Kate Holland is an Associate Professor and Acting Associate Chair (Graduate) at the University of Toronto, specializing in 19th-century Russian literature and its cultural contexts. Her work focuses on the history of the novel, Russian literary theory, and the interplay between Russian and European literary traditions. She teaches courses such as 'The Golden Age of Russian Literature' and 'Dostoevsky in Literary Criticism and Theory.' Dr. Holland earned her PhD from Yale University (2004) and a BA/MA from the University of Cambridge (1998). Her research explores themes like genre evolution in Dostoevsky’s works, the publication culture of 19th-century Russian periodicals, and the theoretical frameworks of Historical Poetics. Her recent publications include A Dostoevskii Companion: Texts and Contexts (2018) and The Novel in the Age of Disintegration (2013), analyzing Dostoevsky’s engagement with genre and modernity. Her scholarship frequently examines narrative form, cultural history, and the intersection of literature with philosophical and religious thought.
Shannon Bell is a Professor in Political Science at York University, working as a performance philosopher who integrates digital video technology with political theory. Her research examines intersections of cyberpolitics, aesthetics, and power through projects like 'Shooting Theory', which visualizes philosophical concepts through film. She has authored books including 'Fast Feminism' and 'Reading, Writing and Rewriting the Prostitute Body'. Current SSHRC-funded projects explore bioart and robotic art extremes, with residencies at Symbiotica (UWA) and international exhibitions. She teaches courses on modern political thought, technopolitics, and aesthetics. Educational background includes a PhD in Political Science from York University. Professional leadership includes directing the Resource Centre for Public Sociology.
Ian McAdam is a Professor in the English Department at the University of Lethbridge, where he has taught early modern English literature and introductory courses since 1995. His scholarship focuses on Renaissance drama, particularly Shakespeare and Marlowe, with institutional recognition through the 2009 Distinguished Teaching Award. His educational trajectory includes: BA (English, Honors) from the University of Victoria MA (English) from the University of Toronto PhD (English) from Dalhousie University (thesis on Christopher Marlowe) McAdam's research centers on early modern masculinity, examining how Reformation theology shaped gender identity and how magic functioned as a cultural discourse. He employs psychoanalytic frameworks to analyze self-fashioning in Shakespeare, Milton, and Jacobean drama, while exploring intersections with witchcraft, religious psychology, and seventeenth-century poetry. His expertise spans textual analysis, historical theology, and gender theory within Renaissance contexts. His publication history (1995–2015) reveals evolving scholarly priorities: initial work on Marlowe's identity construction expanded into comparative studies of magic across playwrights (Jonson, Greene), then matured into theological examinations of masculinity in Shakespeare and Milton. Recurring themes include religious conflict in domestic tragedies, satirical treatments of alchemy, and the psychological dimensions of gender performance. Key honors include: Roma Gill Award (Second-place, 1999-2000) for The Irony of Identity University of Lethbridge Distinguished Teaching Award (2009) McAdam has authored two monographs: The Irony of Identity: Self and Imagination in the Drama of Christopher Marlowe (1999) and Magic and Masculinity in Early Modern English Drama (2009). His extensive article corpus demonstrates rigorous engagement with primary texts and theoretical frameworks, consistently advancing understandings of gender, religion, and power in Renaissance literature.
Lorenzo DiTommaso serves as Professor in the Department of Religions and Cultures at Concordia University, Montreal, where he has progressed from Assistant Professor (2004) to full Professor (2013), including service as Department Chair. His academic home encompasses Jewish Studies and Christianity programs, with biennial teaching of the graduate religion and popular culture seminar. Ph.D. in Religious Studies, McMaster University (2002) Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University Divinity School (2001-03) NEH Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Saint Louis University (2003-04) DiTommaso's research constitutes a comprehensive exploration of apocalyptic speculation across temporal and cultural boundaries, from ancient Near Eastern traditions to contemporary digital media. His work uniquely bridges textual scholarship on biblical apocrypha and medieval manuscripts with cutting-edge analysis of apocalyptic expression in video games, anime, and popular music. The intellectual scope spans apocalyptic historiography , manuscript studies , apocalyptic and millenarian movements , and religion in contemporary media , with distinctive expertise in Japanese cultural intersections. His methodological approach combines rigorous textual analysis with interdisciplinary cultural theory, particularly examining how apocalyptic frameworks shape human responses to crisis across historical periods. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a pronounced shift toward contemporary apocalyptic manifestations, with nearly half of his 2021-2024 output focusing on digital media, video games, and modern cultural phenomena. Simultaneously, he maintains deep engagement with medieval manuscript traditions and early Jewish-Christian apocalyptic literature, demonstrating remarkable versatility across historical periods. The thematic through-line remains apocalyptic determinism versus human agency , examined through diverse lenses from ancient prophecy to interactive gaming environments. Bibliographical Society of America - Pine Tree Foundation Fellowship in Hispanic Bibliography (2019) Nicky Carpenter Fellow in Manuscript Studies Marilyn Hollinshead Visiting Scholar (2023) Research Fellow at Herzog August Bibliothek (2024) DiTommaso has supervised over 20 graduate students since 2019 across diverse apocalyptic topics including disability studies in biblical interpretation, Satanism in virtual communities, and environmental apocalypse in radical movements. His research has been continuously supported by four major SSHRC grants (2004-07, 2007-11, 2011-16, 2018-24), supplemented by specialized fellowships at premier manuscript repositories including the Vatican Film Library, Herzog August Bibliothek, and special collections at Michigan State and Minnesota universities. He co-organizes the biennial 'Through a Glass Darkly' Symposium on Apocalyptic with Colin McAllister, now in its eighth year, rotating between Colorado Springs and Montreal. The 'Through a Glass Darkly' symposium serves as his primary collaborative platform, fostering international scholarly exchange on apocalyptic themes. He maintains active research partnerships with institutions including the Enoch Seminar and Azrieli Institute for Israel Studies, while leveraging special collections access at major libraries for manuscript-based projects. Current work on apocalyptic comic art involves collaboration with special collections at Michigan State and Minnesota universities, demonstrating his commitment to bridging traditional textual scholarship with contemporary cultural analysis.
Glenn Clark is an Associate Professor at the Department of English, Theatre, Film & Media within the Faculty of Arts at the University of Manitoba. His academic career spans over two decades, with teaching experience at Roosevelt University and the University of Manitoba. Education: PhD in English Renaissance Literature (University of Chicago, 2002), MA in English Literature (University of Chicago, 1991), BA (University of British Columbia, 1990) Research focuses on Tudor-Stuart drama, the Reformation, social-psychological interpretations of early modern theatre, urban studies, and intersections between Shakespeare and contemporary Indigenous political thought. Publications include analyses of Marlowe, Jonson, and Shakespeare works, with a 2022 paper exploring Indigenous performance in The Tempest. Academic affiliations include the Canadian Society for Renaissance Studies, Shakespeare Association of America, and editorial board membership for the Map of Early Modern London Project. Contact: glenn.clark@umanitoba.ca
Jean-Thomas Tremblay is an Associate Professor of Environmental Humanities and Director of the Graduate Program in Social & Political Thought at York University’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. He holds appointments in the Department of Humanities, English, and interdisciplinary programs like Science & Technology Studies. His research bridges environmental humanities, sexuality studies, and film studies, focusing on the interplay between embodiment, environment, and biopolitical forces since the 1970s. Education : PhD in English Language and Literature from the University of Chicago, with a Graduate Certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies. Previously an Assistant Professor of English at New Mexico State University. Research & Publications : Authored Breathing Aesthetics (2022) and Negative Life: The Cinema of Extinction (2024, co-authored). Current projects explore critiques of environmentalism funded by SSHRC grants. His work interrogates ecocritical assumptions about aesthetics’ role in socialization. Awards : Finalist for the 2025 Ecocritical Book Award (ASLE). His scholarship has been reviewed in ISLE , Cultural Geographies , and Representations . Engagement : Advisory Board member for differences: A Journal of Feminist Cultural Studies , Contributing Editor to Discourse: Journal for Theoretical Studies in Media and Culture . Active in conferences and media discussions on environmental humanities and film. Grants & Labs : SSHRC Insight Development Grant (2024) for “Eco-subtraction: Downsizing the Environmental Humanities.” Directs a graduate program fostering interdisciplinary social/political thought.
Florian Gassner is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Department of Central, Eastern, and Northern European Studies at the University of British Columbia (UBC), part of the Faculty of Arts. His research focuses on the cultural history of Central & Eastern Europe, intersections of music, religion, and literature, and the history of censorship. He holds an M.A. from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (2008) and a Ph.D. from UBC (2012). Dr. Gassner has held visiting professorships at the University of Kassel (2016/17) and has taught at Mount Allison University. He is a Fellow of the New Europe College in Bucharest and represented the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) at Donetsk National University. His work bridges interdisciplinary studies, including transnational literature and digital humanities, exemplified by his database Kasseler Liste documenting banned books. His research trends emphasize cultural memory, censorship across eras, and Germanophone literatures in Eastern Europe. Publications include monographs on Nikolaus Lenau and the cultural divide between Germany and Russia, alongside edited volumes on censorship and Eastern European studies. Media engagements highlight his expertise in Ukraine-Russia relations and the global impact of censorship. Teaching focuses on German cinema, cultural contrasts in Eastern Europe, and interdisciplinary themes like religion and literature. He actively contributes to public discourse through media commentary on Ukraine, censorship, and historical contexts of geopolitical conflicts.
Dr. Femi J. Kolapo is a Professor of African History in the Department of History at the University of Guelph (College of Arts). His research focuses on slavery and abolition in 19th-century Africa , evangelical missionary activities , and precolonial West African societies . He has taught courses on African slavery, religious movements, and labor migration. Education: Ph.D., History, York University (1999) M.A., History, Ahmadu Bello University (1989) B.A., History, Ahmadu Bello University (1982) His scholarly work examines West African engagement with Christian missionary efforts , colonial documentation , and indigenous agency during European expansion . He has published extensively on the Church Missionary Society's (CMS) operations in Nigeria and the political impact of missionary activities. Dr. Kolapo contributes to the AH_DigITal Document Portal project, curating 19th-century missionary and colonial archives related to Nigeria. His recent articles analyze topics ranging from missionary theological debates to Nigerian Pentecostalism's digital transformation , demonstrating interdisciplinary breadth across history, religious studies, and political sociology .
Celia Elaine Rothenberg is an Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at McMaster University, located in Hamilton, Ontario. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Toronto and has completed postdoctoral research at Rockefeller's Religious Studies program. Her work bridges the anthropology of religion and gender studies, with a focus on Jewish communities in North America and Palestinian diaspora communities in Toronto and the West Bank. Dr. Rothenberg's educational background includes a BA in History from Wellesley College, an MSt in Anthropology from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Toronto. Her research examines religious practices, identity formation, and cultural negotiation in marginalized groups, including studies of confessional Jewish films, Jewish yoga practices, and Palestinian village kinship systems. Her teaching spans courses in religious anthropology, gender theory, Middle Eastern studies, and film analysis. Recent courses include Culture and Religion , Jewish Life Through Film , and Anthropological Approaches to Islam . She has published extensively on topics ranging from diaspora narratives to New Age religious movements, with notable works like Spirits of Palestine and New Age Judaism . Rothenberg's research has been featured in high-impact journals such as Journal of Religion and Film and Jewish Culture and History , and she frequently contributes to public discourse through media analyses of popular culture's engagement with religious themes.
Karyn Ball is a Professor in the Department of English & Film Studies at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Arts. She holds a BA from Pomona College, two MAs (Creative Writing from Syracuse University and Comparative Studies from University of Minnesota), and a PhD from University of Minnesota. Recognized with prestigious fellowships including DAAD (1995-96) and Charlotte W. Newcombe Dissertation (1997), her research focuses on critical theory, continental philosophy, and cultural studies. Her work explores trauma studies, Holocaust representation, affect theory, and global animal studies, with notable contributions to journals like Cultural Critique and Law and Critique . Teaching interests include critical theory, psychoanalytic approaches to culture, Holocaust studies, and interdisciplinary discourse analysis. Courses span undergraduate offerings like English 101 and graduate seminars on topics such as 'Global Affects' and 'The Holocaust in History.' Ball's publications include edited volumes like Traumatizing Theory and Disciplining the Holocaust , and she has guest-edited special journal issues on 'Cultures of Finance' and 'The Global Animal.' Her scholarship critically engages thinkers like Freud, Derrida, Arendt, and Kafka, while addressing contemporary issues like neoliberalism's impact on cultural institutions. Recent research explores intersections of trauma theory, political economy, and posthumanism, with articles on topics like 'Toxic Sovereignty' and 'Death-Driven Futures.' Awards and fellowships reflect her impactful contributions to interdisciplinary humanities research.
Luise von Flotow is a Full Professor in the School of Translation and Interpretation at the University of Ottawa. She has been a leading figure in feminist translation studies since 1995, focusing on gender issues, cultural diplomacy, audiovisual translation, and transnational feminist discourse. Ph.D. in French, University of Michigan (1991) M.A. in French, University of Windsor (1985) Post-Graduate Certificate in Education, University of London (1975) B.A. in French and German, University of London (1974) Her research bridges feminist theory, translation pedagogy, and cultural diplomacy, with a focus on how translation shapes gender narratives and political discourse. She has pioneered studies on literalist Bible translations by women and gender awareness in audiovisual contexts. Their 15 most recent works explore transnational feminist translation, cultural diplomacy in China, gender in Brazilian documentaries, and historical feminist biblical scholarship, reflecting a trajectory of activism and scholarly innovation. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided texts. They supervise Mojde Yaqubi and have led summer programs like CETIP (Chinese-English Translation) and TTPP (Translation Pedagogy). Their biography highlights a Canadian-German identity, academic contributions during gaps in formal employment due to motherhood, and a commitment to feminist and transnational scholarship.
Chris Koenig-Woodyard is a Sessional Lecturer III at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) in the Department of English and Drama. He has been teaching for 20 years, specializing in 18th-21st-century literature with a focus on genre studies, particularly Gothic and Monster Studies, Transatlantic Romanticism, Victorianism, and the interplay between literature and pop culture (e.g., Twilight , Lady Gaga, Dungeons & Dragons). Education: BA (Wilfred Laurier University), MA (University of Western Ontario), DPhil (University of Oxford). His research explores Posthumanism, Gothic literature, and pedagogical innovation. He founded the Monster Studies Lab and co-edited Transatlantic Romanticism: An Anthology and Sullen Fires Across the Atlantic . He has contributed to major anthologies like The Broadview Anthology of British Literature and published extensively on vampire demography, gothic typology, and transatlantic literary exchange. Key awards include the Undergraduate Teaching Award at the University of Toronto and multiple teaching excellence nominations. His courses span topics from Jane Eyre to Taylor Swift, reflecting his commitment to bridging historical and contemporary cultural analysis. He emphasizes critical thinking through ambiguity in Gothic literature and maintains a 'pedagogy of care' in his teaching approach. Scientific Awards: Undergraduate Teaching Award (University of Toronto) TVO’s Best Lecturer competition finalist Leadership in Faculty Teaching award (Ontario) Faculty Teaching Excellence Award (UTM) As a co-editor of the Transatlantic Romanticism anthology and a contributor to Mixed-Race Superheroes , Dr. Koenig-Woodyard’s work spans both traditional literary scholarship and modern genre analysis. His research on the Anthropocene in The Bone Clocks and gothic pedagogy demonstrates interdisciplinary engagement.
Dr. Matthew Robert Anderson is an Affiliate Professor in Theological Studies at Concordia University , known for innovative interdisciplinary research at the intersection of pilgrimage studies , Pauline exegesis , and decolonizing theology . His work critically examines Indigenous-settler relations through biblical interpretation and corporeal learning frameworks. B.A. in Political Science (University of Saskatchewan, with Distinction) Master of Divinity (Lutheran Theological Seminary) Ph.D. in Religious Studies (McGill University, thesis: 'Before the Fact: How Paul's Rhetoric Made History') Key publication trends include: Pilgrimage as decolonizing practice Pauline rhetoric and historical recontextualization Theology-film intersections in popular culture Biblical studies and environmental ethics Settler masculinity in late antiquity contexts Awarded twice by the Canada Council for the Arts for literary excellence, he integrates documentary filmmaking and podcasting to disseminate academic insights through accessible media platforms.
Dr. Greg Maillet is a Professor of English at Crandall University in Moncton, New Brunswick. A traditional generalist, his research focuses on literary criticism, Shakespeare, medieval literature, theology in literature, and children’s literature. He has authored five books, including If is the Only Peacemaker (2016) and Christianity and Literature (2011), co-authored with David Lyle Jeffrey. Education: BA (Hons) and MA from the University of Calgary, PhD from the University of Ottawa. Research Interests: Shakespearean theology, medieval religious themes, children’s literature, and interdisciplinary approaches to literature and theology. His work frequently explores the intersection of faith, narrative, and artistic creativity. Publications: Over 20 scholarly articles and book chapters in journals like Canadian Poetry , Religion and the Arts , and Studies in Canadian Literature . His writing frequently analyzes religious symbolism, pedagogical methods, and cross-cultural narratives. Awards: 2011 Stephen & Ella Steeves Award for Research Excellence. Teaching: Courses include Medieval Literature, Shakespearean Studies, Children’s Literature, and The Bible and English Literature. He emphasizes faith integration in teaching, drawing on global perspectives and innovative pedagogical techniques.
Dr. Michel Bouchard is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at The University of Northern British Columbia, affiliated with the Faculty of Indigenous Studies, Social Sciences and Humanities, and the Institute for Social Research. He also serves as Secretary of the Institute for Social Research. Born in Northern Alberta, his research focuses on ethnicity, nationalism, Métis ethnogenesis, and French-speaking communities in North America. His work spans historical studies of the Métis in Western Québec and the Komi people in Russia, alongside emerging research on memes and Ukrainian identity. PhD (University of Alberta), MA (Université Laval), BA (University of Toronto) SSHRC-funded co-investigator examining Acadian Métis history Former President of the Canadian Anthropology Society His research interests include: Métis ethnogenesis, French North America, Russian nationalism, medieval nationhood, sociolinguistics, and digital culture. He supervises interdisciplinary graduate students exploring topics like language preservation and identity formation in Canada and Eastern Europe. Dr. Bouchard has authored/co-authored major works such as Bois-Brûlés: The Untold Story of the Métis of Western Québec (2020) and Songs upon the Rivers (2016), analyzing historical Métis communities. His recent projects explore the intersection of digital media and national identity, particularly in Ukraine. He maintains active social media presence ( Twitter , LinkedIn ) and collaborates internationally on issues of cultural heritage and national narratives.
