Rebecca Copeland

Rebecca Copeland is a Professor of Japanese Language and Literature at Washington University in St. Louis. Her research and teaching focus on modern and contemporary Japanese women’s writing, translation studies, and material culture. She holds a PhD from Columbia University and has authored/co-edited numerous volumes, including Lost Leaves: Women Writers of Meiji Japan and Handbook of Modern and Contemporary Japanese Women Writers. Her creative works include the novel The Kimono Tattoo and short stories exploring cultural intersections between Japan and the American South. Copeland has been recognized with the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Prize for Translation and the Choice Outstanding Academic Title award. She is actively involved in academic collaborations, such as co-editing Yamamba: In Search of the Japanese Mountain Witch, and teaches courses at the Missouri Eastern Correctional Center through the Prison Education Program.

Education: PhD in Japanese Literature, Columbia University. Notable research projects include re-examining Uno Chiyo’s literary contributions and exploring themes of gender and genre in Japanese women’s writing. Her creative works blend mystery, cultural exploration, and personal narrative. Awards highlight her scholarly and translational impact. Current projects include a study on Uno Chiyo’s later career and creative writing bridging Japanese and Southern U.S. themes.

Research trends in her articles emphasize interdisciplinarity—spanning feminism, translation ethics, and cultural analysis. Her work often bridges academic and creative realms, reflecting a commitment to both scholarly rigor and accessible storytelling.

• Awards: Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Prize (2014-15), Choice Outstanding Academic Title (2001)
• Advising: Currently not accepting new PhD students.
• Lab/Teams: Collaborations with scholars like Laura Miller (University of Missouri-St. Louis) and Melek Ortabasi (Simon Fraser University).