Martin Puchner Named Professor of English and Comparative Literature

Cambridge, Mass. May 11, 2010 - Martin Puchner, a prolific and wide-ranging author of works on modern drama, philosophy, and world literature, has been named professor of English and comparative literature at Harvard University, effective July 1, 2010. Puchner comes to Harvard from Columbia University, where he has been the H. Gordon Garbedian Professor of English and Comparative Literature since 2006. "A rising star, Professor Puchner is widely regarded as a vital presence of growing stature and influence," says Diana Sorensen, dean of arts and humanities in Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. "His writings have reshaped how we see modernism, theatricality, and performance. With his range, acuity, and depth, he will benefit not only his department and the students in his courses, but the humanities and arts at Harvard as a whole." Puchner has written extensively on drama, philosophy, and world literature for both scholarly and general audiences. He is an editor of the Norton Anthology of Drama (W.W.