Stephanie Sommerfeld

Stephanie Sommerfeld serves as a Lecturer in North American Studies at the University of Göttingen and University of Leipzig, where she teaches courses on American literature and culture while conducting research as a wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin. Her academic work bridges 19th-century literary traditions with contemporary theoretical frameworks, focusing particularly on aesthetic experiences of the sublime within American cultural production.

Her educational foundation includes dual Staatsexamen degrees from the University of Göttingen: English and French Literature and Linguistics (2004) and German Literature and Linguistics (2005), both equivalent to Master's level qualifications, supplemented by a TEFL certification (2000).

• 1. Staatsexamen: English/French Literature & Linguistics (2004)
• 1. Staatsexamen: German Literature & Linguistics (2005)
• TEFL Certificate (2000)

Dr. Sommerfeld's research centers on the evolution of sublime theory from Romanticism through modernity, with special emphasis on Edgar Allan Poe's narrative techniques and their contemporary resonances. She investigates how media technologies mediate aesthetic experiences, particularly examining textual self-reflexivity in antebellum literature and its manifestations in 21st-century fiction. Her current doctoral project analyzes 'Powerful Mediators and the Politics of the American Sublime,' while her editorial work includes co-editing 'Alive at 200: Contemporary Perspectives on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.'

Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent engagement with race, trauma, and media across temporal boundaries—from Poe's 19th-century tales to Brit Bennett's contemporary explorations of racial identity. Her scholarship demonstrates particular expertise in Gothic traditions, posthumanist theory, and the intersection of visual culture with literary production, often through comparative analyses of canonical and marginalized voices.

Her scholarly contributions have been supported by significant external funding:

• Fulbright American Studies Institute fellowship (2009)
• Susan Jaffe Tane Travel Grant (2009)
• Multiple GSGG Travel Grants (2009-2013)
• Poe Studies Association travel grant (2006)
• Education Abroad Program fellowship (1999-2000)

Dr. Sommerfeld actively supervises Bachelor's and Master's theses while developing innovative courses such as 'Automata and Cyborgs' and 'The African American Gothic.' Her professional service includes conference organization (notably the 'Discourse, Dreams, Delusion' undergraduate conference) and committee work for MA program admissions. She maintains active membership in the Poe Studies Association, German Association for American Studies, and Modern Language Association, regularly presenting research at international venues including the International Edgar Allan Poe Conferences.