Sarah Churchwell

Sarah Churchwell is Chair in Public Understanding of the Humanities at the Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London. She is a leading scholar of American literature, culture, and history with particular expertise in the 20th century and the interwar period.

Her educational background includes advanced degrees in literature and cultural history, though specific institutions aren't detailed in the provided materials. Her research focuses on American myths, cultural discourse, and historical narratives, examining how historical narratives shape contemporary political discourse.

Churchwell's primary research interests include American literature (particularly F. Scott Fitzgerald), American cultural history, the evolution of political phrases like 'American Dream' and 'America First,' Hollywood cinema from 1930 to present, and the cultural reception of iconic American figures. Her interdisciplinary approach combines cultural history, biographical criticism, and reception studies to analyze American cultural production and political discourse.

Her publications reveal consistent engagement with themes of American identity, racial politics, and the relationship between historical narratives and contemporary political movements. The most recent works show particular focus on American fascism, the myth of the Lost Cause, and the historical evolution of key American political concepts.

• Major Publications:
• The Wrath to Come: Gone with the Wind and the Myth of the Lost Cause (2022)
• Behold, America: A History of America First and the American Dream (2018)
• Careless People: Murder, Mayhem and the Invention of The Great Gatsby (2013)
• The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe (2004)

Churchwell actively supervises PhD students working on projects related to American literary history and cultural studies. Her journalism appears regularly in major publications including the New York Review of Books, Atlantic, Washington Post, New York Times, Financial Times, and Guardian, where she applies historical perspective to contemporary political issues.

She has led research projects including Cultural Engagement (2016) and currently supervises doctoral research on topics such as 'Implicit Histories: Decoding the 1921 Archive' and 'Ernest Hemingway Icon: The Evolution of Hemingway's Celebrity Persona.'