Bettina Wild

Dr. Bettina Wild is a Lecturer for special tasks at the German Institute in the Department of Literature Didactics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (since April 2023). Previously, she held roles including Deputy Professor at the University of Wuppertal (2016-2017), Deputy Junior Professor at Bielefeld University (2014-2015), and Managing Director of the Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature at the Heidelberg University of Education (2012-2020). She earned a Master's degree in German and English from the University of Heidelberg and Manchester (1996-2003), followed by a PhD in Heidelberg (2010).

Her research focuses on children’s and young adult literature didactics, reading education in digital contexts, and literary media analysis. Key interests include intertextuality in modern children’s literature, reading socialization, and the implementation of reading culture at universities. She has contributed to projects like DigitalManufaktur (Mainz) and heiEDUCATION (Heidelberg), emphasizing interdisciplinary and digital pedagogy.

Her publications span monographs like Topology of Rural Space (2011) and over 30 essays across journals and edited volumes, exploring topics such as animal figures in children’s literature, historical crime narratives, and multicultural education strategies. She co-edited works like Sophie von La Roche (2010) and contributed to teacher-training materials integrating digital tools.

Wild’s academic service includes managing the Center for Children’s Literature and collaborating with libraries and cultural institutions. Her office hours are Thursdays 2:30-3:30 PM at Mainz, with digital availability by appointment.