Dowthwaite, James Jun.-Prof. Dr.

Who am I?

I am Junior Professor for British Literature and Culture at JGU. I am originally from the UK and moved to Germany after completing my doctorate at the University of Oxford in 2016. Before coming to Mainz, I taught at Göttingen and Jena.

At the moment, I am completing a research project on the concept of fate in writing of the late nineteenth century, as part of a broader interest in aestheticism, decadence, and symbolism. Previously, I worked on the work and ideas of Ezra Pound and I am still active in modernist circles. With Melissa Sarikaya at Erlangen-Nürnberg, I co-run the network, Modernism, Aestheticism, and Decadence Studies.

I also publish poetry. My work has appeared, amongst other places, in Acumen, The Dawntreader, The High Window, The Martello Journal, The Needle, NASJ: A Forum, Strix, Stone Poetry Quarterly, and Poetry Salzburg Review.

My research areas include:

  • The fin de siècle
  • Modernism
  • Poetry and the history of poetry
  • The history of literary criticism
  • Connections between literature, philosophy, and theology
  • Literariness
  • Aesthetics and Aesthetic Theory

 

What do I teach?

I teach across the history of British literature and culture, and beyond. Most often I offer classes on nineteenth and twentieth century literature, but I am always happy to teach previous – and later – centuries. Beyond literary studies, I periodically teach classes on alternative comedy and culture, and on the fall of the British Empire. I am always keen to work across disciplines, particularly including the visual arts and comparative literature.

 

What theses do I supervise?

I supervise B.A./M.A. and B.Ed./M.Ed. theses, and I am happy to be in contact with any potential researchers with projects relating to my interests.