Scholarly Agenda

I am an individual that have lived in-between cultures all my life so that is my natural way to approach comparative studies. I have a passion for both teaching and research. The enthusiasm I hold for scholarly research activities is mirrored in my teaching undertakings, and my teaching endeavors are enhanced by my scholarly research.

The areas of research and study that permeate my scholarly endeavors are: literary theory, sociology of literature, the transnational, globalization, hospitality, translation, migration, identity, the role of history and literature, the images of The Bible found in literary works, ethnicity, self and the other, and cognitive approaches to literary study. My interest in the Monde Fantastique Français in the 19th century continues to participate in my scholarly agenda. I recently expanded my research to include comparative studies in the 21st century. I am currently researching on identity issues as they relate to Spanish cultures. Another area of research is related to the concept of ‘hospitality’ as it interacts with migration, ethnicity and cultural identity. This notion is pivotal to the elaboration of the policy-making, political frames and shaping of attitudes.

I am interested in integrating the literary experience with other cultural phenomena such as historical change, religious beliefs, philosophical concepts, and social movements. The developments in the studies of globalization and interculturalism support cross-cultural dialogue challenging self-segregation tendencies within cultures promoting promoting dialogue and interaction between cultures.

I actively presented my research at national and international conferences including international colloquiums, virtual conferences, webinars, and attended and participated in three summer institutes, using all of the languages listed in my CV. I presented research papers in several countries in Europe, Russia, the United States and Canada. I also participated in colloquia or panel discussions, nationally and internationally. I chaired Conference Sessions and Panels. I participated in the European Union Focus Group Final Recommendations Forum for the use of technology in higher education where one of my suggestions was approved and incorporated to the final report to the European Union.

I participated in a creative research project from an interdisciplinary perspective between music and literature: L’Océan Infini. It is a piece for a String Quartet and a narrator. This collaborative composition was the result of my literary study of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick.

As an active member of other research groups, I contribute regularly to the collective projects. These research groups are located in Greece, Spain, England, and in the United States.

As a pedagogue, I have dedicated a good amount of time to the research in the use of technologies in my fields of research and teaching. I have explored the use of new technologies. I believe it is important to participate in the design and evaluation of new teaching resources. I worked in the area of the use of innovative technologies in the classroom and designed new pedagogical activities that engage our students.