Crystal S. Rudds is an Assistant Professor of African American literature and culture in the Department of English at the University of Utah, specializing in twentieth-century American and African American fiction, urban life narratives, Black Feminisms, and black geography/ecology. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2016) and MFA in Creative Writing from Indiana University-Bloomington (2004). Her research explores intersections between literary analysis and community engagement, focusing on urban spatiality, public housing representation, and black interiority. She has published works analyzing Frank London Brown and Jasmon Drain's housing narratives, digital archiving practices, and pedagogical identity evolution. Key grant activities include: Gathering, Sewing, Giving: Chronopolitics and Black Women's Quilting (TRIC/Mellon Foundation, 2023) Utah Presidential Leadership Fellowship (2023) Recognitions: David D. Anderson Award for Midwestern Literary Studies (2023) Mary Blinn Poetry Prize (2022) University of Utah Fellowships (2022) Teaching activities feature: Experiential learning with archival documents Historic site visits Performance-based literary analysis Community-focused pedagogy
Jan Alber is a Professor of Modern English and American Literature at the Department of English and American Literature and Culture, Justus Liebig University Giessen . He previously held positions at RWTH Aachen, Aarhus University, TU Darmstadt, and the University of Freiburg. His work bridges narrative theory, cognitive studies, and postcolonial literature, with a focus on unnatural narratives and empirical approaches to literary analysis. Fields of Interest: Unnatural Narratology, Cognitive Literary Studies, Climate Fiction, Postcolonial Literature Key Themes: Storyworlds, Ideology, Empirical Methods, Narrative Beginnings Alber's recent publications explore narrative theory's intersections with cognition and ideology, including analyses of digital post-postmodernist novels and climate change narratives. His empirical studies examine how readers process experimental narratives, particularly unnatural narrators and metaleptic structures. He has received prestigious awards such as the Habilitation Prize from the German Association of Anglists (2013) and the FRIAS junior group competition (2008). His research is funded by the AHRC, DFG, and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, notably supporting interdisciplinary work on post-truth political narratives and Ukrainian scholars. Alber co-founded the Aachen Center for Cognitive and Empirical Literary Studies and serves as President of the International Society for the Study of Narrative. He organizes international workshops on cognitive narratology and teaches courses spanning literary history, theory, and postmodern fiction.
Bunty Avieson is a Senior Lecturer in Journalism and Media at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She holds a PhD and MPhil from Macquarie University, specializing in media theory and literary analysis. Her research focuses on Bhutanese media development, Wikipedia's societal impact, and the intersection of journalism with literary practices. PhD Thesis: Media development in Bhutan during its democratic transition MPhil: 'The Poetics of Paranoia' exploring self-construction through Derrida and Nagarjuna Research Interests: Her work spans media policy in Bhutan, Wikipedia's role in knowledge equity, and the ethics of memoir writing. She has published extensively on Bhutan's media evolution and co-edited volumes on memory mediation and trauma narratives. Articles Trends: Recent work examines lifestyle journalism identity, Wikipedia's pandemic-era contributions, and Bhutan's unique digital media strategies. Earlier research explored Bhutan's transition from oral traditions to social media under Gross National Happiness principles. Awards: Vice-Chancellor's PhD Commendation (2013), Ned Kelly Awards for crime fiction (2001-2003) Grants & Projects: Principal Investigator in the Bhutan-Wiki Project (DECRA-funded), co-developed the Australian Colonial Narrative Journalism Database. Received grants for Tamil diaspora storytelling and Bhutan media studies. Professional Roles: Wikimedia Australia Vice President, member of journalism education associations, and former editor of Woman's Day.
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Conrad holds the Chair of Modern History at Freie Universität Berlin , specializing in Global History , (Post-)colonial History , and Intellectual History . He joined the faculty in 2010 after teaching at European University Institute in Florence and serving as visiting scholar at institutions including NYU Abu Dhabi and The New School, New York. Director of MA "Global History" (FU Berlin/Humboldt University joint program) Director of Graduate School "Global Intellectual History" Principal Investigator, Cluster of Excellence "Temporal Communities" (2024) Research Interests focus on transnational historical frameworks , globalization of historical narratives , and postcolonial historiography . His latest book Die Königin: Nofretetes globale Karriere (2024) analyzes cultural globalization through Nefertiti's iconography, while his current project explores global history of bodily aesthetics and identity formation since the 19th century. Recent Publications include: 2022: "Empire and Nationalism" (American Historical Review) 2021: "Globalizing the Beautiful Body" (Journal of World History) 2020: "Greek in Their Own Way" (American Historical Review) Scientific Honors : Elected member, Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (2024) Elected member, Academia Europaea (2024) Finalist, German/NDR non-fiction book awards (2024) for Nefertiti study Academic Leadership includes editorial roles at Geschichte und Gesellschaft , Past & Present , and Globalgeschichte book series (Campus Verlag). His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary debates on memory, identity, and global cultural dynamics.
José Eduardo Villalobos Graillet is an Assistant Professor of Spanish at Idaho State University , specializing in Modern Peninsular Literature and Culture with a focus on visual culture (film and television) . He previously held a position as Spanish Instructor at Wilfrid Laurier University in the Department of Languages and Literatures. Research Areas : Spanish Film Studies, Spanish Medieval Literature, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language, Visual Culture, and Critical Pedagogy. His scholarly work examines film and television adaptations of 'La Celestina' , analyzing censorship dynamics across Francoist Spain, the Democratic Transition, and contemporary Spain. He also contributes to Spanish pedagogy , developing technological tools like Lang-8 for written expression and culturally immersive teaching units on topics such as winter festivals and Caribbean music. His publications span both critical academic analysis and methodological innovations for language instruction. Key Themes in Publications : Adaptation fidelity, political censorship, intercultural pedagogy, and the role of digital platforms in language learning.
Justin Russell Greene serves as an Advanced Instructor in the Department of English within Virginia Tech's College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. With over 15 years of teaching experience across multiple institutions, he currently teaches courses in film, literature, and writing at Virginia Tech, where he has been employed since 2019. His academic journey spans various teaching positions at Virginia Tech, Hampden-Sydney College, Virginia Commonwealth University, and several community colleges. Greene earned his BA, MA, and PhD in English and Media, Art, and Text from Virginia Commonwealth University. His educational background reflects his interdisciplinary approach that bridges traditional literary studies with contemporary media and cultural analysis. He has also completed professional development certifications in Anti-Racist Teaching and Foundations of Online Teaching at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on the intersections of cinema, media, and cultural studies, with particular attention to authorship, celebrity, and gender performance. Greene examines how authors and celebrities construct their identities across various media platforms, exploring topics ranging from Quentin Tarantino's cinematic masculinity to Roxane Gay's digital presence. His work often analyzes the performative aspects of identity in contemporary culture, particularly through fashion, social media, and visual storytelling. Greene's scholarly output demonstrates a consistent focus on authorial identity construction across media platforms. His publications reveal a trajectory from examining literary authors' fashion choices to analyzing digital performances of identity on social media, and more recently to cinematic studies of directors like Quentin Tarantino and Jordan Peele. The evolution of his work reflects broader cultural shifts toward digital and visual media while maintaining a consistent theoretical framework centered on performance and identity construction. Joyce Gentry Smoot Award (2025) for Excellence in Teaching by an Instructor As an educator, Greene has served as a reader on graduate student capstones and has been actively involved in curriculum development and pedagogical innovation. He has participated in numerous professional development activities focused on writing instruction, anti-racist pedagogy, and the integration of AI in teaching. His teaching philosophy emphasizes building student confidence in writing abilities, recognizing diverse student backgrounds, and providing individualized feedback to help students develop their unique voices. Greene is currently working on projects examining Jordan Peele's Nope (2022) regarding point-of-view and gore, as well as speculative adaptations in contemporary US media. His research interests continue to evolve with cultural trends while maintaining his core focus on performance, identity, and media representation.
Alison Landsberg is a Professor at George Mason University, affiliated with the Department of History and Art History and the Cultural Studies PhD program. Her research focuses on the politics of memory, affective engagements with the past, visual culture, and the intersections of race, aesthetics, and history. A leading scholar in memory studies, she explores how mass media and popular culture shape historical consciousness and political subjectivity. Her seminal works include *Prosthetic Memory* (2004) and *Engaging the Past* (2015), which analyze how mediated experiences of history foster empathy and progressive politics. Landsberg’s interdisciplinary work bridges film studies, cultural theory, and historiography. She examines how audiovisual media—from films to immersive digital exhibits—produce alternative historical narratives that challenge traditional academic historiography. Her current project, *Impossible Histories*, critiques conventional ‘historicism’ and explores counterhegemonic modes of historical representation. Her teaching spans courses on historical cinema, visual culture, and the politics of memory. She has advised over 20 doctoral students, many of whom explore topics like public history, digital memory, and cultural activism. Landsberg is a frequent keynote speaker at international conferences and has contributed to NPR’s *On the Media* and *The American Scholar* on topics ranging from racial representation to post-postracial America. Landsberg’s research emphasizes the urgency of rethinking historical engagement in an era of fragmented media and contested identities. Her work underscores the ethical and political stakes of how societies remember—and forget—the past.
Ann Heilmann is Professor of English Literature at Cardiff University, serving as Director of Research and REF coordinator for the School of English, Communication and Philosophy. Research spans Victorian to contemporary literature with focus areas in women's writing, gender/sexuality studies, and neo-Victorianism. Current work examines in/authenticity in neo-Victorian cultural productions and intersections between transgender studies and life-writing. Publications analyze feminist engagements with history, New Woman fiction, and contemporary reimaginings of Victorian cultural paradigms. Recent scholarship explores comic strategies in suffrage narratives, gender representations in life-writing, and neo-Victorian adaptations of historical figures. Heilmann has supervised 16 PhD students to completion and serves as general editor for Routledge's Gender and Genre and History of Feminism book series. Editorial board membership includes journals such as Memory Studies and Neo-Victorian Studies. Significant service includes Deputy Chair roles for REF2021 English sub-panel and co-chair for REF2029 History pilot panel, shaping national research assessment frameworks.
Laura Maria Lojo Rodriguez is a Professor in the Department of English and German Philology at the University of Santiago de Compostela , specializing in British literature and modernist/postmodernist fiction. She leads the Discourse and Identity research group (GI DI-1924), focusing on English language, literature, and culture through interdisciplinary frameworks. Her work intersects with the Humanities Research Institute (iHUS) . Her research spans: Gender and identity in Woolfian studies Migration narratives in contemporary short fiction Postcolonial themes in British-Irish literature Ecocritical and posthuman anxieties in Johnson's works Recent publications examine border politics, maternal discourses, and cross-cultural literary bonds. She has also contributed to translation studies, particularly Woolf's Spanish reception. Her academic output bridges literary theory with socio-political analysis.
Hiromi Tsuchiya Dollase is an Associate Professor of Chinese and Japanese at Vassar College since 2003. Her research focuses on Japanese women’s literature, girls’ magazine culture, and manga, with a particular interest in integrating popular media into language education. She teaches courses such as 'Japanese Popular Culture and Literature' and 'The Gothic and the Supernatural in Japanese Literature.' Dr. Dollase holds a PhD in comparative literature (Japanese and American) from Purdue University (2003), an MA from Illinois State University, and a BA/MA from Baika Women’s College. She authored *Age of Shojo: The Emergence, Evolution and Power of Japanese Girls’ Magazine Fiction* (2019) and has contributed to numerous edited volumes and refereed journals. Her work spans topics like child abuse depictions in manga, sex education in historical fiction, and queer reinterpretations of classic narratives. She co-edited *Women’s Voices in Manga* (2024) and *Manga!: Visual Pop-Culture in ARTS Education* (2020). Her research bridges literary analysis with cultural studies, emphasizing the intersection of gender, media, and education. Dr. Dollase has been featured in media discussions about Japanese literary icons like Nobuko Yoshiya. She actively contributes to interdisciplinary programs in Asian Studies, Media Studies, and Women’s, Feminist, and Queer Studies at Vassar.
Stephen Cushman is the Robert C. Taylor Professor at the University of Virginia, specializing in American literature and poetry. His interdisciplinary work bridges Civil War studies, 19th-century poetry, and environmental literature. He earned his Ph.D. (1982), M.Phil. (1981), and M.A. (1980) from Yale University, and a B.A. from Cornell University (1978). His research explores how literary forms shape historical understanding, particularly through works like *The Generals' Civil War* (2021) and *Belligerent Muse* (2014). He has edited major volumes such as *The Princeton Handbook of Poetic Terms* (2016) and *Civil War Writing* (2019). His poetry collections include *Keep the Feast* (2022) and *Hothead* (2018), blending personal reflection with historical inquiry. Cushman has received prestigious awards including the Cavaliers' Distinguished Teaching Professorship (2014–2016) and the All-University Teaching Award (1992). His writing often intersects with Virginia’s literary landscape, as seen in *After Great Pain, Dickinson in Charlottesville* (2018). He actively engages with environmental themes in works like *Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, and U.S. Environmentalism* (2017). His articles critically analyze figures like Lincoln, Sherman, and Thoreau, while exploring modernist engagements with biblical texts and Civil War memory. He serves as a leading voice in American literary history, emphasizing the interplay between form, content, and cultural context.
Dr. Julia Costa López is an Assistant Professor (tenured) in History and Theory of International Relations at the Department of International Relations and International Organisation, Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen. Her work bridges international relations, history, and political thought, focusing on how historical frameworks shape modern disciplinary concepts. PhD from University of Oxford Lecturer at St Hilda's College Fulbright scholar at University of Denver's Josef Korbel School Graduate studies at University of Cambridge Research spans medieval political authority, sovereignty emergence, racialized medievalisms in extremism, and translation politics in global scholarship. Key projects include Routledge Handbook of Historical International Relations (2021) and the Oxford Handbook of History and International Relations (2023). Publications address Eurocentrism, conspiratorial ideology, and ritual's role in authority production. Scientific contributions appear in Cambridge Review of International Affairs , International Organization , and European Journal of International Law . Awards include the Fulbright scholarship. Recent work explores terraqueous relations and premodern world conceptualizations, challenging simplistic land-sea dichotomies in IR.
Geraldine Heng is the Mildred Hajek Vacek and John Roman Vacek Chair in English at the University of Texas at Austin, where she is cross-appointed to Middle Eastern Studies, Women's Studies, Jewish Studies, and the Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Social Justice. Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2023 and a Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America, she founded and directs the Global Middle Ages Project (G-MAP), a major interdisciplinary initiative promoting global perspectives on premodernity. With a Ph.D. from Cornell University, Heng has pioneered the field of premodern critical race studies, fundamentally challenging the assumption that race is a modern construct. Her research focuses on literary, cultural, and social encounters between worlds, particularly through the lenses of race, gender, sexuality, class, and religion, with special attention to medieval Europe's interactions with Asia and Africa. Heng's scholarly work reveals how medieval global connections shaped cultural production and identity formation long before the so-called 'Age of Exploration.' Her approach synthesizes literary analysis, historical research, and critical theory to uncover the deep roots of globalization and its implications for understanding contemporary identity politics and cultural exchange. Her publications demonstrate a consistent trajectory toward increasingly global frameworks, moving from studies of medieval romance to comprehensive examinations of early global interconnectedness. This evolution reflects her commitment to dismantling Eurocentric narratives of the medieval world and revealing the complex networks of exchange that characterized premodern societies across Afro-Eurasia. 2019 PROSE prize in Global History 2019 Academy of American Literature prize in Historical Studies 2019 Robert W. Hamilton Grand Prize 2020 Otto Gründler prize Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2023) Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America Heng has secured approximately $750,000 in grants for digital projects and held eight major fellowships at research centers. She co-edits the Cambridge University Press Elements series in the Global Middle Ages and the University of Pennsylvania Press series RaceB4Race: Critical Studies of the Premodern. Her teaching encompasses courses on early global literatures, premodern race, Crusades literature, Arthurian traditions, and feminist theory. As founder and director of the Global Middle Ages Project (G-MAP), Heng has built an international scholarly network that challenges traditional disciplinary boundaries and promotes collaborative approaches to studying premodern global connections. The project has fostered numerous digital initiatives, publications, and conferences that have significantly reshaped how scholars understand medieval intercultural exchange.
Dr. Omotoyosi Odukomaiya serves as Assistant Professor of English at Hope College, where she commenced her teaching career in Fall 2023. Her role encompasses instructing courses in American ethnic literature, Black science fiction, and women's literature while advising the English Club to cultivate critical literary engagement. Her academic credentials include: Ph.D. in English Literature, Southern Illinois University (2023) MBA, Webster University (2016) M.Sc. in Marketing Communication, University of Birmingham, UK (2010) B.A. in English Language and Literature, Redeemer’s University, Nigeria (2005) Dr. Odukomaiya's research centers on Black science fiction and women's literature , critically examining intersections of race, gender, and technology. Her work investigates how marginalized voices challenge dominant narratives through decolonial futurism , historical trauma analysis, and diasporic identity construction. She emphasizes the transformative potential of speculative fiction in envisioning liberated futures for Black communities globally. Her scholarship consistently explores Africanfuturism and feminist science fiction through analyses of authors like Nnedi Okorafor, Tade Thompson, and Octavia Butler. Recurring themes include diaspora identity negotiation, historical reclamation, and gendered resistance within speculative frameworks, bridging literary criticism with critical race and gender theory. Scientific Awards: None documented in source materials As faculty advisor for Hope College's English Club, Dr. Odukomaiya mentors students in literary exploration and critical discourse. She develops curricula that interrogate cultural representations and center diverse literary traditions, prioritizing inclusive pedagogy that examines identity, power structures, and narrative sovereignty across historical and contemporary contexts.
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.
