John Plotz

John Plotz is the Barbara Mandel Professor of the Humanities and Professor of English at Brandeis University, serving as Director of Graduate Studies and co-founder of the Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative. He holds a PhD from Harvard University and has held fellowships at institutions like Princeton University and the Radcliffe Institute. His research focuses on Victorian literature, science fiction, fantasy, and thing theory, with notable works including Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea (2023) and Semi-Detached (2017). Plotz has received prestigious awards such as the Guggenheim Fellowship and the Nahum Glatzer Teaching Scholar Award.

His teaching spans courses on Victorian literature, fantasy, and science fiction, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. He co-hosts the Recall This Book podcast, exploring literature and culture. Plotz’s academic leadership includes roles in graduate education and initiatives addressing educational justice in criminal justice systems.

Key research interests include the intersection of literature and science, posthumanism, and the legacy of Victorian thought. His work often bridges literary analysis with broader cultural and philosophical inquiries, as seen in projects like Nonhuman Being: Post-Darwinian Naturalism.