Mario DE GRANDIS

Mario De Grandis, Ph.D.

 

Education
Ph.D.        Chinese Literature, Performance, and Media Studies, Ohio State University, USA  (2021)

M.A.         Chinese Literature, Ohio State University, USA (2014)

M.A.         Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, Nanjing University, China (2012)

M.A.         Languages and Legal Institutions of Eastern Asia, Ca’ Foscari University, Italy (2010)

B.A.          Languages and Legal Institutions of Eastern Asia, Ca’ Foscari University, Italy (2009)

Professional Experience


Researcher Tenure Track (RTT): Department of Asian and North African Studies, Ca' Foscari 5/2024-present

Assistant Professor/ Lecturer: Irish Institute for Chinese Studies, University College Dublin, Ireland  8/2021–4/2024

Doctoral Fellow, the Global Arts and Humanities Discovery Theme Team: Interdisciplinary Research Center, Ohio State University, USA 8/2020–8/2021

Editorial Assistant for Modern Chinese Literature and Culture (MCLC): Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, Ohio State University, USA 8/2017–5/2020

Teaching Associate, Ohio State University, USA 8/2015–12/2017

Language Program Coordinator, Modena University, Italy 1/2015–7/2015

Administrative Associate for the Critical Language Program, Ohio State University, USA 8/2013–12/2014

Language Instructor, Nanjing University, China 8/2012–12/2012

Intern at Yilin Press, Nanjing, China 1/2011–12/2013

 
Prizes, Awards and Fellowships


National and International                  

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship €188,900, 5/2024-(4/2026)
Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation Doctoral Fellowship $20,000, 8/2020–8/2021
Laura Bassi Scholarship for editorial assistance (declined) $1,500, 7/2021
MLA Council-appointed Standing Committees Members Grant $500, 1/2021
MLA Travel Grant $500, 1/2020
The Saboohi I. Khan Award, American Folklore Society $1,000, 10/2019
Graduate Student Travel Award, American Oriental Society $350, 4/2018
1st Caratteri Edition Translation Prize, 6/2015
Han Ban Scholarship, Nanjing, China, 8/2010–5/2012
Graduate Research Grant, Charles University, Czech Republic €250, 5/2009
Socrates Erasmus, 10 months at Charles University, Czech Republic

Funded by the Ohio State University                
Global Arts and Humanities Discovery Theme Fellowship $35,000, 2020/2021
Career Development Grant, Council of Graduate Students $350, 5/2019
Ray Travel Award, Council of Graduate Students $1,000, 4/2019
Gordon P.K. Chu Memorial Scholarship, College of Arts and Sciences $1,000, 4/2019
Ray Travel Award, Council of Graduate Students $1,000, 3/2018
Career Development Grant, Council of Graduate Students declined $350, 1/2018
Alumni Grants for Graduate Research and Scholarship $2,500, 12/2018
Graduate Research Small Grant, College of Arts and Humanities $1,500, 6/2018
Louise Loh Memorial Scholarship, East Asian Studies Center $1,000, 5/2018
Edward F. Hayes Graduate Research Forum Award $400, 4/2017
Global Gateway Graduate Student Research Grant $1,500, 5/2016
 
Academic Presentations
Invited Talks

1.   “Exploring Center and Periphery in Minzu Wenxue: A Study of Two Hui Literary Publishers.” Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, Nov. 9, 2023.

2.   “Communities of Islamic Heritage in China: An exploration of the history, state recognition and literary promotion of the Hui.” University of Costa Rica. San Jose, Costa Rica, Sept. 26, 2023.

3.   “Peripherally Central Authors: An Exploration of the Ethnic Literary Field in Mao China.” University of Münster, Münster, Germany, April 21, 2023.

4.   “Build Socialism, Train Fiction Writers: The Emergence of the Ethnic Literary Field in People’s Republic of China.” Emory University, Georgia, GA. Dec. 3, 2021. (Virtual). 

5.   “Keyboards that Type: Being Chinese, Hui, and Muslim Literary Author in Contemporary China.” Tübingen University, Germany. May 30, 2022. (Virtual).

6.   “Ethnic Literature in pre-modern China? A Case Study of Diasporic Yuan Sanqu Authors.” Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. Auburn University, Auburn, AL, March 2, 2020.

7.   “Beyond Center and Periphery: The Canonization of Hui Literature in Post-Mao China.” Colegio de Mexico, Mexico City, May 8, 2019.




Peer-reviewed Conference Papers

1.   “Ethnic Literary Networks in China’s Peripheral Areas.” Italian Association for Chinese Studies, Torino, Italy. Sept. 21, 2023. 

2.   “Central Peripheries: Publishing Houses of Huizu wenxue.” European Association for Chinese Studies (EACS), Olomouc, Czech Republic. Aug. 5, 2022.

3.   “Hui Literary Networks: Publishers Enabling Literary Exchanges across China, Central Asia, and the Middle East.” Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference (AAS), Honolulu, HI. March 24, 2022. (Virtual).

4.   “‘Ethnic Literature’: Considerations on Analytic Categories in the Study of Sinophone Minority Literatures.” Italian Association for Chinese Studies, Torino, Italy. Nov. 19, 2021. 

5.   “Politicizing Religion: Christian Symbolism and Biblical References in Lu Xun’s ‘Medicine’.” Latin American Association of Asian and African Studies Annual Convention, Quito, Equator. July 29, 2021. (Virtual).

6.   “Publishers’ Framings: Publication Trajectories of ‘The Grey Robe’ in Mandarin and Arabic.” Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference. March 24, 2021. (Virtual).

7.   “Folk Literature and National Building: Collectanea of Hui Legends in Post-Mao China.” South Atlantic Modern Language Association. Nov. 14, 2020. (Virtual).

8.   “Self-defeating Narratives: The Display of China’s Ethnic Diversity in Folk Literature.” Southwest Conference on Asian Studies. Oct. 23, 2020. (Virtual).

9.   “Publishers’ Framings: Publication Trajectories of ‘The Grey Robe’ in Mandarin and Arabic.” Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference (AAS), Boston, MA. March 22, 2020. (Canceled by conference organizers).

10. “Sino-Arab Literary Bridges: Hui Fiction in Post-1980s China.” Modern Language Association Annual Convention, Seattle, WA. Jan. 9, 2020.

11. “‘Camel Spring’: Shifting Representations of the Salars’ Myth of Origin in China.” American Folklore Society Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. Oct. 1, 2019.

12. “Another Quest for Modernity: Literary Journals of the Sinophone Muslim Communities.” May 4th: History in Motion, Université de Mons, Belgium. May 2, 2019. (Read in absentia).

13. “The Geography of Narrative: Representations of Place in Post-Socialist Hui Literature.” Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference (AAS), Denver, CO. March 22, 2019.

14. “Folklore and Nation Building: Li Shujiang and the Hui Folk Literary Canon.” Media and Memory Conference. Columbus, OH. Nov. 17, 2018.

15. “No Ethnic Group Left Behind: Anthologies of Folk Literature in Post-Mao China.” American Folklore Society Annual Meeting, Buffalo, NY. Oct. 19, 2018. 

16. “Hui Literature: Negotiating Ethnicity in Literary Writing.” Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference (AAS). Washington, DC. March 24, 2018.

17. “Anthologizing Hui Folk Literature for Nation Building.” American Oriental Society Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA. March 18, 2018.

18. “Female Shapeshifters and Marriage Practices: A Close Reading of Xihaigu’s Folktales from Central China.” American Folklore Society Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN. Oct. 20, 2017. 

19. “Framing Ethnic Literature in China: A case study of Modern Hui Literature.” Midwest Conference on Asian Affairs Annual Meeting, Notre Dame University, South Bend, IN. Sept. 16, 2017.

20. “Marriage Practices in Xihaigu Folk Literature.” West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV. April 11, 2016. 




Organization of International Conferences/Panels 

1.   Organizer: “Position-Takings in Chinese Ethnic Spheres: Minority Aesthetics, Agency, and Politics.” Association for Asian Studies (AAS) Annual Conference, Boston, MA. March 22, 2021.

2.   Chair: “Ecology, Ethnicity, and Embodiment: Representations of Modern China Through Cinema and Literature” South West Conference on Asian Studies. Oct. 23, 2020 (Virtual).

3.   Organizer: “Position-Takings in Chinese Ethnic Spheres: Minority Aesthetics, Agency, and Politics.” Association for Asian Studies (AAS) Annual Conference, Boston, MA. March 22, 2020. (Canceled by conference organizers).

4.   Chair and Organizer: “Oral Narratives in Asian Muslim Communities.” American Folklore Society Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. Oct. 19, 2019. 

5.   Chair and Organizer: “Literature from China’s Borderlands Conforming and Resisting the State.” Association for Asian Studies (AAS) Annual Conference, Denver, CO. March 22, 2019.

6.   Co-organizer of the Media and Memory Graduate Conference. Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. Nov. 17, 2018.

7.   Assistant for the Memory and Text in Pre-modern East Asia Workshop, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. Oct. 1–3, 2015.

8.   Assistant for the “Voices from Sichuan Workshop.” Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. Nov. 2, 2014.




Workshops

1.   “The Hui Literary Community: Centers and Peripheries as Categories of Analysis in the Study of Contemporary Ethnic Literature.” Department of Asian and North African Studies, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice, Italy. (July 17, 2023).

2.   “(Ethnicity) in Print Media: Alternative Framings of the Short Story ‘The Grey Robe’.” Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, Aug. 21, 2022. (Virtual).




Graduate Forum Papers

1.   “Unmasking Power Dynamics in Ethnic Literature: The Hui, a Case Study from China.” Edward F. Hayes Graduate Research Forum. Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. March 3, 2017.

2.   “Chinese Ethnic Literature: Authors of Hui Ethnicity.” OSU Workshop on East Asian Studies, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. March 16, 2017. 

3.   “Female Bodies and Shapeshifting.” Institute of Chinese Studies. Ohio State University, Columbus. OH, March 22, 2017.

4.   “Hui Historical Tombs in Coastal China.” Ohio State University Workshop on East Asian Studies, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. Oct. 11, 2014. 



TEACHING AND PEDAGOGICAL ACTIVITIES

List of Courses Offered (Culture and Language Courses)

F= Fall; S= Spring; Su.= Summer




Irish Institute for Chinese Studies, University College Dublin

Chinese Literature (S 2023; S 2024)

Study of Modern Chinese Language (F 2022; F 2023)

Teaching Practicum (S 2023)

Chinese Language Teaching Methodologies (Su. 2022)

Chinese Language I (F 2022; S 2022; S 2023)

Chinese Language II (S 2021; S 2022; S 2023)   




Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, Ohio State University

Chinese Traditional Culture (F 2016)

Beginning Chinese (F 2014; F 2015)

Intermediate Chinese (S 2015; F 2016)



Other Teaching Activities - As a trainer

Instructor for incoming Chinese language teachers

Irish Institute for Chinese Studies, University College Dublin (Su. 2022; Sp 2023)




Workshop Facilitator for incoming graduate students

Ohio State University (Su. 2017; Su. 2018)




Guest Lectures and Campus Talks

1.   Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Auburn University (F 2021)

2.   Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, the Ohio State University (Sp 2018)

3.   Department of Near Eastern Studies, the Ohio State University (Sp 2016)




As a trainee

Diversity and Implicit Bias Awareness Workshop Series, Ohio State University, 2018

Diversity and Implicit Bias Awareness Workshop Series, Ohio State University, 2016

Suicide Prevention Workshop, Ohio State University, 2016

Teaching Associate Training, Ohio State University, 2014

Graduate Teaching Associate Training, College of Arts and Sciences, Ohio State University, 2014

Summer Program Teacher Training (SPEAC), Ohio State University, 2013

Teacher Training Workshop, Modena University, Italy, 2013

Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, Graduate Training, Nanjing University, China, 2012

Academic advising: M.A. thesis supervised







SERVICE TO PROFESSION

Major Collaborations
Member of the Editorial Advisory Board for the Irish Journal of Asian Studies 1/2023–present
MLA Elected member of the Council-appointed Standing Committee on Graduate Students 1/2020–12/2023
Panelist at the professionalization workshop “Making Your Work Work for You: Publishing Your First Academic Article.” Modern Language Association Annual Convention 8/1/2022
Reviewer for Modern Chinese Literature and Culture 2020–present
Reviewer for Journal of the Southwest Conference on Asian Studies 2021–present
                                                                                    

University Service

University College Dublin
 
Coordinator of Commerce International’s students 8/2022-4/2024
Coordinator of the Exam Quality Assurance Committee 8/2022-4/2024
                                         

Ohio State University
Treasurer, Academic Writing Group for Chinese Studies 8/2018–6/2020
Member, Grants Administration Committee, College of the Graduate Students  8/2017–5/2020
Elected member of the Council-appointed Standing Committee of Graduate Students 6/2017–8/2018
President, Literature and Folklore in Greater China 5/2018–9/2019
Vice-president, Graduate Students of East Asian Languages and Literature 4/2017–4/2018


Community Involvement/Outreach 

Public Speaking

“Making as a Translator: Negotiating Practices in the Private Sector.” Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. March 12, 2019.

“Muslims Communities in Contemporary China.” National Consortium for Teaching about Asia, Columbus, OH. June 13, 2017.



Academic Affiliations
Modern Language Association (MLA) 2020–present

European Association of Chinese Studies (EASC) 2020–present

Italian Association of Chinese Studies (AISC) 2021–present

Association of Asian Studies (AAS) 2017–2021

American Folklore Society (AFS) 2016–2021




Languages
Italian: Native

Chinese: HSK 6

English: TOEFL: 109 

French: C1