Elizabeth Blake is an Associate Professor of Russian and Division Coordinator in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Saint Louis University's College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on 19th-century Russian literature, particularly Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, with emphases on empire studies, exile cultures, and religious dialogues between Russian Orthodoxy and Polish/French Catholicism. She has published two major books: *Dostoevsky and the Catholic Underground* (2014) and *Travels from Dostoevsky’s Siberia* (2019). Her work bridges literary analysis with historical context, examining themes like human rights, cultural mobility, and gender roles. Blake teaches courses ranging from language proficiency to advanced topics in Russian literature and cinema, including *Russian and Soviet Cinema* and *Dostoevsky Through the Centuries*. She has received numerous grants including Mellon and Fulbright-Hays awards for research in Russia and Poland. Her academic career includes extensive reviews for journals like *Slavic Review* and *Canadian Slavonic Papers*, alongside professional involvement with organizations such as the North American Dostoevsky Society. Blake’s teaching excellence is recognized through awards like the Spirit of the Billiken Award (2016), reflecting her impact on both scholarship and student mentorship.
Kyung-Ho Cha serves as Junior Professor of Modern German Literature at the University of Bayreuth's Faculty of Languages & Literature within the Department of New German Literature. His academic journey includes studies at Bonn, Oxford, and Columbia University, followed by doctoral work at Technical University Berlin completed in 2010. His research centers on three interconnected domains: literature-science intersections with focus on evolutionary biology and Walter Benjamin's writings; literary representations of migration; and human rights discourse in contemporary literature. This tripartite framework informs his critical analysis of authors like Elfriede Jelinek and Fatih Akin. Cha's publications reveal consistent engagement with transnational themes, particularly examining German-Turkish cultural dynamics, refugee narratives, and ethical dimensions of literary representation. His work demonstrates methodological rigor in bridging literary analysis with philosophical and scientific discourse. German National Merit Foundation Fellowship DAAD Fellowship ICI Berlin Institute Fellowship DFG Fellowship Volkswagen-Foundation Support Harvard Mahindra Humanities Center Fellowship (2011-2012) Cha has directed significant research projects including the DFG-funded 'Seelenwanderung und literarische Kommunikation' at Freie Universität Berlin and contributed to the DFG Graduiertenkolleg 'Körper-Inszenierungen'. His editorial work on human rights literature demonstrates leadership in establishing interdisciplinary scholarly dialogues. Current research continues to explore migration narratives within the 'Future Migration' initiative at Bayreuth.
William Brown is an Associate Professor of Film in the Department of Theatre & Film within the Faculty of Arts at the University of British Columbia. He earned his D.Phil. from the University of Oxford and joined UBC in January 2022 after teaching positions at the University of Roehampton, University of St Andrews, University of Oxford, and New York University Abu Dhabi. At UBC, he serves as Graduate Advisor for Cinema and Media Studies. His research spans multiple intersecting fields including film-philosophy, digital media, posthumanism, and critical race theory. Brown approaches cinema through both theoretical scholarship and practical filmmaking, creating works that blend fiction, documentary, and video essays. His academic contributions include numerous books that have shaped contemporary film theory, particularly exploring the relationship between cinema and philosophical concepts in the digital age. Brown's publications reveal a consistent trajectory toward understanding cinema's relationship with ecological thought, nonhuman perspectives, and decolonial approaches. His recent work focuses on navigating from the 'White Anthropocene' to the 'Black Chthulucene,' examining how cinema can represent and intervene in ecological crises while challenging dominant Western perspectives. Nominated for Best Monograph by British Association of Film and Television Studies Society (2018) Book Reviews Editor for Studies in European Cinema and Film-Philosophy Conference Report Editor for Cinema: Journal of Philosophy and the Moving Image Brown has supervised five PhD dissertations to completion, four of which successfully combined practice and theory. His teaching encompasses both film production and film history/theory. As an active filmmaker, he has created approximately 15 no-budget feature films that have received recognition from prestigious critics and festivals including Sight & Sound Films of the Year and American Online Film Awards. He is a frequent keynote speaker at international conferences and has presented at venues including the British Film Institute's Philosophical Screens series.
Pheng Cheah serves as Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in interdisciplinary research bridging philosophy, literature, and political theory with global implications. His academic credentials include: PhD from Cornell University LLB from University of Sydney His research spans continental philosophy from Kant to Derrida, postcolonial theory, world literature, and globalization studies, with concentrated focus on human rights frameworks, cosmopolitan/national tensions, feminist perspectives, and contemporary Chinese cinema. His methodology integrates literary analysis with political philosophy to examine power dynamics in transnational contexts, particularly across postcolonial Asia where he conducts fieldwork with filmmakers. Publication analysis reveals an evolving trajectory from foundational cosmopolitan/national theory toward biopolitical human rights frameworks and cinematic representations of globalization. His work consistently centers non-Western perspectives—especially Chinese, Southeast Asian, and global South contexts—challenging Eurocentric paradigms through comparative analysis of cultural production and political transformation. No scientific awards are documented in available sources. Professor Cheah mentors graduate students in critical theory and postcolonial studies, guiding research on literature's political dimensions. His scholarly activities are supported by standard academic funding mechanisms enabling extensive archival work and international collaborations, particularly with Asian film communities. He maintains active participation in global studies consortia and postcolonial research networks, frequently collaborating with filmmakers and scholars across the three Chinas through interview-based methodologies.
Akanksha Mehta is a Lecturer in Gender, Race and Cultural Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London , where she co-directs the Centre for Feminist Research. She joined Goldsmiths in September 2018 after lecturing at the School of Global Studies, University of Sussex (2016-2018). Research Focus: Intersections of gender, sexuality, race, and everyday politics/violence; affective and material structures in nationalist movements; decolonial pedagogies. Key Projects: Co-founded the 'Mind the BAME Gap' initiative at Sussex; ongoing book project on right-wing women's mobilizations. Recognition: Recipient of the EISA Best Dissertation Award (2018) and Rachel Tanur Memorial Prize (2016). Publication Trends: Her work spans feminist critiques of Hindutva, queer rights in post-377 India, ethnographic analyses of right-wing women, and decolonial pedagogical frameworks. Recent outputs engage with racial justice in universities, affect theory, and visual sociology. Scientific Awards: Best Dissertation Award, EISA (2018) Rachel Tanur Memorial Prize, ISA (2016) Collaborative Work: Engages with decolonial visual practices, collective complaint mechanisms in academia, and intergenerational feminist dialogues through the podcast 'The F Less Travelled'.
Arthur Weststeijn is an Assistant Professor in Political History at Utrecht University, specializing in the history of the Dutch Republic and its colonial empire, the history and contemporary politics of Italy, and the history of Spain and Latin America. He is affiliated with the Department of History and Art History within the Humanities faculty and is part of the Research Institute for History and Art History, focusing on International and Political History. Dr. Weststeijn's educational background includes: PhD in History, European University Institute, Florence (2010) RMA in History, European University Institute, Florence (2006) MA in Philosophy, University of Amsterdam (2005) MA in History, University of Amsterdam (2004) Erasmus Exchange, Universidad de Sevilla (2000-2001) His research focuses on the intellectual history of power, particularly examining ideas that express and contest political authority through two main themes: colonialism (how ideas have shaped European colonialism and resistance against it) and republicanism (how resistance to autocratic rule has given rise to ideas of liberty, citizenship, and democracy). His work spans early-modern Dutch colonialism, anticolonial thought, the history of democracy, and connections between ancient and modern forms of settler colonialism. He has published extensively on early modern republicanism, the political uses of classical heritage, and the making of modern Italy. Weststeijn's scholarly output demonstrates a consistent focus on the intersections between political thought, colonial history, and republican theory. His work often examines how historical ideas continue to shape contemporary political discourse, particularly regarding democracy, citizenship, and colonial legacies. He frequently engages with both European and transatlantic intellectual traditions, showing particular expertise in Dutch and Italian political thought. His notable awards and fellowships include: Fellow, Huntington Library, San Marino, California (Summer 2022) Fellow, John Carter Brown Library, Providence, Rhode Island (Spring 2019) Director of Historical Studies, Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome (2011-2017) Dr. Weststeijn has served as a visiting researcher at prestigious institutions including the Cambridge Centre for Political Thought, University of Southern California, University of Wisconsin at Madison, and University of Padua. He frequently appears as an expert commentator on Italian culture and politics in Dutch media and maintains an active public intellectual presence. He is involved in multiple research initiatives including the IOS research themes on Contesting Governance, Futures of Democracy, and Longtermism and Institutional Change. His work often involves interdisciplinary collaboration with archaeologists, classicists, and scholars from various humanities disciplines.
Chia-rong Wu serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Global, Cultural and Language Studies at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, holding this position since June 2019. His academic work centers on Sinophone literature, film, and video games through postcolonial theories, Indigenous studies, diaspora, and ecocriticism frameworks. Dr. Wu earned his PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His scholarly contributions include two monographs: Supernatural Sinophone Taiwan and Beyond (Cambria Press, 2016) and Remapping the Contested Sinosphere: The Cross-cultural Landscape and Ethnoscape of Taiwan (Cambria Press, 2020). He has co-edited Taiwan Literature in the 21st Century: A Critical Reader (Springer, 2023) and is preparing The Southern Discourse in Sinophone Literature: Moving Borders (Routledge, forthcoming September 2025). His research examines cultural production across Taiwan and the Sinophone world, with particular focus on how literature, film, and video games engage with historical trauma, identity formation, and cultural politics. Recent projects explore youth narratives in Taiwanese horror video games, Indigenous perspectives on Oceanic Taiwan, and the global South discourse in Sinophone literature, revealing connections between transnational migration, racial dynamics, gender politics, and indigenous awareness. Dr. Wu serves as executive editor and Advisory Board member of Taiwan Lit and the Global Sinosphere (ISSN: 2994-6816), and holds positions on the Board of the American Association for Chinese Studies, the International Advisory Board of Interdisciplinary and Transcultural Approaches to Chinese Literature (Routledge Book Series), and the Cultural History Editorial Advisory Board (Bloomsbury Book Series). Currently supervising PhD students in Sinophone literary and cultural studies, Dr. Wu is developing a new monograph focused on transmedia narratives of youth politics, continuing his exploration of how contemporary media forms engage with political consciousness and historical memory in Taiwan and beyond.
Prof. Dr. ir. BJ (Jeroen) de Kloet is a Professor of Globalisation Studies and Director of the Amsterdam Centre for Globalisation Studies (ACGS) at the University of Amsterdam 's Faculty of Humanities, Department of Media Studies. He has held visiting positions at institutions including Hong Kong Baptist University and has been actively involved in international academic collaborations across Asia and Europe. Key Research Areas: Globalization, Chinese cinema, urban studies, postcolonial theory, cultural politics Awards: Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) in Social Sciences and Humanities (2023) Teaching: Engages in critical reflection on academic labor through seminars like 'How to survive the university?' His recent publications explore topics such as platformization, digital intimacies, and the politics of heritage-making. He has presented at major conferences in Venice, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taipei, focusing on the intersection of creativity, control, and urban transformation.
Jeffrey Ruoff is an Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies at Dartmouth College. His research focuses on documentary filmmaking, film festivals, and North African cinema. He authored Telluride in the Film Festival Galaxy (2016) and edited works on film programming and travel cinema. Ruoff teaches documentary production, video mashups, and courses on New Waves in Film. His films, including the 2012 documentary Still Moving: Pilobolus at Forty , explore dance and cultural history. He holds a B.A. from Cornell University, an M.F.A. from Temple University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. In 2015-16, he participated in the OpEd Public Voices Fellowship. Ruoff’s writing appears in academic journals and popular outlets like The Huffington Post and Fortune .
Vazira Fazila-Yacoobali Zamindar serves as Associate Professor of History at Brown University, specializing in modern South Asia, decolonization, and visual archives. Her interdisciplinary work bridges historical scholarship with contemporary art and public engagement, notably through her acclaimed book The Long Partition and the Making of Modern South Asia (2007). Her educational background includes a PhD from Columbia University (2003), MA from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor (1997), and BA from Wellesley College (1992). As Director of Brown's South Asian Studies Program (2012-2016), she co-organized the Brown-Harvard Pakistani Film Festivals and founded the Theory from the South reading group. Zamindar's research critically examines decolonization, displacement, and statelessness through visual and oral histories. Current projects include a graphic novel collaboration with Sarnath Banerjee on Gandhi and Abdul Ghaffar Khan (supported by the Salomon Research Grant) and the Anticolonial solo exhibition at Karachi's Canvas Gallery (2023), exploring anticolonial resistance on the Indo-Afghan border. Her publications reveal evolving interdisciplinary trends: early works focus on Partition refugees and borders, while recent scholarship (2020-2023) emphasizes repair, statelessness architectures, and secularism in South Asian art. Recurring themes include border politics, visual culture, and decolonial methodologies across historical and contemporary contexts. Scientific recognition includes: National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship (2009-10) Fulbright Research Scholar (2008-9) Richard B. Salomon Faculty Research Award (2022-23) Visiting Fellow at FU Berlin's Center for Affective Societies (2020-21) She actively engages public scholarship through collaborations with Primary Source, RISD Museum, Lahore Museum, and media appearances on BBC Radio's Museum of Lost Objects . Her teaching portfolio includes courses like Resisting Empire: Gandhi and the Making of Modern South Asia and Art History from the South , reflecting commitment to decolonial pedagogy. Zamindar co-leads the Decolonial Initiative on Migration of Objects and People and continues developing her graphic novel project while expanding the Art History from the South series through collaborations with scholars like Tapati Guha-Thakurta.
Remco Breuker is a Professor of Korean Studies at Leiden University’s Humanities Institute for Area Studies (LIAS), specializing in medieval Korean and Northeast Asian history, North Korean affairs, and contemporary issues. His research bridges historical analysis with modern geopolitical challenges, particularly focusing on marginalized voices and historical narratives. He leads ERC-sponsored and LeidenAsiaCentre-funded projects on Manchurian histories and North Korean forced labor in the EU. Breuker holds a PhD from Leiden University and has held post-doctoral and visiting researcher roles at institutions like the Australian National University. Education: MA in Japanese Studies (Leiden University, 1997) MA in Korean Studies (Leiden University, 1997) MA in Korean History (Seoul National University, 2001) PhD in Korean History (Leiden University, 2006) Research Interests: Breuker’s work examines medieval Korea’s Koryŏ dynasty, Northeast Asian historiography, and modern North Korean political dynamics. He translates modern Korean literature into Dutch, emphasizing marginalized perspectives and cultural hybridity. Recent projects include analyzing North Korean forced labor networks and reinterpreting ancient Manchurian histories’ contemporary relevance. Awards: 2010 KNAW Heineken Young Scientist Award Academy of Korean Studies Translation Grants (2010, 2008) NWO VENI Research Grant (2008) Advisees & Grants: Supervises PhD candidates researching Korean-Vietnam War linkages, Japanese-Korean relations, and North Korean forced labor. Secured grants exceeding €600,000 for translation projects and interdisciplinary research. Leads LIAS initiatives and serves on Leiden’s Slavery Studies Association. Labs/Teams: Coordinates the History as Social Practice project and the Slavery Studies Leiden network, fostering collaborative research on historical narratives and modern exploitation systems.
Professor Rachel V Harrison is a leading academic in Thai Cultural Studies at SOAS University of London. Her work bridges cinema, modern literature, postcolonial theory, and gender studies, with a focus on Thailand and mainland Southeast Asia. She also contributes to medical humanities and public engagement, particularly in Northeast Thailand (Isan) and Laos. Education: BA and PhD from the University of London. Roles: Professor of Thai Cultural Studies, Steering Committee Member of MA Cultural Studies. Research Interests : Cultural studies, cinema, and gender analysis intersect with themes of Orientalism, cultural difference, and literary criticism. Her work explores medical humanities and the comparative study of Southeast Asian literatures. She emphasizes the interplay between traditional and modern elements in Thai cultural production. Recent Publications : Harrison’s scholarship spans Thai cinema, postcolonial identity, and healthcare access for sex workers. Her 2025 article Entangled Worlds, Situated Knowledge highlights cultural context in global-local dynamics. Earlier works examine folk legends, masculinities, and eroticism in Thai literature. PhD Supervision : She has guided students on topics like Thai literature, diasporic identities, Burmese women’s writings, and Thai cinema’s gender representations. Collaborations : Frequent collaborations with scholars in medical humanities and Southeast Asian studies, including co-authoring on bullying in medicine and cultural engagement.
Mónica López Lerma is an Associate Professor of Spanish and Humanities at Reed College since 2015. Her interdisciplinary work bridges Spanish cinema and literature with critical legal studies, political theory, and aesthetics. Formerly affiliated with the University of Helsinki, University of British Columbia, and Kyrgyz State National University, she holds a PhD in Comparative Literature and a Graduate Certificate in Film Studies from the University of Michigan, alongside legal degrees from the University of Valencia and European Academy of Legal Theory. Research focuses on contemporary Spanish film , gender studies , memory politics , and law-humanities intersections . Author of Sensing Justice Through Contemporary Spanish Cinema (2021) and editor of Cartografías in/justas (2024) and Rancière and Law (2018). Her publications analyze legal-aesthetic relationships in films and academic texts, supported by grants like the Finnish Cultural Foundation and Jean Monnet Fellowships. Recent projects include a book titled Documentaries Against the Law: Evidence, Affect, and Reflexivity . Scientific Awards: Finnish Cultural Foundation Grant Jean Monnet Graduate Fellowship Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Research Fellowship
Dr Anthony Faramelli is a Lecturer in Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths, University of London, serving as Programme Leader for the BA in Fine Art and History of Art, and co-Leader of the PhD in Visual Cultures. He holds a PhD in Critical Humanities from The London Graduate School, Kingston University (2014). His research focuses on psychosocial studies, coloniality, institutional analysis, digital cultures, and psychotherapy aesthetics, with notable works including Resistance, Revolution and Fascism: Zapatismo and Assemblage Politics (2018) and The Mass Psychology of Fascism in the Age of Machines (forthcoming). He is affiliated with the Goldsmiths Centre for Migrant Futures and the Psychosocial Studies Association. Faramelli also consults for mental health and housing organizations, applying institutional psychotherapy principles in practice. Education: PhD in Critical Humanities (2014), The London Graduate School, Kingston University Research Interests: Coloniality, institutional psychotherapy, digital surveillance, micro-fascist movements, Fanon’s ethico-aesthetic paradigm, Zapatismo, and decolonial mental health practices. His work bridges psychoanalytic theory, political philosophy, and postcolonial critique. Recent Projects: Refugee Cartographies (mapping Latin American diaspora networks), and critical analyses of the Alt-Right and algorithmic fascism. He has presented at conferences such as the IV Jornadas Deleuze in Buenos Aires and the Université Le Havre-Normandie. Professional Roles: Editor of Deleuze and Guattari Studies , Executive Board member of the Psychosocial Studies Association, and consultant for Southwark Council’s Housing Solutions.
Lorraine van Blerk is a Professor of Human Geography at the University of Dundee's School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law. She serves as Chair of Human Geography and leads the Research Centre for Transformative Change: Educational & Life Transitions (TCELT) in Education and Society. Her work focuses on street children/youth, refugees, and global inequalities. Academy of Social Sciences Fellow (2021) Stephen Fry Awards - Public Engagement Project of the Year (2017) Market Research Society President’s Medal (2015) Research interests include: Street youth resilience mapping Intergenerational partnerships Transitions to adulthood in crises Policy development for marginalized groups Coastal socio-ecological systems Cultural geographies of homelessness Recent publications address global street youth resilience frameworks (2REST project) and cinema's role for Harare street youth. Key collaborations include universities in Pretoria, Cape Town, Makerere, and Ryerson University. Scientific contributions recognized through: 6 major research prizes 16 funded projects 149+ research outputs International visiting appointments (Toronto Metropolitan University, National University of Singapore)
