Sophie Volpp is a Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on Chinese literature from the 16th to 19th centuries, with particular emphasis on theatricality, material culture, and literary objects. She is the author of *Worldly Stage: Theatricality in Seventeenth-Century China* (2011) and *The Substance of Fiction: Literary Objects in China, 1550-1775* (2022). Her current projects include a book on the National Peiping Library’s preservation efforts during the Sino-Japanese War and an analysis of referents in *The Story of the Stone*. Her scholarly work bridges literary analysis and cultural history, examining themes such as gender, power, and spectacle in late-imperial China. She has translated works by pre-modern women poets and dramatists, contributing to gender-centric scholarship in East Asian studies. Her publications span journal articles and edited volumes, addressing topics like Qing-era theatrical design, material circulation in classical novels, and cross-cultural influences in literary production. Her research has been published in venues such as *Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies* and *Journal of Asian Studies*.
Emily C. Bartels is a Professor of English at Rutgers University specializing in early modern literature and culture, with particular expertise in Shakespearean and non-Shakespearean drama. She has served as director, and is now dean, of the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English since 2010, a summer Master's program designed for K-12 English teachers. Professor Bartels received her BA from Yale University and both her MA and PhD from Harvard University. Her academic background positioned her to become a leading scholar in Renaissance literature studies. Her research examines questions of race, cross-cultural relations, gender, genre, and performance in early modern English drama. Professor Bartels is renowned for her groundbreaking work on Shakespeare's Othello and Christopher Marlowe's plays, analyzing how these texts represent cultural and racial difference. She has significantly contributed to postcolonial approaches to early modern literature, revealing how English drama engaged with global encounters and representations of the 'other' during the Renaissance period. Her scholarship demonstrates how early modern writers both reflected and shaped contemporary attitudes toward difference, particularly regarding race, religion, and national identity. Professor Bartels' publications reveal a consistent scholarly trajectory examining racial and cultural representation in early modern England. Her work spans from detailed analyses of specific plays like Hamlet and Julius Caesar to broader studies of how England conceptualized Africa and non-Christian cultures during the Renaissance. A recurring theme throughout her career is the analysis of how early English drama both reflected and shaped contemporary attitudes toward difference, particularly regarding race, religion, and national identity. Roma Gill Prize for Best Work on Christopher Marlowe (1993-94) for Spectacles of Strangeness: Imperialism, Alienation, and Marlowe Board of Trustees Fellowship for Scholarly Excellence (1993) School of Arts and Sciences Award for Distinguished Contributors to Undergraduate Education (2008 & 1993) Warren I. Susman Award for Excellence in Teaching (2008) Solmsen Fellowship at the Institute of Research in the Humanities, University of Wisconsin (1995) Black Atlantic Project fellowship from the Rutgers Center for Historical Analysis Professor Bartels has demonstrated exceptional commitment to both research and teaching excellence. She has developed innovative courses exploring the intersections of literature, history, and cultural studies, including undergraduate seminars on Othello and Hamlet, and graduate courses on Shakespeare Page and Stage. Her administrative role as dean of the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English demonstrates her commitment to education beyond traditional university settings. Her fellowships from prestigious institutions indicate successful grant acquisition throughout her distinguished career. Professor Bartels has been actively involved with the Shakespeare Association of America and has collaborated with international scholars like Emma Smith of the University of Oxford. Her work has positioned her at the forefront of conversations about early modern literature, race studies, and postcolonial approaches to Renaissance drama, influencing how scholars understand the intersections of literature, race, and cultural identity in the early modern period.
Professor Hendrik Vollmer is a faculty member in the Accounting Group at Warwick Business School , University of Warwick, since 2020. He previously served as Head of the Accounting Division at the University of Leicester (2015–2020) and worked at Bielefeld University in Germany for 16 years. His research bridges accounting, sociology, and environmental studies, focusing on accounting as a social practice and its role in addressing ecological challenges. Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Associate Editor of European Accounting Review Member of editorial boards for Zeitschrift für Soziologie, Accounting, Organizations and Society, and Social and Environmental Accountability Journal Active in sustainability accounting research and education Contributor to interdisciplinary accounting literature Recent publications explore accounting's role in climate change mitigation, public value creation, and the spatialization of worth. His teaching modules include Accounting for Sustainability, People, Planet and Financial Accounting: Theory and Context .
Lynn S. Meskill is a Professor at Toulouse Jean-Jaurès University, affiliated with the Center for Anglophone Studies (CAS). Her academic work bridges literature, history of ideas, and translation, with a strong focus on early modern British culture. She teaches Medieval and Early Modern Literature and Translation. Her research interests include: 16th and 17th Century Theatre Stuart and Caroline Court Masque History of the Book History of Ideas Translation Studies Authorship in Early Modernity Ben Jonson and Shakespearean Drama Her publications reveal a deep engagement with themes of authorship, fame, religious symbolism, and cultural representation in Renaissance literature. She frequently explores the intersections of performance, politics, and print culture, particularly in court masques and tragedies. Her work often combines literary analysis with intellectual and cultural history. Her scholarly contributions include a monograph on Ben Jonson and numerous articles in leading journals such as Huntington Library Quarterly and English Studies . She has also contributed chapters to authoritative handbooks and translated significant works in print culture. She has supervised doctoral research and holds an HDR (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches), qualifying her to direct research in France. While no specific grants are listed, her involvement in structured research axes at CAS suggests active participation in collaborative projects. Lynn S. Meskill is a core member of the Center for Anglophone Studies (CAS), contributing to its seminars, research programs (such as AXIS 1–3), and academic events. The center fosters interdisciplinary research in Anglophone cultures, and she plays a vital role in its scholarly community.
Andreas Kalyvas serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Politics at The New School for Social Research, where he teaches courses on liberalism, oligarchy, and political thought. Previously, he taught at Columbia University and the University of Michigan, and has held visiting positions at institutions across Spain, Chile, Germany, Poland, and South Africa. His academic credentials include: PhD in Political Science, Columbia University (2001) MA in Political Science, Columbia University (1994) BA in Political Science and Public Administration, National and Kapodistrian University, Athens (1990) Professor Kalyvas's research explores democratic theory and political thought from ancient to contemporary contexts, focusing on sovereignty, constituent power, tyranny, and citizenship. His work bridges jurisprudence, history, and politics with particular emphasis on emergency rule, oligarchic power, and migration. He is currently finalizing Tyranny Legalized: Republicanism, Dictatorship, and the Enemy Within , examining the normalization of authoritarian practices within legal frameworks. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a sustained investigation into democratic foundations amid contemporary crises. His scholarship consistently connects historical political concepts to modern challenges, especially regarding constituent power, democratic breakdowns, and the tension between legal norms and political emergencies. This trajectory demonstrates increasing engagement with postcolonial perspectives and global democratic struggles while maintaining deep roots in classical political theory. His scholarly recognition includes: Laurance S. Rockefeller Visiting Fellowship at Princeton University (2009-2010) Polity Prize for best journal article (2006) Leo Strauss Award for doctoral dissertation excellence (2002) Professor Kalyvas actively mentors graduate students through dissertation supervision and independent studies, with research supported by prestigious fellowships like the Rockefeller award. His teaching portfolio reflects his research expertise, featuring courses on liberalism in crisis, oligarchy, and political thought that examine historical and contemporary power structures. While no formal lab structure is mentioned, his international collaborations and edited volumes with scholars like Federico Finchelstein demonstrate extensive scholarly networks across political theory and continental philosophy.
Dr. Fabian Schulz is a Senior Researcher in Ancient History at the University of Tübingen, where he works in the Department of History within the Faculty of Humanities. He leads a prestigious Junior Research Group under the Emmy Noether Programme of the German Research Foundation (DFG), titled 'Power and Influence: Influencing Emperors between Antiquity and the Middle Ages.' His academic profile also includes association with the Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 923 'Threatened Order - Societies under Stress' and active participation in the 'Tübingen Theosophy' research group. Previously, he contributed to the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities project on John Malalas' Chronicle and the University of Tübingen's DFG project 'East and West 400-600 AD.' Dr. Schulz earned his PhD in Classics from Freie Universität Berlin (2006-2010), where he also served as a teaching assistant. During his doctoral studies, he was a Pensionnaire étranger at the École Normale Supérieure Paris. Prior to that, he completed an MA equivalent degree in Classics at Freie Universität Berlin, with time spent as a visiting student at the University of Oxford (1999-2005). His early career included teaching Latin and Greek at a grammar school in Lübeck (2006). His research specializes in power structures and influence mechanisms in ancient societies, with particular focus on how advisors shaped imperial decisions in Late Antiquity. He has made significant contributions to understanding councils of elders in Archaic Greece (especially the Spartan Gerousie), Byzantine chronography (particularly John Malalas' works), and the complex dynamics between Eastern and Western Roman empires during the 5th and 6th centuries. His methodological innovation lies in applying modern sociological models of interpersonal influence to historical analysis of ancient political culture, bridging literary representation with political reality in pre-modern monarchical states. Young researchers award for 'Ratgeber, Experten, Manipulatoren: Einfluss als Machtfaktor und Diskursobjekt in der Antike' As principal investigator of his Emmy Noether project, Dr. Schulz has secured substantial research funding from the German Research Foundation. His collaborative work includes multiple edited volumes on Late Antique history and Byzantine chronography, reflecting his strong international scholarly network. He currently serves as a deputizing member (non-professorial academic staff) on the faculty board of Humanities at the University of Tübingen. His research often intersects with contemporary concerns about power dynamics, political influence, and historical memory, as evidenced by his work on video game representations of ancient history. Dr. Schulz is an active contributor to the online commentary project on John Malalas' chronicle, specifically editing sections of Book XVIII. His work frequently involves detailed textual criticism and analysis of historical sources, with particular attention to how narratives are transmitted and reinterpreted across different cultural contexts. His scholarly approach combines philological precision with broader historical and sociological perspectives.
Professor Jack Barbalet is a distinguished academic at the Australian Catholic University (ACU), affiliated with the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences at the Melbourne campus. His research centers on sociological theory, political and economic sociology, the sociology of emotions, and the sociology of modern China, with a focus on social solidarity, interaction, and institutionalization. His educational background includes an undergraduate degree from Flinders University and a PhD from Adelaide University. He has held academic positions at the University of Papua New Guinea, Australian National University, University of Leicester, and Hong Kong Baptist University before joining ACU. His research emphasizes conceptual refinement and theoretical development, particularly in interpreting Max Weber and analyzing Chinese society through the lens of guanxi, trust, and rural social structures. His recent publications reflect a sustained engagement with foundational sociological texts and their contemporary relevance. The body of his recent work demonstrates strong thematic continuity in examining classical sociological theory, especially Weberian thought, while extending it into non-Western contexts, particularly China. Topics include political violence, cultural imperialism, emotional dynamics in social exchange, and institutional transformation. Member, Editorial Board, Sociology (from 2022) Member, Editorial Board, Sociological Theory (from 2021) Member, Editorial Board, Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour (from 2020) Member, Advisory Board, Emotions and Society (from 2019) As a Full HDR Supervisor, Professor Barbalet mentors higher degree research students, though no specific students are listed in the provided text. While no grants are explicitly mentioned, his sustained publication record and editorial roles indicate active research funding and academic leadership. His work continues to influence theoretical and comparative sociology globally. Professor Barbalet is actively involved in academic service through editorial and advisory roles across major sociology journals, reflecting his leadership in sociological theory and the sociology of emotions. He contributes to shaping scholarly discourse in core areas of the discipline.
Mark Berry is a Professor of Music & Intellectual History at Royal Holloway, University of London. He holds a BA, MPhil, and PhD from the University of Cambridge, and was a Fellow of Peterhouse (2001–2009). His research bridges Music, History, and Philosophy, with focuses on Wagner, Schoenberg, Mozart, and Modernism. He has authored influential books like Treacherous Bonds and Laughing Fire and Arnold Schoenberg , receiving the Prince Consort Prize and Seeley Medal. Education: Bachelor of Arts (History), University of Cambridge MPhil and PhD (Music/History), University of Cambridge Dr. Berry’s research integrates interdisciplinary approaches, exploring topics such as German idealism, Marxism, and the intersection of music with politics, theology, and art. His work includes studies on 18th- and 20th-century composers, opera, and modernist music drama. Recent projects involve a two-volume analysis of Mozart’s operas within Enlightenment contexts. Awards: Prince Consort Prize Seeley Medal Advising & Grants: Supervised doctoral topics ranging from Berlioz’s aesthetics to social media marketing in music. Recipient of a British Academy grant for Arnold Schoenberg and Intellectual Biography (2017). Labs/Teams: Maintains the blog Boulezian , contributes to The Wagner Journal , and collaborates on editorial projects like Cambridge Companion to Wagner’s Ring .
Steven Kelts is a Lecturer at Princeton University, affiliated with the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) and the Department of Computer Science . He leads the Integrated Ethics in CS program and has served as Director of the non-profit All Tech Is Human. Research Focus: Kelts examines ethical frameworks in technology innovation, historical political economies, and the intersection of democratic theory with corporate responsibility. His work spans Measuring ethics education in computing Evolving corporate structures for ethical action Locke's economic justice theories Machiavelli's republican ideals Madison's institutional designs Publications reveal trends in: Utilitarian logic in Agile teams Roman censorship models 17th-century English economic debates Mill's social value legislation Scientific Recognition: Recipient of Princeton's Council on Science and Technology grants for Agile Ethics program Google seed grant for corporate ethics frameworks University-wide award for GradFutures AI ethics leadership Advisory Roles: Includes ethics advisor to the Responsible A.I. Institute and institutional design mentor for political theory projects.
Anne-Lise François is an Associate Professor in the Departments of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. She earned her PhD in Comparative Literature from Princeton University. Her work bridges 18th- and 19th-century British literature with contemporary environmental humanities, focusing on themes of ecological ethics, literary minimalism, and non-productive temporalities. Current research explores pastoral worldliness and commons-based economies in Romantic and modernist texts. Key scholarly contributions include her prize-winning book *Open Secrets: The Literature of Uncounted Experience* (2007), which examines 'affirmative reticence' in works by Jane Austen, Mme de Lafayette, and Emily Dickinson. Her recent projects address climate crisis narratives, food politics, and the intersection of aesthetic theory with ecological urgency. Teaching emphasizes transhistorical literary studies and environmental criticism Active in interdisciplinary collaborations across literature, philosophy, and environmental science Current book project: *Provident Improvisers: Parables of Subsistence from Wordsworth to Benjamin* Her writing synthesizes close textual analysis with broader socio-ecological frameworks, challenging Enlightenment models of productivity and advocating for 'recessive fulfillment' in both art and life.
Mohammad Fazlhashemi is a Professor of Islamic Theology and Philosophy at Uppsala University's Department of Theology (Systematic Theology). His work bridges Islamic intellectual traditions with contemporary issues like democracy, environmental ethics, and interreligious dialogue. Current affiliations: Uppsala University, Faculty of Theology Key research areas: Islamic political philosophy, ecotheology, gender in Islam, and theological responses to modernity Email: mohammad.fazlhashemi@teol.uu.se Recent publications highlight trends in Islamic ecoethics (e.g., Islamic Ecotheology , 2025), critical analysis of classical texts (e.g., Critical-constructive interpretation of Islamic documents , 2024), and political theology (e.g., Justifying political decisions through theological arguments , 2016). His scholarship often engages comparative frameworks, as seen in works like Occidentalism (2005) and Shiʿite Salafism? (2022). Mohammad Fazlhashemi's impact spans both academic and public discourse, with contributions to debates on Islam and modernity in outlets like Expressen and Svenska Dagbladet . His co-authored book Visdomens hus: Muslimska idévärldar 600 - 2000 (2017) demonstrates his interest in Islamic intellectual history across eras.
Prof. Dr. Christian Volk is a Professor of Political Theory at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin's Department of Social Sciences since 2020. Previously, he led the 'Politics and Law' research area at Freie Universität Berlin (2016–2020). His research focuses on democratic theory, legal and constitutional frameworks, and civil disobedience in modern democracies. He leads an ERC-funded project ('Protest and Order') exploring protest dynamics in Western democracies. Education: RWTH Aachen University (Political Science/Economics/Economic History), with a doctorate (2010) on Hannah Arendt's legal theory. Postdoctoral roles included managing DFG-funded projects on sovereignty concepts and coordinating research on international dissidence. Research Interests: Political Theory & Philosophy Democratic/Social Theory Legal/Constitutional Theory Civil Disobedience & Protest Movements Transnational Governance His work bridges classical thinkers like Arendt with contemporary issues like postcolonial critique and global order challenges. Publications Highlight: Over 30 peer-reviewed articles and monographs, including Arendtian Constitutionalism (2015) and Die Ordnung der Freiheit (2010). Recent work examines protest's democratic gestus and transnational civil society partnerships. Awards: Summa Cum Laude PhD (2010), 2013 'Outstanding Work' award for thesis. Active in academic leadership roles, including editorial boards for Democratic Theory and Zeitschrift für Politische Philosophie . Teaching: Offers courses on political terminology, Hannah Arendt's thought, and migration/postcolonial theory. Supervises doctoral candidates and maintains a public blog analyzing protest movements.
Ato Quayson is the Jean G. and Morris M. Doyle Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Professor of English and African and African American Studies at Stanford University, where he also chairs the Department of African and African American Studies. He previously held professorships at New York University (2017–2019) and the University of Toronto (2005–2017), where he was inaugural director of the Centre for Diaspora and Transnational Studies and became a University Professor (2016), the university's highest honor. His academic journey includes a B.A. (First Class Honors) in English and Arabic from the University of Ghana (1989) and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Cambridge (1995). He held a Junior Research Fellowship at Wolfson College, Oxford, and was a Reader in Commonwealth and Postcolonial Literature at Cambridge (1995–2005), concurrently directing the Centre for African Studies and serving as Pembroke College Fellow. Quayson’s research explores postcolonial literature, urban studies, disability studies, and cultural theory. His work bridges global and local contexts, with notable publications such as Oxford Street, Accra (Urban History Association Prize) and Tragedy and Postcolonial Literature (Warren-Brooks Prize). He co-edits the Cambridge History of Postcolonial Literature and chairs initiatives like Contours: The Cambridge Literary Studies Hour . His accolades include fellowships from the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (2006), the Royal Society of Canada (2013), the British Academy (2019), and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2023). He has also served as President of the African Studies Association (2019–2020). Quayson curates the YouTube channel Critic.Reading.Writing , discussing literature and urban studies, and teaches courses on global Black diaspora studies and Toni Morrison’s work. His current projects include Accra Chic: A Locational History of Fashion and studies on exile in African literature.
Lady Rojas Benavente is an Associate Professor in the Department of Classics, Modern Languages and Linguistics at Concordia University, where she has been teaching since her appointment as Assistant Professor in 1996, with promotion to Associate Professor in May 2003. Prior to joining Concordia, she served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa and as a lecturer at the Faculty of Education at The University of Western Ontario, where she taught second language methodology, French and Spanish. Dr. Rojas Benavente received her PhD in Hispanic Literature from the University Laval in 1991, following an MA in Spanish Literatures (Cum Laude, 1985) and BA in History and Spanish (1983), both from the University of Ottawa. She also holds a Diploma qualifying as a Secondary School teacher specializing in Spanish Language and Literature, Psychology and Philosophy from the National Pedagogic University of Women in Lima, Peru (Cum Laude, 1968). Her research focuses on Critical Feminism in Peruvian & Latin-American Women Writers, with special emphasis on contemporary Peruvian and Mexican narrative, drama, poetry and essay. Her work encompasses Cultural Studies and Literary and Critical Theories, Latin American History, Post-colonialism, Human Rights, Women Studies, Feminist Theories, Gender Issues, Latin America Black History, Indigenous and Minorities Studies, and Comparative Studies in Education. She has published nine books (two poetry collections and seven critical interpretations) and over 50 refereed papers in Latin American Women's literary work, particularly focusing on Peruvian and Mexican authors. Dr. Rojas Benavente's scholarly output demonstrates consistent engagement with themes of gender, ethnicity, and power structures in Latin American literature. Her recent publications explore the works of contemporary Peruvian women writers, examining how they address issues of violence, racism, and gender in post-independence national contexts. Her research trajectory reveals a deepening focus on decolonial perspectives, indigenous resistance, and the intersection of gender with other social categories. Hispanic Literary and Cultural Institute's Honor Diploma (2010) Publication Award from the University of New Brunswick for the Anthology, Constructing Memory: Latino-Canadian Women Writers in the New Millennium Recognition by Mouvement Desjardins in celebration of International Women's Day (2008) As president of the Society for Literary Criticism of Spanish American Women Writers' work (CCLEH), Dr. Rojas Benavente has facilitated connections between Concordia colleagues, local artists, international writers, and the Latino-Montreal community. She serves on the editorial boards of Alba de America, a literary magazine from the United States, and Voces, a Peruvian cultural magazine. Her leadership extends to organizing numerous conferences on Latin American women writers across Canada, Latin America, and Montreal, including multiple meetings of Hispano-Canadian Women Writers and events commemorating significant figures in Latin American literature.
Dr. Kenneth Pearce is a Professor of Philosophy and Academic Unit Head at the Department of Philosophy & Religion, James Madison University (since 2022). He previously served as Head of the Philosophy Department at Trinity College Dublin (2020–2022) and held roles including Ussher Assistant Professor in Berkeley Studies (2016–2020). His research focuses on early modern philosophy, particularly George Berkeley, and philosophy of religion, exploring metaphysical questions about divine power, free will, and religious epistemology. He has published extensively, including books like *Is There a God? A Debate* (2022) and *Language and the Structure of Berkeley's World* (2017). His work bridges historical and contemporary philosophy, addressing themes like grounding theory, divine attributes, and early modern critiques of materialism. Awards include the Sanders Prize (2016) and a Royal Institute of Philosophy Grant (2018). He teaches courses on early modern philosophy, philosophy of religion, and metaphysics, and actively advises graduate students. His media engagements include podcasts and radio discussions on religious debates and philosophical topics. Education: B.A./B.A.S., University of Pennsylvania (2007) Ph.D., University of Southern California (2014) Research Interests: Early modern philosophy (Berkeley, Locke, Arnauld) Philosophy of religion (omnipotence, divine freedom) Metaphysics (grounding, free will) Grants & Service: Directed MPhil in Philosophy programs at Trinity College Dublin Organized conferences like *Irish Philosophy in the Age of Berkeley* (2019) Editorial roles at *PhilPapers* and *The Prosblogion* blog Labs/Teams: Engages in digital humanities projects, including exhibits on Berkeley's manuscripts.
