Projects
The Paper Traces of Reimagined Memories in Children's Literature. University of Antwerp
Nothing but the Truth? Rhetoric and fictionality in the Greek and Latin novels. Ghent University
The novel is arguably the most popular fictional genre nowadays. Since Antiquity has not left us any straightforward, theoretical definition of fiction, this project turns to the ancient novels themselves, from which, it argues, implicit concepts and definitions of fiction can be deduced. To do so, the project proposes narratological and rhetorical analyses of the metafictional potential of novelistic trial scenes, which are not only a staple ...
The Romance between Greece and the West. Heroes and Heroines in French, Anglo-Norman and English medieval narrative. Ghent University
This project reconstructs and interprets the persistence of (ancient) novelistic and (late antique and medieval) hagiographical traditions in vernacular medieval romance. Narratological and rhetorical analyses trace diachronic continuities and synchronic differentiation in the characterization of heroes. The study can thus enhance our knowledge about the medieval reception of ancient narrating strategies and the literary complexities of an ...
Crises as Opportunities: towards a Level Telling Field on Migration and a New Narrative of Successful Integration Ghent University
The humanitarian tragedy of 2015-16 fuelled anti-European sentiment, allowing populists to successfully reframe the refugee
crisis as a crisis of Europe itself. OPPORTUNITIES shows how we can move beyond this current impasse by creating a
forward-looking and productive debate grounded in new principles for a fair dialogue on immigration and successful
integration. These new principles form what we call a level telling field: ...
Otherworldly Powers? Narrative Functions of the Supernatural in Flemish and Congolese Literature before and after Congo’s Independence (1945-1975) Ghent University
Between 1945 and 1975, magical powers, curses and transcendent visions played a decisive role in Flemish literature about Congo, shaping the narrative and evoking different worldviews. Impossible phenomena in science fiction or fantastic literature have similar functions, but, unlike these genres, the supernatural elements in the Flemish literature about Congo have a religious undertone. This is explained by the strong missionary presence of ...
Narrativity of Philip Glass's Minimalist Music in Operas Based on Literary Works Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Beyond Petroleum. Reimagining Energy in Contemporary Film and Literature Ghent University
Like climate change, the shift to alternative energy sources is not just a technological challenge but a cultural issue too, necessitating a rethinking of dominant values, narratives and cultural ideas. One important development is the emergence of the ‘energy humanities’, a subfield that examines how cultural artefacts like movies and literary texts reflect on particular sources and uses of energy. Upon closer inspection, however, the field ...
Imaginary Voyages in Literary Worlds: from transhistorical theory to contemporary practice KU Leuven
This doctoral dissertation entails a genre study of the imaginary voyage, with a particular focus on the borders, the textual dynamics, the characteristics and the interpretation of that genre in Dutch literature from 1945 to the present day. The label ‘imaginary voyage’ (with synonyms such as ‘travel novel’ and ‘travel fiction’) refers to all fictional stories which concentrate on one or more journeys. Internationally speaking, one could ...
"I can't go on. I'll go on." Silence as a multifunctional concept in Latin Domitianic literature (ca. 81-105) Ghent University
This project seeks to examen the function(s) of silence in Latin literature written during and just after the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian (ca.81-105). The uses of silence(s) in texts will be explored as a narratological phenomenon; as a possible commentary on the generic hierarcy; and as a way for authors to create a self-image in an imperial culture.