Hello -- my background is in literature (Manchester UK and Clark USA) and
American Studies (Boston USA), with a focus on American literature, social
history, and the textual expression (literal and metaphorical) of
geographical ideas. I teach American Studies, with a focus on US versions
of 'nature' and the 'natural,' in Tokyo.
Details of current work follow, so please delete now if you like:
Most of my work has to do with textual representations of place and
space/popular geographies and the relationship of geo-spatial metaphors to
the development of social norms or the communication of abstract ideas.
I'm especially interested in using periodical/magazine texts to study the
ways in which shared assumptions about what's "natural" relate to social
structure, popular understandings of history and ethics, and international
relations, as well as to literary conventions (for example, narrative
structure).
Current topics of interest include; late-19th century popular
historicizations of the American War of Independence as a 'natural' war in
contrast with the 'unnatural' Civil War; the opposition of 'natural'
private charity with 'mechanical' municipal poor relief in 1880s writings
on philanthropy and pauperism, the parallel development of a sense of the
USA as a 'completed' (bicoastal) nation and a metaphorically spatial view
of an 'achieved' _American_ literature.
I'd be happy to hear from anyone who thinks any of this sounds interesting
or who is doing related work. Thanks for reading.
Best wishes
Sheila
Sheila Hones
Keisen University
Minamino 2-10-1
Tama-shi, TOKYO 206
JAPAN
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