Beth Piatote is an Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. She holds a PhD in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford University and is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (Nez Perce). Her work bridges scholarly and creative realms, focusing on Indigenous literature, law, language revitalization, and cultural studies. Education: PhD in Modern Thought and Literature (Stanford University). Research interests include Native American legal systems, Nez Perce language preservation, global Indigenous literatures, and creative writing. She co-founded and chairs Berkeley’s Designated Emphasis in Indigenous Language Revitalization and directs the Arts Research Center, where she leads the Indigenous Poetics Lab. Her publications include Domestic Subjects: Gender, Citizenship, and Law in Native American Literature (2013) and the short story collection The Beadworkers (2019), which received multiple literary recognitions. Her plays Antíkoni and Tricksters, Unite! explore Indigenous narratives through performance. Awards include MLA honorable mentions, PEN/Bingham Prize longlistings, and a 2020 Playwrights Retreat win. Current projects involve a scholarly monograph on sensory representations of Indigenous law and creative works in poetry and essays.
Rachel Morley is an Associate Professor at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES), University College London. She holds a BA in French Language and Literature from the University of Oxford (1992), followed by BA, MA, and PhD degrees from UCL (1999, 2001, 2011). Her roles include Academic Director of Education and Student Experience at SSEES (2022–2027) and Co-Convenor of the UCL SSEES Cinema Research Group. Dr. Morley's research focuses on Cinema studies Cultural studies Feminist and queer theory Literary studies with emphasis on Soviet/Russian cinema, gender representation, and film historiography. She held a Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship (2020–2022) for her project on female subjectivity in contemporary Russian cinema. Her teaching spans Russian cinema, poetry, language, and translation. Past roles include Postgraduate Teaching Assistant at SSEES (1999–2009) and lecturer at the University of Cambridge (2006, 2008). She has also supported international students as SSEES International and Affiliate Tutor (2014–2018). Key Achievements: Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2016) Her work bridges film, literature, and cultural history, emphasizing underrepresented narratives and feminist perspectives in Russian and Soviet cinema.
Svetlana Evdokimova is a Professor of Slavic Studies and Comparative Literature at Brown University, where she has been a faculty member since 1991. She previously taught at Yale University and holds a PhD in Slavic Languages and Literatures from Yale University and an MA in French Language and Literature from St. Petersburg University. She is a leading scholar in Russian literature of the 19th and 20th centuries, with a focus on Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and especially Chekhov. Her research explores the intersections between literature, philosophy, history, and aesthetics. She has published extensively on Russian Romanticism, the Russian intelligentsia, and the cultural significance of St. Petersburg. Her major works include Pushkin's Historical Imagination (1999) and Staging Existence: Chekhov's Tetralogy (2023), with a forthcoming monograph A Genius of Culture: The Chekhov Phenomenon . The recent publications reflect a deep engagement with Chekhov’s aesthetics, corporeality, and cultural philosophy, as well as Dostoevsky’s dialogues with Nietzsche and postmodern thought. Her work frequently examines the ethical dimensions of literature and the interplay between fiction and historical consciousness. Choice Outstanding Academic Title (2004) for Alexander Pushkin's Little Tragedies: The Poetics of Brevity NEH Research Fellowship (1995–1996) IREX Research Fellowship (1995) The Bogliasco Foundation Residency Fellowship (2018) Paul C. Gignilliat Fellowship, Yale University (1988–1989) Council on Russian and East European Studies Summer Fellowship, Yale University (1985) She has advised numerous graduate students and has secured competitive research grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, IREX, and Brown University. She is actively involved in scholarly communities, including the Modern Language Association, AATSEEL, and author-specific societies such as the North American Chekhov Society and the North American Dostoevsky Society. She teaches courses on Russian Romanticism, major novelists, theater, and cultural history.
Ann D. Braude is a Senior Lecturer on American Religious History and Director of the Women's Studies in Religion Program at Harvard Divinity School (HDS), affiliated with Harvard University. She joined HDS in 1998 after roles at Carleton College and Macalester College. Her work emphasizes inclusive religious narratives, particularly exploring intersections of gender, spirituality, and social movements. Key research areas include 19th-century Spiritualism, Indigenous religious perspectives, and modern abstract art's relationship to spirituality. Braude holds an AB from Vassar College, MA from the University of Chicago, and PhD from Yale University. Her research has produced influential works like Radical Spirits (2008) and Sisters and Saints (2007), which examine women's roles in shaping religious history. She organized pivotal conferences such as the 2005 celebration of women at HDS and curated the bicentennial exhibition Faces of Divinity (2016). Her current projects include studying gender dynamics in abstract painting and Native American religious frameworks through a biennial speakers series. Braude’s courses focus on American religious history, feminist theology, and Indigenous religious studies. Her articles and public engagement reflect a commitment to bridging academic research with broader societal conversations about religion, gender, and culture. She maintains active roles in both Harvard Divinity School and the broader academic community, contributing to interdisciplinary dialogues on pluralism and religious diversity.
Dr. Michael R. Griffiths is a Senior Lecturer in English Literatures at the University of Wollongong, where he has been teaching since 2014. He serves as the Internationalisation Director in the School of the Arts, English and Media, managing global collaborations including UOW's campuses in Hong Kong and Dubai. Previously, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Columbia University's Institute for Comparative Literature and Society from 2012-2014. His educational background includes: PhD in English from Rice University (2012) Griffiths's research focuses on postcolonial literary theory, settler colonial studies, and Indigenous literatures, with a growing emphasis on decolonial thought. His work critically examines representations of Aboriginal people and culture in Australian literature, the politics of authorship in anticolonial thought, and intersections between critical animal studies and ecocriticism. In his scholarship, Griffiths explores how literature engages with questions of identity, difference, and belonging in settler colonial contexts, often challenging conventional approaches to cultural appropriation and representation. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward examining the intersections between poststructuralist literary theory and anticolonial thought. The publication of his 2025 book The Death of the Author and Anticolonial Thought represents a significant contribution to understanding how thinkers like Edward Said and Édouard Glissant responded to Roland Barthes's "death of the author" thesis. His earlier work, particularly his 2018 monograph The Distribution of Settlement: Appropriation and Refusal in Australian Literature and Culture , established him as a scholar examining representations of Aboriginal people by non-Indigenous writers in Australian literature. Griffiths serves as Chair of the South Pacific Association for Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies (SPACLALS) and is on the editorial advisory board of Australian Literary Studies . He has also co-edited special issues of Continuum on freedom of speech debates, which received notable attention and was reprinted as a book titled Unsettled Voices . As a supervisor, Griffiths has mentored numerous PhD and Master's students through projects examining diverse topics including Indigenous Trinidadian theatre, hauntings in Chinese-Australian literature, and cosmopolitanism in Indian English fiction. His grant history shows consistent funding support for research on Australian literature, settler colonial studies, and international academic collaborations, particularly with Wuhan University in China. Griffiths contributes to several research networks focused on postcolonial studies and settler colonialism, including the South Pacific Association for Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies, which he chairs, and maintains active engagement with global scholarly conversations through his academic profiles and social media presence.
Tobias Pettersson is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Pedagogy: Music, Dance and Drama , University of Gothenburg . His roles include Undergraduate Teaching Coordinator and Education Coordinator for both first/second cycle education and teacher training programs. He works at the intersection of musicology , gender studies , and pedagogical traditions . Current position since 2015 Active in teacher education since the 1990s Doctoral degree in musicology (2004) Research Focus: Analyzes the origins and persistence of musical traditions , gender equality in music life , and education for sustainable development . Led projects at the Centre for Environment and Sustainability (2012-2014) and developed web-based educational toolboxes. Key Contributions: Publications on Beethoven's canonization in Swedish education (2004), gender dynamics in performing arts (2006), and critical analyses of musicological epistemology (2005). His work bridges historical musicology , pedagogical theory , and sustainability education . Contact: Email: tobias.pettersson@gu.se Office: Eklandagatan 86, 41259 Göteborg
Margus Pärtlas is Professor of Music Theory and Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Research at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT). He earned his Doctorate from the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1992 with a dissertation on Eduard Tubin's symphonies. His career includes positions as Associate Professor (1993-2003), Senior Teacher (1987-1993), and Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of North Texas (1999-2000). Pärtlas's research focuses on music analysis methodologies , specializing in the works of Eduard Tubin and Richard Strauss. Key areas include symphonic form, tonal transformation in Romantic music, semiotic analysis of choral works, and cultural identity in exile compositions. His publications consistently explore structural innovation in 19th-20th century European music. His recent articles reflect a thematic emphasis on Estonian musical heritage , institutional development of music academies, and analytical studies of concerti/symphonies. A significant trend involves examining how composers negotiate cultural identity through structural elements. Awards & Honors: Fulbright Visiting Scholar Grant (1999) Best Music Article Award from 'Teater. Muusika. Kino' (1992) Academic Leadership: Chaired accreditation committees internationally (Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Armenia), serves on editorial boards of Res Musica and Eduard Tubin's Complete Works, and organized major conferences including 'Eduard Tubin 100'. Doctoral Supervision: Guided 4 PhD students in music analysis and interpretation, focusing on topics like Tubin's piano sonatas, Estonian song traditions, and analytical approaches to contemporary performance.
Timothy R. Tangherlini serves as the Elizabeth H. and Eugene A. Shurtleff Chair in Undergraduate Education and Professor in the Department of Scandinavian and the School of Information at the University of California, Berkeley. A distinguished folklorist and ethnographer, he has pioneered computational approaches to folklore studies, bridging traditional humanities scholarship with cutting-edge digital methods. His research expertise spans multiple interconnected domains: Digital humanities and computational folkloristics Danish and Scandinavian cultural traditions Network analysis of narrative structures Machine learning applications in cultural analysis Conspiracy theory formation and transmission Korean cultural studies and K-Pop analysis Tangherlini's work focuses on how stories circulate across social networks and how individuals use narratives to negotiate ideology within their social groups. He has been instrumental in developing the field of Culture Analytics, co-directing a three-year program at the NSF's Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics and leading the NEH's Institute for Advanced Topics in Digital Humanities on Network Analysis for the Humanities. His research combines ethnographic depth with computational sophistication, creating novel methodologies for analyzing large cultural corpora. His scholarly contributions have earned him significant recognition: Fellow of the American Folklore Society Fellow of the Royal Gustav Adolf Academy (one of Sweden's Royal Academies) Elizabeth H. and Eugene A. Shurtleff Chair in Undergraduate Education Tangherlini has secured substantial funding from prestigious organizations including the NEH, NSF, NIH, AFOSR, Mellon Foundation, Nordic Council of Ministers, and Google. His work on conspiracy theories, K-Pop choreography analysis, and historical Danish folklore has garnered media attention, demonstrating the public relevance of his research. With extensive international experience including appointments at the University of Copenhagen, University of Iceland, and Harvard University, he maintains a global scholarly perspective while contributing significantly to undergraduate education at Berkeley.
James Wilson is the Executive Officer of the Theatre and Performance program at The Graduate Center, CUNY, and holds a Professorship in both Theatre and Africana Studies. He also teaches English at LaGuardia Community College, CUNY, and is an affiliate faculty member in the Africana Studies Certificate Program. His research focuses on African American theatre, gender/sexuality studies, musical theatre history, and applied theatre pedagogy. Wilson earned his Ph.D. in Theatre from The Graduate Center, CUNY. His notable works include Failure, Fascism, and Teachers in American Theatre (2023) and Bulldaggers, Pansies, and Chocolate Babies (2010), which explore teacher representations and Harlem Renaissance performances respectively. His recent essays analyze queer performance in musical theatre, historical teacher portrayals in drama, and the intersections of race/gender in early 20th-century performance. He co-edits the Journal of American Drama and Theatre and is a Drama Desk voting member. Current projects include studying representations of teachers in performance and examining queer pedagogical frameworks in theatre history.
Kirsten Yri is an Associate Professor of Musicology at Wilfrid Laurier University, serving as Chair of Music Promotions and Appointments, and Coordinator for Music History, Theory, and Critical Analysis. She also oversees the Master of Music: Collaboration, Curation, and Creative Performance program. Her research focuses on medievalism in contemporary music and popular culture, the early music revival of the 20th century, and representations of gender in opera and music within colonial/postcolonial contexts. Yri’s research interests include analyzing how medieval themes are reinterpreted in modern contexts (e.g., film, heavy metal, and stage productions), examining the ideological underpinnings of early music revival movements, and exploring the intersection of music with gender, nationalism, and global cultural politics. Her work often critiques Western-centric narratives and highlights marginalized voices in music history. Her publications span articles in journals and edited volumes, with a focus on composers like Carl Orff and Hildegard of Bingen, as well as groups like Corvus Corax and Anonymous 4. She has contributed to interdisciplinary projects such as The Oxford Handbook of Music and Medievalism (2020). While no scientific awards are cited, her work is widely recognized in musicology and cultural studies. Yri’s teaching and research emphasize collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to music history, blending academic rigor with creative curation. She speaks English, Swedish, and German, enhancing her ability to engage with international scholarly resources and communities.
Professor Lee Wallace is a distinguished academic at the University of Sydney, serving as Director of the Sydney Social Sciences and Humanities Advanced Research Centre (SSSHARC) and Professor in the Discipline of Film Studies within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She joined the university in 2011 from the University of Auckland, where she earned her PhD in postcolonial literary studies in 1997. Her research focuses on queer theory, lesbian/gay studies, feminist theory, colonial/postcolonial discourse, and cinema studies. Wallace’s work explores intersections of sexuality, space, and cultural representation, with notable projects analyzing queer architectures and cinematic narratives. Education: PhD in Postcolonial Literary Studies from the University of Auckland (1997). Roles: Director of Research Development (Humanities), Research Coordinator, and member of the Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies and Sydney Policy Lab. Research interests include queer theory’s engagement with cultural space, colonial discourse analysis, and interdisciplinary studies of film and literature. Her recent articles analyze topics like midlife lesbian identity, queer science communication, and cinematic representations of commitment. Notable publications include Lesbianism, Cinema, Space (2009) and Reattachment Theory: Queer Cinema of Remarriage (2020). Awards: 2024 Eureka Prize finalist, Marsden Fund Grants (2007 and 1997). Her work has been featured in The Conversation and media outlets. Current grants include projects on queer community-building and sexual violence prevention in schools. Supervision: Guides PhD/Master’s students in queer theory, feminist theory, and interdisciplinary cultural studies. Her research team collaborates across disciplines to address societal challenges through humanities research.
Professor Ben Bollig holds the position of Professor of Latin American Literature and Film at the University of Oxford's Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages. He is also a Fellow and Tutor in Spanish at St Catherine's College, and an Associate Lecturer at St John's College. His research focuses on contemporary Latin American literature and film, with a specialization in Argentine poetry and its cinematic adaptations. He has authored or edited numerous books, including Moving Verses and The Poetry-Film Nexus in Latin America , and serves as editor of the Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies . Teaching responsibilities include the entire Spanish course for first-year students and Latin American literature and film options for upper years. He supervises MPhil/DPhil students in Latin American cultural studies, particularly Southern Cone literature and film. His work explores intersections of poetry, film, translation, and postcolonial theory, with a focus on Argentina's cultural production. He has published widely on topics such as poetic adaptation, political literature, and cultural activism. Key contributions include co-editing Latin American Cultural Studies: A Reader and producing translated volumes of Cristian Aliaga's work. His research themes span comparative literature, postcolonial studies, environmental humanities, and global cultural dynamics. He is actively engaged in academic leadership roles within his field, maintaining a strong international profile in cultural studies and literary criticism.
Muhammad Farooq is an Assistant Professor of English at Seton Hall University's Department of English. He specializes in 20th- and 21st-century British, postcolonial, and global Anglophone literature, with research focusing on postcolonial studies, necropolitics, memory, and spatial literary studies. His current book project, The Production of Necrospace: Literary Imaginary and Ungrievable Lives in the Af-Pak Frontier , examines necrogeographies through literary texts from the British colonial era to contemporary Af-Pak works. Education: PhD in English, Kent State University (2023) His research explores intersections between literature and socio-political structures, particularly in contested regions like the Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier. Farooq’s work often addresses how literature conceptualizes spaces of death (necrospace) and the politics of grievability. His recent publications analyze Afghan American fiction’s soundscapes, Pashto poetry’s engagement with drone warfare, and modernist narratives like Virginia Woolf’s works. He has received multiple awards including the 2024 University Research Council Grant and the 2023 Ohio International Consortium Award. Farooq teaches courses such as Postcolonial Theory and Literature and Death, Memory, and Resilience , emphasizing critical thinking across cultural divides. Grants: University Research Council Grant (2024), Newberry Renaissance Consortium Grant (2020) No specific labs or research teams are mentioned, but his interdisciplinary approach bridges literary analysis with geopolitical and cultural studies.
Sandro Zanetti, Full Professor of General and Comparative Literature at the University of Zurich's Faculty of Arts and Humanities, specializes in avant-garde research, artistic production processes, and poetics of (im)probability. He studied German, History, and Philosophy at Basel, Freiburg, and Tübingen (1993-1999), earned his PhD in 2005 at Basel's SNSF project, and held positions including Junior Professor at Hildesheim (2008-2011) and DFG network head (2010-2014). Since 2011 at UZH, he progressed from Assistant to Full Professor (2022) and serves as Co-Dean of Studies since 2021. Current affiliations: Department of General and Comparative Literature (UZH), Center for Arts and Cultural Theory (ZKK), Literary Radio Zurich Former roles: ZGW Center (2010-2022), SNF project leader (2015-2019), Co-editor of History of the Present (2016-present) His research explores: Avant-garde genealogies and postwar literary modernity Time perception and aesthetic temporality Writing as cultural technique Interdisciplinary intersections with philosophy, media studies, and art Publications reveal trends in: 2022-2024: Dada historiography, AI-generated literature, Paul Celan's late works 2019-2021: Aesthetic theory, transactuality, Barthesian concepts 2014-2017: Improvisation networks, multilingualism, collaborative writing He co-founded interdisciplinary platforms and maintains editorial roles across 15 anthologies since 2004.
Mark Lance is a Professor in the Philosophy Department at Georgetown University and co-founded the Program on Justice and Peace , where he also holds a professorial appointment. His academic career includes a three-year post-doctoral fellowship at Syracuse University after earning his Ph.D. at the University of Pittsburgh and a B.A. from the Ohio State University . Education Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh B.A., Ohio State University Lance's research spans Philosophy of Language , Epistemology , and Metaphysics , with a focus on Normative Pragmatics , Anarchist Theory , and Social Justice Activism . He collaborates with Rebecca Kukla on projects examining intersubjective norms, such as in his work ‘Yo!’ and ‘Lo!’: The Pragmatic Topography of the Space of Reasons (Harvard University Press, 2009), and engages with Wilfrid Sellars ' legacy in works like Placing in a Space of Norms (2008). His recent Google Scholar publications (2024–2020) highlight intersections of Gender Ethics , Mutual Aid , and Pragmatic Normativity . For instance, Telling Gender (2023) bridges linguistic pragmatics and ethical ascription, while Anarchist Responses to a Pandemic (2020) analyzes collective action during crises. The Truth Telling Project further reflects his commitment to anti-racist organizing and education. notable works include: Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli (2013) on second-person normative calls. The Grammar of Meaning (2002), a foundational text on linguistic normativity. Defending Moral Particularism (2006), challenging theoretical ethical frameworks.
