New Books Network Creators & Guests

Lavinia Stan is a professor of political science at St. Francis Xavier University in Canada, specializing in comparative politics, transitional justice, and Eastern European studies. Her research focuses on post-communist democratization, church-state relations, and the politics of memory in Romania and beyond. She has authored and co-edited numerous books and scholarly articles on political repression, lustration policies, and the role of religious institutions in democratic transitions. A respected voice in her field, Stan frequently contributes to international discussions on human rights and justice reforms in post-authoritarian societies.

Christian Heel is one of the host of the New Books Network.

Dr. Iqra Shagufta Cheema is a scholar and educator specializing in visual cultures, transnational feminisms, postcolonial literatures, and feminist cinema. Her interdisciplinary research explores how gender, race, and power dynamics are represented and contested through various cultural and artistic forms. Dr. Cheema's work often addresses issues of identity, resistance, and agency within global and postcolonial contexts, contributing to broader conversations about feminism and cultural critique. She writes and teaches on these subjects, aiming to bridge academic scholarship with public discourse on social justice and representation.

Victoria Phillips is an adjunct lecturer at Columbia University, and author of the book Martha Graham's Cold War.

Maggie Freeman is a PhD student in the School of Architecture at MIT. She researches uses of architecture by nomadic peoples and historical interactions of nomads and empires, with a focus on the modern Middle East.

Charles Coutinho is a diplomate in political history. He has written for Chatham House’s International Affairs.

Christina Obolenskaya is a writer and scholar whose work has appeared in Literary Hub, Harvard Review, and Ploughshares. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in global history through a joint program at Columbia University and the London School of Economics. Her writing explores a range of literary and historical themes, reflecting her interdisciplinary academic background.

Shobhana Xavier is an associate professor.

Galina Limorenko is a doctoral candidate in Neuroscience with a focus on biochemistry and molecular biology of neurodegenerative diseases.

Jonathon Lookadoo is Associate Professor at the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in Seoul, South Korea, specializing in early Christianity and the Apostolic Fathers. He is the author of scholarly works on figures such as Ignatius of Antioch, the Epistle of Barnabas, and the Shepherd of Hermas, including The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch (Cascade, 2023). His research explores the development of early Christian theology, ecclesiology, and scriptural interpretation, contributing to both academic discourse and the understanding of early church history. Lookadoo is recognized for his rigorous textual analysis and engagement with patristic sources.

Susan Liebell is a researcher, writer, author, and associate professor and pre-law advisor at Saint Joseph University.

Dr. Raj Balkaran is a writer, teacher, researcher, and author of the book The Goddess and the Sun in Indian Myth.

Pierre d'Alancaisez is a curator and critic.

Karyne Messina is a Psychoanalyst and the author of books about Misogyny, Populism, Donald Trump, Narcissism, Putin's invasion of Ukraine, The Corruption of Democracy and Blame Shifting.

Kelly Spivey is a writer and documentarian.

Hollay Ghadery is a multi-genre writer living in Ontario on Anishinaabe land.

Ashis Roy is a psychoanalyst practicing in Delhi.

Carrie Figdor is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Iowa. Her research focuses on the philosophy of mind, metaphysics, and ethics. Before pursuing a career in philosophy, Figdor was a journalist with the Associated Press for eleven years.

Michele Ford is a professor of southeast asian studies and director of the sydney southeast asia centre at the University of Sydney.