramatists, contributing to gender-centric scholarship in East Asian studies. Her publications span journal articles and edited volumes, addressing topics like Qing-era theatrical design, material circulation in classical novels, and cross-cultural influences in literary production. Her research has been published in venues such as *Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies* and *Journal of Asian Studies*.
Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyUnited States
Emily C. Bartels is a Professor of English at Rutgers University specializing in early modern literature and culture, with particular expertise in Shakespearean and non-Shakespearean drama. She has served as director, and is now dean, of the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English since 2010, a summer Master's program designed for K-12 English teachers. Professor Bartels received her BA from Yale University and both her MA and PhD from Harvard University. Her academic background positioned her to become a leading scholar in Renaissance literature studies. Her research examines questions of race, cross-cultural relations, gender, genre, and performance in early modern English drama. Professor Bartels is renowned for her groundbreaking work on Shakespeare's Othello and Christopher Marlowe's plays, analyzing how these texts represent cultural and racial difference. She has significantly contributed to postcolonial approaches to early modern literature, revealing how English drama engaged with global encounters and representations of the 'other' during the Renaissance period. Her scholarship demonstrates how early modern writers both reflected and shaped contemporary attitudes toward difference, particularly regarding race, religion, and national identity. Professor Bartels' publications reveal a consistent scholarly trajectory examining racial and cultural representation in early modern England. Her work spans from detailed analyses of specific plays like Hamlet and Julius Caesar to broader studies of how England conceptualized Africa and non-Christian cultures during the Renaissance. A recurring theme throughout her career is the analysis of how early English drama both reflected and shaped contemporary attitudes toward difference, particularly regarding race, religion, and national identity. Roma Gill Prize for Best Work on Christopher Marlowe (1993-94) for Spectacles of Strangeness: Imperialism, Alienation, and Marlowe Board of Trustees Fellowship for Scholarly Excellence (1993) School of Arts and Sciences Award for Distinguished Contributors to Undergraduate Education (2008 & 1993) Warren I. Susman Award for Excellence in Teaching (2008) Solmsen Fellowship at the Institute of Research in the Humanities, University of Wisconsin (1995) Black Atlantic Project fellowship from the Rutgers Center for Historical Analysis Professor Bartels has demonstrated exceptional commitment to both research and teaching excellence. She has developed innovative courses exploring the intersections of literature, history, and cultural studies, including undergraduate seminars on Othello and Hamlet, and graduate courses on Shakespeare Page and Stage. Her administrative role as dean of the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English demonstrates her commitment to education beyond traditional university settings. Her fellowships from prestigious institutions indicate successful grant acquisition throughout her distinguished career. Professor Bartels has been actively involved with the Shakespeare Association of America and has collaborated with international scholars like Emma Smith of the University of Oxford. Her work has positioned her at the forefront of conversations about early modern literature, race studies, and postcolonial approaches to Renaissance drama, influencing how scholars understand the intersections of literature, race, and cultural identity in the early modern period.
Tom McDonough is a Professor of Art History at Binghamton University, specializing in modern and contemporary art with a focus on avant-garde movements, particularly the Situationist International. His research explores intersections between art, politics, and social movements in postwar Europe. He holds degrees from Rutgers University (BA), New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts (MA, PhD), and has taught at Harvard University and UC Berkeley. Education: Bachelor’s Degree: Rutgers University MA and PhD: Institute of Fine Arts, New York University His research interests include postwar European avant-gardes, postwar French architectural history, and contemporary Black American art. Key publications include "The Beautiful Language of My Century" and edited volumes on the Situationist International and urban theory. McDonough received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship (2024) and has held fellowships at institutions such as the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities and the Académie de France à Rome/Villa Medici. Teaching focuses include 19th-century Parisian art, Black Monument sculptors, and film theory. His work bridges art criticism with broader socio-political analysis, emphasizing radical artistic movements’ societal impacts.
Morna O'Neill is a Professor and Department Chair at Wake Forest University, specializing in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century European Art, with a focus on the intersection of art, design, and politics in Britain. Her research redefines traditional hierarchies between fine and decorative arts through a political lens. Research Interests: Art History, British Art, Arts and Crafts Movement, Political Art, Colonial Art, Domestic Interiors, Museum Studies. Key Publications include monographs on Walter Crane and Hugh Lane, and articles exploring topics such as socialist symbolism in decorative arts, imperial narratives in Victorian print culture, and the role of domestic spaces in art history. Her work has been recognized with the Historians of British Art Book Prize. Projects: Co-founder of the digital humanities initiative Home Subjects , which investigates the domestic display of art in Britain (1715–1914), supported by a National Endowment for the Humanities grant. She co-chaired the 2015 College Art Association conference session on private art display. Scientific Awards: Historians of British Art Book Prize for Best Book before 1900 (2011).
Sunny Stalter-Pace serves as the Hargis Professor of American Literature in Auburn University's College of Liberal Arts, English Department. A specialist in modernist performance, literature, and urban space, she authored Imitation Artist: Gertrude Hoffmann's Life in Vaudeville and Dance (2020) and is currently completing a cultural history of the New York Hippodrome. Her work bridges academic research with public engagement through blogs, interviews, and collaborations with institutions like the Library of Congress. Her educational foundation includes: Ph.D. in English, Rutgers University (2007) M.A. in English, Rutgers University (2003) B.A. in English and French, Loyola University Chicago (1997), magna cum laude Stalter-Pace's research interrogates intersections of mobility, gender, and performance in 20th-century American culture. She examines how vaudeville, subway systems, and theatrical spectacles shaped public identity, with particular attention to women's experiences and spatial politics. Her methodology combines literary analysis, archival research, and visual studies to reveal how imitation and movement function as cultural forces. Current projects explore aquatic performances at the New York Hippodrome and the legacy of vaudeville producer Gertrude Hoffmann. Her 15 most recent publications demonstrate an evolving trajectory from subway systems ( Underground Movements , 2013) toward aquatic spectacles and vaudeville legacies, consistently centered on New York City's infrastructure. This body of work establishes mobility studies as a critical lens for understanding modernism, revealing how transportation networks and performance venues structured social interactions. Her interdisciplinary approach connects theater history, gender studies, and urban theory to uncover marginalized narratives in American cultural production. Key recognitions include: Harry Ransom Center Fellowship (2020) New York Public Library Short-Term Research Fellowship (2020) Alabama Humanities Foundation Grant (2014) College of Liberal Arts Excellence in Teaching Award nomination (2011) Multiple research fellowships from 2003-2017 Stalter-Pace has secured substantial funding for archival research through fellowships from the NEH, MLA, and university grants. She serves on Biographer’s International Organization's program committee and curated the 'Common Grounds' exhibition at Auburn's Jule Collins Smith Museum. Her teaching innovations include the first-year seminar 'Thinking Through the Arts' and courses on contemporary drama that integrate Hamilton into American literature pedagogy. As Book Review Editor for Transfers: Interdisciplinary Journal of Mobility Studies , she shaped scholarly discourse in mobility studies. Through her Hippodrome research blog and collaborations with the New York Public Library, Stalter-Pace transforms specialized scholarship into accessible public history. Her Library of Congress presentation on Albertina Rasch and the Hippodrome exemplifies her commitment to bridging academic research with community engagement, while ongoing interviews and blog posts extend her work beyond traditional academic boundaries.
Xiaomei Chen is a Professor of Chinese Literature at the University of California, Davis, affiliated with the Comparative Literature, Performance Studies, Cultural Studies, and CATS (Cinematic and Technological Studies) programs. Her research focuses on modern Chinese literature, theater, cultural studies, and performance studies, with a particular emphasis on revolutionary propaganda, postsocialist cultural reconfigurations, and diasporic narratives. Education: She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Indiana University, an M.A. in English Literature from Brigham Young University, and a B.A. in English (equivalent) from Beijing Institute of Foreign Languages. Research Interests : Modern Chinese literature and drama Revolutionary theater and propaganda Women’s literature and feminist critique Cross-cultural performance and comparative literature Postsocialist cultural studies Publications include seminal works such as Staging Chinese Revolution: Theater, Film and the Afterlives of Propaganda (2016), Occidentalism: A Theory of Counter-discourse in Post-Mao China (1995), and edited volumes on modern Chinese drama and cultural studies. Her articles critically examine themes like revolutionary narratives, diasporic identities, and the intersection of theater with political discourse. She has taught courses on modern Chinese literature, film, and drama in English translation, emphasizing cultural analysis and transnational perspectives. Her work bridges historical and contemporary studies, offering insights into China’s evolving cultural landscape.
Paul Christesen serves as the William R. Kenan Professor of Ancient Greek History in the Department of Classics at Dartmouth College and holds a Life Fellowship at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge. His academic leadership includes chairing the Classics Department while maintaining active research and editorial commitments. Education B.A. from Dartmouth College M.A. from Columbia University M. Phil. from Columbia University Ph.D. from Columbia University His research integrates ancient Greek political systems with sport historiography , featuring groundbreaking work on Spartan society and Olympic victor lists. He pioneers geospatial methodologies through Geographic Information Systems to analyze archaeological settlement patterns, bridging traditional philology with digital humanities. Current projects examine sport's relationship to democratic development across historical eras. Christesen's publications reveal evolving focus from foundational Olympic chronology studies toward interdisciplinary analyses of sport's societal impact, increasingly incorporating digital archaeological approaches and comparative political frameworks. His editorial work shapes contemporary discourse in classical reception studies. Scientific Awards William R. Kenan Professorship (prestigious endowed chair) Life Fellowship at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge As an educator, Christesen teaches core courses including Classical Studies 1: Antiquity Today and specialized seminars on Greek athletics and Archaic history. His departmental leadership and editorial projects demonstrate significant institutional impact, though specific grant details and student mentorship records aren't provided in source materials.
Bailey Barnard is an Assistant Professor of Art History at Nebraska Wesleyan University . She specializes in ancient Greek art and its broader intersections with religion, identity, and public culture. Her academic work includes research on Hellenistic royal portraiture and material culture, supported by grants from the Getty Foundation, Ameritas Foundation, and other institutions. Ph.D. in Art History & Archaeology, Columbia University (2023) M.A. in Art History, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2011) B.A. in Art History, University of Nebraska-Omaha (2008) Bailey’s research explores the agency of artworks, iconoclasm, and the theatricality of royal rituals in antiquity. She also investigates how public art shapes collective identities. Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary cultural practices. She has collaborated with the Onchestos Excavation Project (Columbia University) and the University of Nebraska's Antiochia ad Cragum Research Project , and has contributed to journals like the Metropolitan Museum Journal (2020) and Mother Jones . Her dissertation re-examined fragmentary Hellenistic royal portraits through the lens of performative kingship. Bailey is the owner of Link Art Advisory , where she facilitates art acquisitions and collection management. She has served as a docent at the Onassis Cultural Center New York for exhibitions on ancient Greek religion and emotions.
Andrew Lund is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Classical Studies at Tulane University. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in Classics from the University of Cincinnati (2023), an M.A. (2018), and a B.A. (2013). His research focuses on Greek and Latin literature, particularly Roman drama, with an emphasis on performance culture and social identity. He is completing a monograph, Seneca Comicus: Comic Enrichment and the Reception of the seruus callidus in Senecan Tragedy , and explores the reception of Terence’s plays across eras. Education: Ph.D./M.A. Classics (University of Cincinnati), B.A. Classics (Grand Valley State University) Research interests include ancient drama’s role in shaping cultural narratives, the interplay between literary and material evidence, and how status, gender, and identity are constructed in classical texts. His work bridges classical antiquity with modern reception studies, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. Prior appointments include Colorado College and the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome (Centro). He currently teaches courses such as CLAS-1010: The Rise of Rome. Awards: FAAR Fellowship (2023) No grants or advising details are explicitly provided in the text. He contributes to academic discussions through his research projects and teaching.
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.
Paul Friedland is Professor of French History at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences and a Faculty Associate with the Latin American and Caribbean Studies program. His research focuses on the interplay between European culture, politics, and ideas during the long 18th century, with particular attention to connections between the metropole and Caribbean colonies. His educational background includes a B.A. from Brown University, an M.A. from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley. His scholarly work bridges cultural, intellectual, legal, and political history with specializations in French Revolutionary studies and capital punishment history. Friedland's research examines the theatricality of political representation during the French Revolution, the evolution of capital punishment practices, and the transatlantic circulation of revolutionary ideas. His publications reveal interdisciplinary connections between performance studies, legal history, and colonial studies, with recent work exploring Caribbean perspectives on the French Revolution and early modern conceptions of animals. His notable awards include the David Pinkney Prize and prestigious fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Guggenheim Foundation. His scholarship has been supported by visiting fellowships at Princeton's Davis Center for Historical Studies and the Institute for Advanced Study. David Pinkney Prize (2003) American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship Guggenheim Fellowship Davis Center for Historical Studies Fellowship Institute for Advanced Study Fellowship Friedland teaches undergraduate and graduate courses including The French Revolution, Great Trials, Birth of Modern Thought, and Revolutions. His graduate seminars cover the French Caribbean, historiography of the French Revolution, and Michel Foucault's scholarship. His current research includes a manuscript on the trans-Atlantic French Revolution in the Windward Islands and a forthcoming book on animals in the Age of Humanism.
David J. Levin is a Professor at the University of Chicago, holding affiliations in Germanic Studies, Cinema & Media Studies, Theater & Performance Studies, and the College. With a PhD from UC Berkeley (1992), he has taught at UChicago since 1998 and served as Senior Advisor to the Provost for Arts (2018-2023). He previously held a Visiting Professorship at the University of Oslo (2014-2019) and founded the Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry (2011-2016). PhD in Germanic Studies, UC Berkeley (1992) Teaching at UChicago since 1998 Visiting Professor, University of Oslo (2014-2019) Founding Director, Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry (2011-2016) His research spans Opera Studies, Theater and Performance, Cinema, and Dance, focusing on the interpretive and political dimensions of staging. He explores Wagner’s dramaturgy, digital reproducibility in opera, and the interplay between immersion and critique. His current book projects examine Wagner’s pedagogical politics and opera’s digital transformation. The articles he has published reflect a deep engagement with operatic and cinematic modernism, the ethics of adaptation, and the role of the dramaturg in interdisciplinary performance. His work bridges German literature, musicology, and critical theory. Levin’s editorial and collaborative roles include Executive Editor of The Opera Quarterly (2005-2015), dramaturg positions with German and U.S. opera houses, and collaborations with choreographers like William Forsythe and Saar Magal.
Elzbieta Matynia is Professor of Sociology and Liberal Studies at The New School for Social Research, where she founded and directs the Transregional Center for Democratic Studies (TCDS). She holds a PhD from the University of Warsaw (1979) and focuses on democratic transitions, gender politics, and cultural sociology, particularly in Eastern Europe and global contexts. Her work examines democratic erosion, civic agency, and the role of art in political reflection. Her research interests include Political Sociology , Democratization , Gender and Politics , and Social Memory , emphasizing how cultural and historical shifts shape democratic futures. Her publications analyze performative aspects of democracy, dissident intellectualism, and revolutionary movements. Matynia's articles and books consistently explore themes of democratic decline , civic engagement , and post-communist transitions , with recent works addressing global authoritarian trends and the fragility of liberal institutions. Her scholarship integrates theoretical rigor with empirical analysis of social movements and political performativity. Scientific Awards: 2019 Distinguished Alumna Award (University of Warsaw, 2020) Vratislavia Grato Animo Silver Medal (2018) U.S. Fulbright Scholar to South Africa (2010–2011) Recurring Distinguished Visiting Professorship (Lower Silesia Academy, 2008–2018) Distinguished Professorship (Kazakh State University, 2006) As director of TCDS, she leads initiatives like the Democracy & Diversity Graduate Summer Institutes, fostering cross-cultural dialogue among global scholars. Her current book project, Democracy After Violence , investigates post-conflict democratization.
Rachael Miyung Joo is an Associate Professor in American Studies at Middlebury College, where she has taught since 2007. She holds a B.A. from Pomona College and an M.A./Ph.D. in Cultural and Social Anthropology from Stanford University. Her academic work centers on the intersections of race, nationalism, immigration, globalization, food culture, and sports media within transnational Korean/American communities. Joo's research examines how mass media—particularly sports—shapes diasporic identities and national imaginaries. Her book Transnational Sport: Gender, Media, and Global Korea (Duke UP, 2012) analyzes sports as sites of nation-building. Current research investigates golf's cultural politics, including mass-mediated desires, racial dynamics, and environmental landscapes. She co-edited A Companion to Korean American Studies (Brill, 2018) and publishes extensively on Asian American cultural studies. Joo teaches courses including 'Immigrant America,' 'Critical Studies of Sport,' 'Asian Americas,' and 'Race and Ethnicity in the US,' employing interdisciplinary approaches to explore embodiment, power structures, and cultural production. She engages in public scholarship through platforms like Public Seminar and podcasts, addressing topics from Olympic diplomacy to immigration reform.
Erik Born is an Assistant Professor in the Department of German Studies at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences, with active affiliations in Media Studies, Medieval Studies, Performing and Media Arts, and Visual Studies programs. His academic credentials include: PhD in German Studies and Medieval Studies (with Designated Emphasis in Film & Media Studies) from the University of California, Berkeley BA in Fundamentals: Issues & Texts from the University of Chicago Born's research centers on transhistorical connections across literary, media, and cultural studies, critically examining relations between 'old media' and 'new media' from manuscripts to digital networks. His work spans medieval media theory, early German science fiction, cinema history, and speculative media philosophy, evidenced by current book project 'Wireless Futures, 1900/2000/2100' reinterpreting historical precursors to mobile connectivity and upcoming research on 'Premodern Cultural Techniques' analyzing premodern reading/writing practices. Publication analysis reveals consistent interdisciplinary methodology bridging German Studies, Medieval Studies, and Film & Media Studies through media archaeology and cultural techniques frameworks. His scholarship demonstrates chronological range from medieval manuscript culture to digital networks while maintaining focus on German-language contexts and transhistorical media continuity. As an engaged member of Cornell's interdisciplinary academic ecosystem, Born contributes to multiple programs fostering innovative cross-disciplinary research in media and cultural studies.
