General Research Interests
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Photo by: http://www.zoelitakerphotography.com
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Current Book Project
Murderous Mothers: Melodramatic Violence as Feminist Politics
In this book I argue that melodrama has an important role to play in feminist politics because of its potential to harness the power of affects with negative connotations. Through close-readings of works written/directed by R.W. Fassbinder, Helma Sanders-Brahms, Christa Wolf, Elfriede Jelinek, and Dea Loher, I establish a trajectory for the incorporation of melodramatic tropes into late 20th century German feminist film and literature. By following how melodrama is taken up in these texts, I argue for the surprising potential of the melodramatic mode to enliven progressive political discourses by revealing the power of affective responses. Within the excessive emotional landscape of melodrama, where affective displays are stretched to their limits, we are allowed to see the most extreme potential consequences of current social structures. In addition, when women are portrayed not just as victims, but as perpetrators of melodramatic violence it creates spaces for challenging the limiting nature of gendered categories and for reimagining family structures.
Based on my dissertation, Murderous Mothers: Feminist Violence in German Literature and Film (1970-2000)
Advisor: Kata Gellen, Duke University
In this book I argue that melodrama has an important role to play in feminist politics because of its potential to harness the power of affects with negative connotations. Through close-readings of works written/directed by R.W. Fassbinder, Helma Sanders-Brahms, Christa Wolf, Elfriede Jelinek, and Dea Loher, I establish a trajectory for the incorporation of melodramatic tropes into late 20th century German feminist film and literature. By following how melodrama is taken up in these texts, I argue for the surprising potential of the melodramatic mode to enliven progressive political discourses by revealing the power of affective responses. Within the excessive emotional landscape of melodrama, where affective displays are stretched to their limits, we are allowed to see the most extreme potential consequences of current social structures. In addition, when women are portrayed not just as victims, but as perpetrators of melodramatic violence it creates spaces for challenging the limiting nature of gendered categories and for reimagining family structures.
Based on my dissertation, Murderous Mothers: Feminist Violence in German Literature and Film (1970-2000)
Advisor: Kata Gellen, Duke University
Articles in Progress
“Women Ruining Men: Representations of #metoo and the Women of the Red Army Faction” under review at Feminist German Studies
“Healing Antigone’s Son: Motherhood and Incarceration in Die bleierne Zeit” (Marianne and Juliane, 1981)” to be submitted to: Camera Obscura
“Living Dirty: The Pregnant Body and the State in Birgit Vanderbeke’s Die Frau mit dem Hund”
“Healing Antigone’s Son: Motherhood and Incarceration in Die bleierne Zeit” (Marianne and Juliane, 1981)” to be submitted to: Camera Obscura
“Living Dirty: The Pregnant Body and the State in Birgit Vanderbeke’s Die Frau mit dem Hund”
Graduate Research
Fulbright Research Project (Sept. 2011-Sept. 2012)
Examined conceptions of Heimat in memoirs detailing the postwar experiences of German-Jewish women
Advisor: Michael Brenner, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany
Examined conceptions of Heimat in memoirs detailing the postwar experiences of German-Jewish women
Advisor: Michael Brenner, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany
Undergraduate Research
Undergraduate Honors Thesis (2011)
Encountering Soviet Soldiers: Women’s Changing Narratives of the Sexual Violence of the Immediate Postwar Period
Advisor: Irene Kacandes, Dartmouth College
Encountering Soviet Soldiers: Women’s Changing Narratives of the Sexual Violence of the Immediate Postwar Period
Advisor: Irene Kacandes, Dartmouth College
