معرفی
Melek Su Ortabasi is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Simon Fraser University (SFU), where she leads the Department of World Languages and Literatures. Her academic journey includes roles as Chair of the department (2020–2021) and Director of the World Literature Program (2015–2019). She holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Washington (2001), specializing in Japanese cultural history and Yanagita Kunio’s ethnographic works. Ortabasi’s research bridges comparative literature, translation theory, and transnational children’s literature, with a focus on Japan’s literary and cultural intersections with Europe. She has held visiting positions at institutions like Sophia University (Tokyo) and Goethe Universität (Frankfurt), supported by prestigious fellowships including the Japan Foundation and JSPS grants. Her book The Undiscovered Country: Text, Translation and Modernity in the Work of Yanagita Kunio (2014) explores folklore’s role in shaping modern Japanese identity. Current courses emphasize global literary analysis, translation, and the transnational dimensions of children’s literature. Ortabasi advocates for multilingual pedagogy and has published extensively on topics like transnational youth narratives and the global reception of Japanese classics. Professional memberships include the MLA, AAS, and IRSCL, reflecting her interdisciplinary engagement.
Education:
- PhD, Comparative Literature (University of Washington, 2001)
- MA, Comparative Literature (University of Washington, 1994)
- BA, Comparative Literature (University of California, Berkeley, 1992)
Research Interests: Children’s literature, translation theory, Japanese cultural studies, transnationalism, folklore studies, and popular culture. Her current book project examines modern Japanese children’s literature’s global connections, tentatively titled A World of Friends: The Transnational Story of Modern Japanese Children’s Literature.
Awards/Grants: Over 20 grants/fellowships, including David Lam Centre Research Grants (2018–2019), Japan Foundation fellowships, and SSHRC funding. Recognized for contributions to pedagogy and international collaboration.
Advising/Grants: Supervised numerous graduate projects and secured grants for research on transnational literature and comparative methodology. Current initiatives focus on global childhood narratives and multilingualism in education.
Labs/Teams: Leads SFU’s World Literature Program and collaborates with international networks like the Meiji at 150 Podcast and Global Literature in Libraries Initiative. Active in curriculum development for transnational literary studies.
