Eir-Anne Edgar
About
I am Associate Professor of Literature in English at NTNU where I teach in the Faculty of Education's English section. My research focuses on issues of gender, sexuality, and race and representation in 20th and 21st century American literature and film. I am also interested in pedagogical issues in teaching literature and writing. I am always pleased to talk with students and faculty about potential research projects and opportunities for collaboration.
My current research project, Developing Global Citizens in the Classroom: Reading and Responsibility, offers practical approaches to utilizing UNESCO’s framework of global citizenship education in teaching literature, film, and media. This project features practical approaches to teaching different aspects of global citizenship in the English classroom through using literature and film. Using my classroom in Norway as an orientation point, each chapter models possible ways in which educators can help students connect to global issues within national, regional, and local settings – wherever readers may be located. I argue that through teaching GCED in the English classroom, students can connect to seemingly far-away events and people, build their critical citizenship skills, craft personal ethics, promote sustainability in its many forms, and connect the local to the global. This project has received funding through ILU. In a recent panel discussion, I shared experiences teaching literature, developing students' ethical and empathic skills, and the graphic novel Maus. See the recording here.
I am the author of Women in the Wastelands: The World Making of Feminist Critical Dystopian Fiction. I had the opportunity to develop the book during my sabbatical year of 2023-24, when I served as Research Associate at the Five College Consortium Women's Studies Research Center in Amherst MA. See my blog post for the British Library's Eccles Centre for discussion of this project and my involvement in the British Library and University of Edinburgh-sponsored US Politics and Gender research group.
I am the 2022-2024 and 2024-2026 Vice President of the American Studies Association in Norway (ASANOR). I am a member of MLA (Modern Langague Association), ASA (American Studies Association), the European Association of American Studies (EAAS), and the Nordic Association of American Studies (NAAS).
I am also the founder of the NTNU research group "North American Studies."
I am a member and author of the working group “Climate Change and Climate Literacy,” International Research Society for Children’s Literature.
I am a member of ILU's Forum for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at NTNU. I am a member of the editorial board of Currents, the University of Michigan's National Center for Institutional Diversity's peer-reviewed publication, which "connects scholarship in diversity, equity, and inclusion to practice and public discourse." I have served as a reader for publications such as Oxford University Press, American Studies in Scandinavia, English Journal, and Social Semiotics.
I completed my PhD in English, with focus on Critical Theory and 20th Century American Literature, at the University of Kentucky in 2016. Before joining the ILU faculty at NTNU, I was a faculty member in Liberal Arts at Interlochen Arts Academy where I taught courses for students in grades 9-12.
Publications
In process: Women in the Wastelands: the World-Making of Feminist Critical Dystopian Fiction. Monograph. (SUNY UP).
Forthcoming: "Liberating the Land of Cooper Donuts: Writing Queer Los Angeles," Los Angeles: A Literary History, eds Michael Docherty & Ignacio Lopez-Calvo, Cambridge UP.
Forthcoming 2025: Commissioned Chapter on “Resexualization of Older People and Nonmonogamy,” Sex and Intimacy in Later Life Volume 4, ed. Paul Reynolds, Policy Press/Bristol University Press.
"Envisioning AfAm Literary History in Norwegian Fjord og Fjell," Contemporary Literature in the Classroom, ed. Rebecca Roach, Post45, Stanford UP.
"Serving Up Realness: Re-seeing Masculinity and Labor in Queer Eye," The Journal of Popular Culture, June 2023, https://doi.org/10.1111/jpcu.13205
“Re-Conceiving the World: Dystopia and Reproductive Justice,” book chapter, Handbook on Reproductive Justice and Literature, eds. Lazarri and Capo, Palgrave Macmillan, September 2022.
“Dystopian Fiction & Long Feminist Histories,” American Collections Blog, British Library, December 14, 2021.
"Beyond Binaries, Borders, and Boundaries: Mapping the City in John Rechy's City of Night," Journal of Bodies, Sexualities, and Masculinities, 2021.
“A Rational Continuum: Legal and Cultural Abortion Narratives in Trump’s America,” European Journal of American Studies, July 2020.
“Empathy, Literature and the Global Citizen,” International Council of Teachers of English Newsletter, April 2020.
"Teaching Empathy and Promoting Global Citizenship Through Literature," English Journal, January 2020.
"Ten Recommendations to Recognize Diversity in the Classroom," University of Michigan National Center for Institutional Diversity, December 2017.
“Suburban Subversions: Swingers and the Sexual Revolution,” Sexuality & Culture, September 2016.
“Hauntingly Familiar: Bondage, Blood, and Property in Old Hepsy" Parlour: A Journal of Literary Criticisand Analysis, Spring 2015.
“Dear Student,” Chronicle Of Higher Education, Feb. 15, 2015.
"Connecting Source Material to Claims," Writing Commons, Spring 2012, republished in the University of Florida composition reader, Network, Collaborate, Compose. 2013.
“Xtravaganza!: Drag Representation and Articulation in RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Studies in Popular Culture, Fall 2011, pgs.133-146.
"Telling Stories: Discussions with Sidonie Smith, Keith Knapp, and Terry Castle," disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory: Vol. 21, pgs. 88-92.
“More Like People”: Eugenics and Humanism in Gilman’s Herland.” World Literary Review, Spring 2011.
Dissertation: "Come Together: Desire, Literature, and the Law of the Sexual Revolution"
Media and Public Lectures:
"Maus: A Conversation," West Virginia University Humanities Center, February 21, 2022.
“Creative Stories of Gender and Embodiment” NTNU Center for Gender Studies, International Womxn’s Day, March 5th 2020.
Selected Conferences
Organizer of the Roundtable Discussion, "Rough Waters and Smooth Sailing: Teaching American Studies in Norway," ASANOR, September 2022.
"Women in the Wastelands," European Association of American Studies Conference (EAAS), April 2022.
“Beyond the Page: Crafting Critical Global Citizens,” Modern Language Association Conference (MLA), January 2022.
“Reconceiving Nature in Dystopian Novels,” Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association Conference (PAMLA), November 2021.
“Sorry You Feel That Way:” #Metoo and the Public Apology, American Studies Association of Norway, September 24-26th 2020, UiT, Tromsø, NO.
“Traumatic Containment in Paratopian Women’s Novels,” South Atlantic Modern Language Association, November 15 – 17th 2019, Atlanta GA.
“The One You’re With: Adultery and Divorce Law Reform During the Sexual Revolution,” International Conference on Narrative, May 30 – June 1st 2019, Pamplona Spain.
“A Rational Continuum:” the Legacy of Roe and the Right to Sexual Privacy,” Nordic Association for American Studies, April 25, 2019.
“Teaching Empathy to the Cosmopolitan Reader through Jim Crow,” American Studies Association of Norway, 11-13 October 2018.
Round table discussion, K-16 Alliance, Modern Language Association, New York City, January 2018.
Awards
NeMLA Summer Fellowship, 2024.
Robert Mikkelsen Research Grant, American Studies Association of Norway
Emerging Diversity Scholar, National Center for Institutional Diversity, University of Michigan, 2016.
Post Conference Training Scholarship, International Association for the Study of Sexuality, Culture, and Society, June 2015.
Women’s Club Fellowship Award, University of Kentucky, 2013-2014.
Lyman T. Johnson Odyssey Award, University of Kentucky, 2012.
Academic Excellence Scholarship for a Graduate Student, University of Kentucky, 2011.
James Paul Brawner Writing Prize for Graduate writing, West Virginia University, 2008.
Publications
2025
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2025)
The Art of Punk: Process, Pedagogy, and Partnership.
English Journal
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2025)
Beyond the Pale: Speculating about Race, Genre, and Futures.
Science Fiction Studies
Book review
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2025)
Older swinging, 'casual' intimacies and sex outside coupledom.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2025)
The Dark Matter of Children’s ‘Fantastika’ Literature: Speculative Entanglements by Chloé Germaine.
International Research in Children's Literature (IRCL)
Book review
2024
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2024)
Envisioning AfAm Literary History in Norwegian Fjord og Fjell.
Post45
Article in business/trade/industry journal
2023
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne Edith.
(2023)
Serving Up Realness: Reseeing Masculinity and Labor in Queer Eye.
Journal of Popular Culture
Academic article
2022
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2022)
Re-Conceiving the World: Dystopia and Reproductive Justice.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
2021
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2021)
Beyond Binaries, Borders, and Boundaries Mapping the City in John Rechy’s City of Night.
Journal of Bodies, Sexualities, and Masculinities
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2021)
"Dystopian Fiction & Long Feminist Histories," American Collections blog, The British Library.
Feature article
2020
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2020)
A rational continuum: Legal and cultural abortion narratives in Trump's America.
European Journal of American Studies
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2020)
Empathy, Literature, and the Global Citizen.
International Council of Teachers of English Newsletter
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2020)
Teaching Empathy and Promoting Global Citizenship through Literature.
English Journal
Academic article
2016
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne Edith.
(2016)
Come Together: Desire, Literature, and the Law of the Sexual Revolution.
ProQuest
ProQuest
Doctoral dissertation
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2016)
Suburban Subversions: Swingers and the Sexual Revolution.
Sexuality & Culture
Academic article
2015
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2015)
Dear Student.
Feature article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2015)
Hauntingly Familiar: Bondage, Blood, and Property in Old Hepsy".
Parlour
Academic article
2012
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2012)
Telling Stories: Discussions with Sidonie Smith, Keith Knapp, and Terry Castle.
disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory
Academic article
2011
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2011)
“Xtravaganza!: Drag Representation and Articulation in RuPaul’s Drag Race”.
Studies in Popular Culture
Academic article
Journal publications
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2025)
The Art of Punk: Process, Pedagogy, and Partnership.
English Journal
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2025)
Beyond the Pale: Speculating about Race, Genre, and Futures.
Science Fiction Studies
Book review
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2025)
The Dark Matter of Children’s ‘Fantastika’ Literature: Speculative Entanglements by Chloé Germaine.
International Research in Children's Literature (IRCL)
Book review
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2024)
Envisioning AfAm Literary History in Norwegian Fjord og Fjell.
Post45
Article in business/trade/industry journal
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne Edith.
(2023)
Serving Up Realness: Reseeing Masculinity and Labor in Queer Eye.
Journal of Popular Culture
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2021)
Beyond Binaries, Borders, and Boundaries Mapping the City in John Rechy’s City of Night.
Journal of Bodies, Sexualities, and Masculinities
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2021)
"Dystopian Fiction & Long Feminist Histories," American Collections blog, The British Library.
Feature article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2020)
A rational continuum: Legal and cultural abortion narratives in Trump's America.
European Journal of American Studies
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2020)
Empathy, Literature, and the Global Citizen.
International Council of Teachers of English Newsletter
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2020)
Teaching Empathy and Promoting Global Citizenship through Literature.
English Journal
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2016)
Suburban Subversions: Swingers and the Sexual Revolution.
Sexuality & Culture
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2015)
Dear Student.
Feature article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2015)
Hauntingly Familiar: Bondage, Blood, and Property in Old Hepsy".
Parlour
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2012)
Telling Stories: Discussions with Sidonie Smith, Keith Knapp, and Terry Castle.
disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory
Academic article
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2011)
“Xtravaganza!: Drag Representation and Articulation in RuPaul’s Drag Race”.
Studies in Popular Culture
Academic article
Part of book/report
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2025)
Older swinging, 'casual' intimacies and sex outside coupledom.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne.
(2022)
Re-Conceiving the World: Dystopia and Reproductive Justice.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Report
-
Edgar, Eir-Anne Edith.
(2016)
Come Together: Desire, Literature, and the Law of the Sexual Revolution.
ProQuest
ProQuest
Doctoral dissertation
Teaching
Courses
Outreach
2024
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne. (2024) Refugee Portrayals in American Literature: Implications for the Norwegian Classroom. American Studies Association of Norway (ASANOR) , Hama 2024-10-03 - 2024-10-05
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Lecture
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne. (2024) Beyond Readers: Students as Global Citizens. 56th NeMLA Convention , Boston 2024-03-07 - 2024-06-10
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne. (2024) Graphic Knowledge: Maus and the Comic Book Ban. 56th NeMLA Convention , Boston 2024-03-07 - 2024-06-10
2023
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne Edith. (2023) "Women in the Wastelands". bell hooks Symposium 2023-06-16 - 2023-06-18
2022
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne; Jr, Thomas David Nurmi; Hanssen, Jessica Allen; Erdmann, Susan Lynn. (2022) Rough Waters and Smooth Sailing: A Roundtable Discussion on Teaching American Studies in Norway. ASANOR 2022 , Bodø 2022-09-29 - 2022-11-01
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne. (2022) Rethinking Futurity: Women in the Wasteland. European Association of American Studies (EAAS) 2022-04-06 - 2022-04-09
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Lecture
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne. (2022) Speculative Parables: Considering Race in Critical Feminist Dystopias. Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association Conference (RMMLA) 2022 2022-10-13 - 2022-10-15
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne. (2022) “Beyond the Page: Crafting Critical Global Citizens,”. Modern Language Association Conference 2022 , Washington DC 2022-01-06 - 2022-01-09
2021
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne. (2021) “Reconceiving Nature in Dystopian Novels,”. Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association Conference , Las Vegas, Nevada 2021-11-11 - 2022-02-14
2020
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne. (2020) “Sorry You Feel That Way:” #Metoo and the Public Apology". American Studies Association of Norway , UiT Tromsø 2020-09-24 - 2020-09-26
2019
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne. (2019) “Traumatic Containment in Paratopian Women’s Novels,”. South Atlantic Modern Language Association , Atlanta, Georgia 2019-11-15 - 2019-11-17
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne. (2019) “The One You’re With: Adultery and Divorce Law Reform During the Sexual Revolution,”. International Conference on Narrative , Pamplona, Spain 2019-05-30 - 2019-06-01
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne. (2019) “A Rational Continuum:” the Legacy of Roe and the Right to Sexual Privacy". Nordic Association for American Studies , Bergen 2019-04-23 - 2019-04-25
2018
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Academic lectureEdgar, Eir-Anne. (2018) Teaching Empathy to the Cosmopolitan Reader through Jim Crow. American Studies Association of Norway , Kristiansand 2018-10-11 - 2018-10-13