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He Chengzhou is a full Professor of English, Drama, and Comparative Literature, and currently serves as Dean of the School of Arts at Nanjing University. He holds a Doctor of Arts from Oslo University, following B.A. and M.A. degrees from Nanjing Normal University. His academic leadership roles include Chinese Co-Director of the Johns Hopkins University-Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies (2013-2017), President of Jiangsu Comparative Literature Association (2016-present), and former Chairman of the International Ibsen Committee (2010-2012). Research focuses on Henrik Ibsen, Scandinavian literatures, intercultural theatre, and comparative drama. Key works include (2004) and (2009). He has been honored with the Ibsen Medal (2002) and the prestigious Changjiang Distinguished Professor title (2015). Professional contributions include directing the Chinese-Nordic Cultural Centre and European Studies Centre at Nanjing University. His academic trajectory spans over three decades, with influential publications in intercultural performance, gender studies, and environmental literary analysis.

• Scandinavian Literatures
• Comparative Literature
• European and American Drama
• +3 more

Dr. Maribel Fierro is a distinguished Research Professor at the Institute of Languages and Cultures of the Mediterranean and Near East (ILC) , part of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in Madrid. She has held this prestigious position since 2005 after serving as Scientific Researcher at CSIC's Arabic Studies Department (1992-2005) and previous academic appointments at Universidad Complutense Madrid (1983-1987). Education: Dr. in Semitic Philology (1985), Universidad Complutense Madrid Visiting appointments: Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton), Hebrew University (Jerusalem), École des Hautes Études (Paris) Her scholarly work focuses on Medieval Islamic History with particular emphasis on Al-Andalus, Islamic Law, Heresy and Orthodoxy, Political Legitimacy, and Gender Studies. She directed the European Research Council Advanced Grant project Knowledge, Heresy and Political Culture in the Islamic West (8th-15th centuries) (2009-2014). Notable publications include foundational studies on: Ẓāhirī legal school adoption in Islamic Spain Violence against women in Andalusi legal texts Heretical movements in Islamic political culture Christian-Muslim relations during Almoravid/Almohad periods Manuscript circulation networks in Islamic West Prophetic legitimacy narratives in cross-cultural contexts Scientific honors include: 2014: R. Stephen Humphreys Distinguished Scholar (UC Santa Barbara) 2011: Waldo G. Leland Prize (American Historical Association) Prof. Fierro serves on academic committees including the Italian MIUR evaluation board since 2011, and has held editorial leadership roles in major Islamic studies journals since 1989, currently serving as editor for Der Islam and Intellectual History of the Islamicate World .

• Medieval Islamic History
• History of Al-Andalus
• Islamic Law
• +7 more

Dr. Stephanie Marx, MA, is a Lecturer in Literary and Cultural Studies at the University of Vienna, Austria. Her teaching includes courses on modern German literature , literary theory , and cultural analysis , with a focus on topics such as female rage, care practices, and precarious social structures. Department: Department of Literary and Cultural Studies Teaching Focus: Literary theory, contemporary German fiction, gender and cultural studies Research Interests span: Gender dynamics in literature and academia Intersections of care and narrative Exile and Holocaust literature Political failure in literary representation Reportage as a literary-journalistic hybrid Language theory in Barthesian fragments Key Publications and projects reflect themes of care ethics , revolutionary storytelling , and gender representation in both literary and academic contexts. Her recent work explores connections between care practices and poetic forms , popular realism , and intergenerational feminist discourse .

• Literary Studies
• Cultural Studies
• Gender Studies
• +4 more

Maria-Dolores Garcia-Ramon is a Full Professor of Geography at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), where she held academic leadership roles including Chair of the Department of Geography (1977–78, 1995–97) and Chair of the Doctoral Program in Human Geography (1986–94). She has been a visiting scholar at institutions such as the University of Arizona, Cornell University, and the London School of Economics. Her research focuses on rural geography, gender studies, and colonialism, with a particular emphasis on gendered spatial practices and women’s narratives in colonial contexts. Education: PhD in Geography and History (1975, University of Barcelona), MA in Geography (1970, UC Berkeley), BA in Philosophy and Letters (1966, University of Barcelona). Research Interests: Garcia-Ramon pioneered gender studies in Spanish geography, analyzing women’s roles in agriculture, urban public spaces, and colonial travel narratives. Her work critiques colonial discourses and explores how gender shapes spatial experiences. Key themes include the invisibility of women’s labor in rural economies, postcolonial geographies, and feminist methodologies in geographical research. Publications: Over 90 peer-reviewed articles and 12 authored/edited books, including Mujer y agricultura en España (1994) and Geografía Rural (1992). Recent articles address urban planning’s gendered impacts and colonial travel narratives. Awards: Recipient of the Jan Monk Award (2008), Premi Narcís Monturiol (2003), and membership in prestigious academies like Academia Europaea. She has led 31 funded research projects on gender, rural development, and colonial geographies. Advising & Grants: Supervised 19 PhD theses and secured grants from the European Commission, Spanish Ministry of Science, and Catalan Government. Her work on gendered labor and urban spaces has influenced policy debates on work-life balance and inclusive urban design. Labs/Teams: Active in the UAB’s Gender and Geography Research Group, contributing to international networks like the Association of American Geographers and editorial boards of journals such as Gender, Place & Culture .

• Rural Geography
• Geographical Thought
• Gender and Geography
• +5 more

Irmela Hijiya-Kirschnereit is a Professor (Senior Professor since 2016) at Freie Universität Berlin, specializing in Japanese Studies, with a focus on literature and cultural studies. She has held significant academic positions including Director of the Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School of Literary Studies (2010–2015) and Director of the German Institute for Japanese Studies in Tokyo (1996–2004). Her scholarship bridges modern Japanese literature, transnational cultural dialogues, and translation theory. Research Interests: Genre theory, autobiography, intercultural relations, lexicography, and food/hospitality studies. Publications: Extensive monographs, edited volumes, and critical essays on Japanese literary identity, self-representation, and transcultural dynamics. Awards: Federal Order of Merit (2024), Japan-Foundation Prize (2021), NIHU Prize (2014), Leopoldina membership (2013), and Order of the Rising Sun (2011). Key Contributions: Prominent works include foundational research on the shishōsetsu genre, critical lexicography projects, and interdisciplinary explorations of Japanese cultural modernization. Her academic career spans institutions in Germany and Japan, emphasizing the intersection of textual analysis and sociocultural phenomena.

• Genre theory
• Modern and contemporary Japanese literature
• Intercultural relations
• +9 more

Nadine Akkerman is an Associate Professor at Leiden University's LUCAS (Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society), specializing in Early Modern English Literature. She is Principal Investigator of the ERC Consolidator Grant project FEATHERS, which investigates collaborative authorship in early modern legal and literary texts. Her academic career spans roles at VU Amsterdam, Radboud University Nijmegen, and visiting fellowships at Queen Mary London, All Souls College Oxford, and NIAS. PhD in English Literature (cum laude) from VU Amsterdam (2008) Junior Lecturer at VU Amsterdam (0.8 FTE, 2002-2006) Junior Lecturer at Radboud University (0.3 FTE, 2006-2007) Her research focuses on epistolary culture, women's history, and intelligence studies. She pioneered the study of female spies in 17th-century Britain through her monograph Invisible Agents , and authored the authoritative biography Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Hearts . Her work integrates manuscript studies, diplomatic history, and digital humanities, including a groundbreaking Nature Communications paper on virtual document unfolding. Recent publications include the projected The Correspondence of Elizabeth Stuart (3 vols, Oxford University Press) and co-authoring a Yale University Press trade book on early modern spycraft (2024). Her research has transformed understanding of women's roles in espionage and court politics, with methodological innovations in archival science. ERC Consolidator Grant (€2M, 2020) Ammodo Science Award (€300,000, 2019) World Cultural Council Special Recognition Award (2017) Aspasia NWO Premium (2016) Akkerman actively communicates her research to the public through TV/radio appearances and curated exhibitions. She leads the FEATHERS project (2020-2025), funded by the ERC, which examines authorship mediation in early modern texts. Her work combines rigorous archival analysis with interdisciplinary approaches, bridging history, literature, and digital methodologies.

• Epistolary writing
• Thirty Years' War
• Women's history
• +9 more

Lena Foljanty is a Professor of Globalization and Legal Pluralism at the University of Vienna since 2020. She is affiliated with the Institute for Legal and Constitutional History (Faculty of Law) and leads research projects on transnational legal history, focusing on 19th–20th-century Japan, China, and the Ottoman Empire. Previously, she worked at the Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory in Frankfurt and served as a freelance researcher at the Fritz Bauer Institute. Education: Law, University of Greifswald and Humboldt University of Berlin Doctorate (2011), Faculty of Law, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt Habilitation (2020), Goethe University Frankfurt Research Interests include the globalization of law, legal pluralism, and comparative legal history. Her work critically examines Western legal hegemony, colonialism’s legal consequences, and National Socialist jurisprudence. She integrates intersectionality and critical race theory into legal gender studies. Scientific Awards Werner Pünder Prize (Goethe University Frankfurt) Sibylle Kalkhof-Rose Academy Prize for Humanities (Mainz Academy of Sciences and Literature) 2013 Legal Book of the Year (for 'Law or Law: Legal Identity and Authority in the Postwar Natural Law Debates') Teaching and Grants : She teaches courses like 'Postcolonial Perspectives' and 'Transitional Justice' and serves on the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) board. Her research groups have received funding from the Max Planck Society and other institutions. Research Projects : She leads the Max Planck Research Group 'Translations and Transitions: Legal Practice in 19th-Century Japan, China, and the Ottoman Empire' and collaborates on 'Jurisprudence in States of Mobilization and Occupation: Japan and Germany (1930–1955)' with Prof. Naoko Matsumoto.

• Globalization and Legal Pluralism
• Transnational Legal History
• 19th-Century Japanese Legal History
• +6 more

Agnieszka Kozyra is a Professor of Japanese Studies at the University of Warsaw, serving as Head of the Chair of Japanese Studies since 2015 and previously as Head of the Department of Japanese and Korean Studies (2013–2015). She holds a dual academic affiliation with the Faculty of Philology and the Institute of Oriental Studies. Her research focuses on Japanese religious and philosophical traditions, particularly Zen Buddhism, the thought of Nishida Kitarō, and the intellectual legacy of Uchimura Kanzō. Education includes a Master’s in Japanese Studies from the University of Warsaw (1986), followed by advanced studies in Japanese religion and philosophy at Osaka City University (1990). She earned her Ph.D. in 1994 with a thesis on Uchimura Kanzō’s religious thought, later receiving habilitation (2004) and full professorship (2013) from the Polish Academy of Sciences. Key honors include the University of Warsaw’s President Prize (1995) and the Soros and Takashima Foundation scholarships for international research. Her scholarly contributions span monographs on Zen aesthetics, Nishida’s philosophy, and edited volumes on Japanese cultural studies. Kozyra has held visiting positions at institutions including Kyoto’s International Research Center for Japanese Studies and Showa Women’s University. She actively contributes to academic journals like Japonica and Analecta Nipponica , and led research projects on Zen in the USA and Chan Buddhism in Taiwan.

• History of Religion in Japan
• Zen Buddhism
• Nishida Kitarō's Philosophy
• +3 more

Anne-Marie Mai is a Professor of Nordic Literature at the University of Southern Denmark since 1999. She is affiliated with the Literary & Theatrical Studies and History & Archaeology sections of the Danish Academy for Language and Literature, and her work spans women's literature, Scandinavian literary historiography, and cultural sociology. Born: Lic. phil. (1982) and Mag. art. (1978) from Aarhus University Chair of Danish IAS at SDU (2017–present) Editorial roles: European Journal of Scandinavian Studies (2010–present), K&K (1999–present) Her research focuses on Nordic women's literary traditions, Danish hymn writers, and intersections of modernism/postmodernism in Scandinavian poetry. She has pioneered large-scale projects like The History of Nordic Women’s Literature , influencing literary historiography across Scandinavia. Scientific awards include the Karen Blixen Special Honour Award (2022), Søren Gyldendal Award (2018), and the Danish Research Councils’ Communication Prize (2014). She has served as General Secretary of the International Society for 18th Century Studies (2010–2015) and chaired the Danish Society for 18th Century Studies (1993–2000).

• Women's literature
• Narrative medicine
• Scandinavian literature
• +6 more

Zorica Bečanović Nikolić is an Associate Professor at the University of Belgrade's Faculty of Philology, specializing in Comparative Literature. She holds a PhD from the University of Belgrade (2005) and has held visiting research positions at University Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona) and University College London (UCL). Her academic career includes roles as a Research Fellow, Assistant Professor, and Junior Lecturer at Belgrade University, alongside prior work as a media advisor (1992-1995) and freelance journalist (1989-1992). **Education**: Bachelor of Arts in English Language & Literature, University of Belgrade (1988) Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature, University of Belgrade (1988) MPhil in Comparative Literature, University of Belgrade (1998) PhD in Comparative Literature, University of Belgrade (2005) **Research Interests**: Her work focuses on hermeneutics, Shakespeare studies, Renaissance literatures, and modern/postmodern literary theory. She explores Shakespeare's reception in European contexts, narrative identity in early modern texts, and Serbian literature within broader European frameworks. Current research includes studies on Laza Kostić's Shakespeare translations and the 'Citizen Shakespeare' project. **Awards & Grants**: Recipient of the British Academy Visiting Research Fellowship (2009) for her project on Shakespeare in the Balkans. Active in organizing international academic events, including lectures by leading scholars like Stephen Greenblatt and Stanley Wells. **Editorial & Leadership**: Co-edited major works such as Knjiženstvo (2015) on Serbian women's literature and Komparativna književnost (2015) on comparative literary theory. Member of the Centre for British Studies Council at Belgrade's Faculty of Political Science. **Public Engagement**: Promoted public understanding of Shakespeare through lectures, masterclasses, and collaborations with cultural institutions like Caixa Forum in Barcelona/Madrid.

• Hermeneutics
• Renaissance Literature
• Theatre Studies
• +4 more

Professor Clare Brant is a distinguished academic at King's College London, where she serves as Professor of Eighteenth-Century Literature and Culture in the Department of English within the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. She is also Co-Director of the Centre for Life-Writing Research and serves as Editor of the European Journal of Life Writing. Her work spans multiple disciplines including literature, cultural studies, and digital humanities. Professor Brant's research focuses on three primary areas: eighteenth-century literature and culture, life writing, and blue humanities. She has pioneered work in underwater literature and marine contexts, exploring the relationship between humans, marine species, and oceans. Her innovative Strandlines project documents lives on the Strand in London, while her EGO MEDIA research investigates digital forms of life writing. Professor Brant is also an accomplished poet with four published collections whose work has been translated into Italian, Dutch, and Polish. Her recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward environmental humanities, particularly ocean studies and climate crisis narratives. She has increasingly focused on underwater lives, aquanautics, and the intersection of literature with marine science, while maintaining her foundational work in eighteenth-century studies and life writing traditions. Professor Brant has received numerous prestigious awards for her work, including: ESSE Book Award (2008) for 'Eighteenth-Century Letters and British Culture' British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies Teaching Award (2011) ERC Advanced Grant for EGO MEDIA (2014-2019, €2 million) Election to Academia Europaea (2022) As a dedicated educator and mentor, Professor Brant has supervised numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers through her ERC-funded projects. She has secured significant research funding including the Leverhulme Trust grant for her 'Underwater Lives' project (2022-2025) and participation in a long-COVID-19 research project (2024-2026). She welcomes PhD students working on eighteenth-century topics and selected contemporary subjects. Professor Brant leads several research initiatives including the Centre for Life-Writing Research, the Strandlines digital community project, and the Ocean Space research community. She co-curated the 'DEAR DIARY' exhibition at Somerset House (2017), which was nominated for REF 2020 impact study. Her transdisciplinary approach connects literary studies with environmental concerns, digital media, and public engagement through projects that bridge academic research and community involvement.

• Eighteenth-century literature and culture
• Life writing
• Blue humanities
• +7 more

Thérèse Lindquist is an Adjunct Professor of Artsong and Oratorio at the Mozarteum University's Department of Vocal Studies within the School of Music & Art Education. A renowned collaborative pianist and educator, she specializes in German, French, and English-American Lied traditions, with particular focus on works by women composers and Jewish composers during WWII. She has performed internationally with artists like Wolfgang Holzmair and Dana McKay, releasing acclaimed recordings including Josephine Lang's songs (2003) and Anton Webern's Lieder (2006). Lindquist's work emphasizes historically informed performance practices and underrepresented repertoires. Her academic career includes masterclasses at institutions such as Florida International University and University of Miami Frost School of Music. Notable achievements include first prize at the Jenny Lind Competition and recognition for her CD recordings, described as 'small masterpieces' in scholarly literature. She has served as official accompanist in major competitions like the International Mozart Competition Salzburg and collaborated with ensembles like the countertenor Paul Esswood in early music studies.

• Art Song (Lied)
• Oratorio
• Women Composers
• +3 more

Claudia Leitner is a Senior Scientist at the Department of Romance Studies, University of Vienna, specializing in Hispanic literatures, cultural studies, and ecocriticism. Her work bridges colonialism, feminist theory, and animal studies with a focus on Mexico and Mesoamerica. Education Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literature, University of Vienna (2001) M.A. in Hispanic Studies & English and American Studies, University of Vienna (1995) Business and Economics, WU Vienna (1986-1992) Research Interests Leitner’s research explores intersections of colonial and postcolonial discourse , feminist theory , and animal studies , with particular emphasis on ecocritical frameworks in Spanish and Latin American literature. She investigates cultural memory and gender dynamics in the Americas, often analyzing texts through posthumanist and interdisciplinary lenses. Selected Scientific Awards KWA Grant for research at UNAM and Colegio de México (1994) Joint Study Scholarship BA (Hons) English, UC Dublin (1990-1991) Academic Contributions Her publications span Malinche studies , zoopoetics , and enlightenment-era cultural analysis , with a focus on Mexican and Central American literary traditions. She co-edited interdisciplinary volumes on human-animal-machine relationships and served as executive editor of the LAF Austria publication series Investigaciones: Research on Latin America (2015-2021).

• Hispanic Literatures and Cultural Studies
• Feminism & Women’s Access to Cultural Memory
• Colonialism
• +4 more

Gertraude Zand is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Slavonic Studies, University of Vienna, where she has been employed since 2003. Previously, she served as an assistant at the same institute (1994–2002) and held academic roles at the Technical University of Prague and University of Economics in Prague. Her educational background includes a PhD in Czech (1997), a Diploma in Czech (1993), and an M.Phil in History, Philosophy, Psychology, and Education (1987), all from the University of Vienna. Her research specializes in Czech and Slovak literature, with emphases on underground literature during Stalinism (1948–1953), baroque literary traditions, and Czech-German cultural intersections. She explores themes of exile, identity, and linguistic hybridity, often through the works of authors like Egon Bondy, Jáchym Topol, and Božena Němcová. Her scholarship bridges literary analysis with historical and cultural contexts, revealing how literature reflects socio-political transformations. Zand's publications demonstrate a consistent focus on dissident movements, symbolic representations of space, and transnational literary dialogues. Her recent work increasingly examines the role of German language in Czech poetry and the mythological reconstruction of cultural figures. She received the Premia Bohemica award from the Czech Ministry of Culture in 2024 for her contributions to Bohemian studies.

• Czech Literature
• Slovak Literature
• Underground Literature
• +3 more

Wolfgang Straub is a part-time lecturer and researcher in German Studies, currently affiliated with the University of Vienna and the University of Salzburg. He holds a PhD and Master’s in German Studies from the University of Vienna and has held project leadership and research positions at Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt, Danube University Krems, and the University of Vienna. His academic work centers on Austrian literature, intermediality, and digital humanities. PhD in German Studies, University of Vienna (2001) Mag. in German Studies, University of Vienna (1991) His research interests include Austrian post-war literature, digital scholarly editions, intermediality, and literary networks. He is particularly known for his work on Werner Kofler, Hans Weigel, and Elisabeth Löcker. His work bridges traditional literary scholarship with digital innovation, especially in annotated and multimedia editions. The most recent publications reflect a strong focus on annotated editions, intermedial analysis (especially between literature, music, and radio), and the role of key cultural mediators in post-war Austria. His scholarly output combines monographs, journal articles, and digital interactive resources, showing a clear trajectory toward digital and collaborative humanities. Wolfgang Straub has not received any explicitly mentioned scientific awards in the provided text. He has led multiple externally funded research projects, primarily through the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), including the annotated complete works of Werner Kofler and studies on remigration and literary networks. While no formal advisees are listed, his collaborative projects involve significant team-based research. He contributes extensively as an editor, writer, and project leader. He leads the Forschungsplattform Werner Kofler and has been involved in creating digital research environments and interactive editions, particularly through FWF-funded projects. His work often involves interdisciplinary teams focused on digital publishing, textual scholarship, and literary history.

• German Studies
• Austrian Literature
• Literary Networks
• +6 more