Anna Gaidash

Anna Gaidash is a Research Fellow at Leipzig University’s DFG-funded project “Enfreakment as an Invective Mode in US-American Popular Culture” (April 2024 – March 2025). She belongs to the Institute for American Studies and focuses on American literature, particularly age studies, literary gerontology, and drama discourse. Her work bridges comparative studies between US-American and Ukrainian literature. Key research areas include the representation of aging in drama, gender dynamics, and cultural invectives.

Her publications explore themes such as feminist archetypes (e.g., the 'New Woman' in 19th-century prose) and magical elements in modern Ukrainian folktales. She has authored a book on aging discourse in American drama and contributed to interdisciplinary studies on literary gerontology and queer culture. Her research often intersects with sociocultural critiques, such as aging stereotypes and gender performance in contemporary theater.

Current projects under the DFG grant analyze 'enfreakment' as a rhetorical device in US-American popular culture, extending her expertise in invective modes and cultural discourse. Her work emphasizes the intersection of literature and societal norms, particularly regarding age, gender, and identity.