PD Dr. Stefanie Schäfer

Research Interests

Transnational and Comparative North American Studies
Gender in popular culture and film
Storytelling, self-narration, autobiography theory and narrative theory
19^th century literature and the writings of John Neal
Black femininities
North American Western myths
Teaching literature in the university classroom

Research Projects

• Women Performers in North American Western Cultures, research project (awarded funding: 30 000,- Euros, Pro Chance Programm A1, FSU Jena, 2017-2019)
• Black Womanhood in Popular Culture (with Katharina Gerund), forthcoming special issue of Open Cultural Studies

Recent and Upcoming Activities

• “Cowgirldom on the Move: The Transnational Performances of Annie Oakley”, EBAAS meeting of the European Association of American Studies, London, April 4-7. 2018.
• “Von Michelle zu Melania. Mode, Feminismen, und First Ladies in den USA.” DAI Nürnberg, April 18, 2018. Listen to the lecture on Deutschlandfunk Nova on July 8, 2018!
• “(Trans)National Counter/Publics and the Politics of Humor in US Culture”, Panel chair, DGfA/GAAS annual meeting,  FU Berlin, May 24-27, 2018.

Education and Employment

• April 2018: visiting professor of American Studies, Chair of American Studies: Culture and Literature, FAU Erlangen Nürnberg
• June 2017: venia legendi “North American Literature and Culture”, FSU Jena
• Since 2010: assistant professor for American Studies, department of English and American Studies, University of Jena (chair Prof. Dr. C. Rosenthal)
• December 2009: Dr. phil. University of Heidelberg, doctorate thesis: “Just the Two of Us:’ Self-Narration and Recognition in the Contemporary American Novel” (magna cum laude)
• 2007-2009: research assistant, English Department, University of Heidelberg (chair Prof. Dr. Vera Nünning)
• 2005-2006: teacher of English and French, Helmholtzgymnasium Heidelberg
• 2005: M.A. and 1. Staatsexamen (Gym)/ state teacher’s degree (English and French Philologies), University Trier
• 1999-2005: Studies of English and French philologies, University Trier and University of Minnesota

Fellowships and Grants

• 12/2017: FSU research grant for young female postdocs, (Pro Chance Program)
• 06/2016 : short listed (2^nd) for Lectureship North American literature and Culture, English Department, University of Berne, Switzerland
• 10/2015 : good practice– award (teaching), FSU Jena
• 07/2013: Excursion funding from Ernst-Abbe Projektstiftung, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), FSU Alumni association
• 09/2012-02/2013: Postdoctoral research grant, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD);                      German Research Fellowship, Library of Congress, Kluge Center, for postdoctoral research
• 06/2012: Publication grant, American Consulate Leipzig and Association for Canadian Studies in German-speaking Countries (GKS)
• 04/2012: Conference funding, Association for Canadian Studies in German-speaking Countries (GKS)
• 04/2012: “Library Support Program” for Canadiana at the Jena University Library ThULB (with Caroline Rosenthal)
• 08/2011: Research Grant for postdoctoral research at Harvard University, FSU of Jena
• 06/2010: Publication grant for dissertation, Geschwister Boehringer Ingelheim Stiftung für Geisteswissenschaften
• 2008/2009: Conference and publication funding, Zentrum Hochschuldidaktik Baden-Württemberg,
• 06/2009: “Best practice” award, higher education certificate, Zentrum Hochschuldidaktik Baden-Württemberg
• 2008/2009: Conference and publication funding, Fritz-Thyssen-Stiftung

Publications

Authored Books

• Yankee Yarns: Storytelling and the Invention of the National Body in 19^th Century American Culture. (habilitation manuscript, publication in preparation)
• ‘Just the Two of Us’: Self-Narration and Recognition in the Contemporary American Novel. Trier: WVT, 2011.

Edited Books

• Fake Identity? The Impostor Narrative in North American Culture. Co-edited with Caroline Rosenthal. Frankfurt/Main: Campus, 2014.
• Learning 9/11: Teaching for Key Competences in Literary and Cultural Studies. Co-edited with Irina Bauder-Begerow. Heidelberg: Winter, 2011.
• ‘Hello, I say, It’s Me:’ (Re)Constructions of Subjectivity in Contemporary Literature and Culture. Co-edited with Jan Kucharzewski and Lutz Schowalter. Trier: WVT, 2009.

Articles

[coming soon]

Grants and Awards

[coming soon]

Memberships

• DGfA/GAAS (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Amerikastudien)
• GKS (Gesellschaft für Kanada-Studien)
• DAV (Deutscher Anglistenverband)
• DHV (Deutscher Hochschulverband)

Service to the Profession

• Gesellschaft für Kanada-Studien: Curator of the Book Exhibit, annual conference (2015-2018)
• Assistant editor of ZKS (Zeitschrift für Kanadastudien), 2010-2011
• Peer reviewer for EJAS: European Journal for American Studies

Community Involvement/outreach/public lectures

• Organiser: “Frontfrauen. Ein Tag zu Frauen und Karriere.“ FSU Jena, October 2017
• “Uncle Sam und der Bald Eagle: Die USA als nationale Figur bei Thomas Nast”. öffentlicher Vortrag auf Einladung des Thomas Nast Vereins Landau, Stadtbibliothek Landau (Pfalz), September, 2017 (in German).
• Teacher training seminars on Canadian and American literature and culture (ThILLM, Leucorea Wittenberg, since 2016)
  Reader, “Vorlesetag”, Stiftung Lesen, 2016 and 2017