Jens Bonk-Wiltfang
Teacher and Researcher of Popular and Digital Culture
Hello, my name is Jens Bonk-Wiltfang and I am a researcher and teacher in American Studies.
Trained in American Literary and Cultural Studies, my research focuses on the interaction of culture, technology, and the law. In my current research project, I discuss the relationship between copyright law and "gameplay videos" (for example, Let's Play videos) and in what ways the law (or law-like constructs enforced by private corporations) allows rights holders (video game developers/publishers) to control who can say what about video games.
My work is always interdisciplinary, because culture does not conform to disciplinary boundaries. That is why I am always interested in exploring both new cultural phenomena, as well as new concepts and theories. In my time at Osnabrück University, I have worked on topics ranging from comic books and Science Fiction literature to civil disobedience and Internet activism.
Institute for English and American Studies, Osnabrück University
Assistant Professor - American Studies in Osnabrück, Germany
As "Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter," my work has included teaching undergraduate seminars, providing research assistance, managing the Institute's student exchange programs with colleges in the United States, co-organizing conferences, setting-up and administrating Wordpress and Moodle servers, designing and editing several websites, and giving casual IT support
to colleagues.
International Osnabrück Summer Institute on the Cultural Study of the Law
Intern in Osnabrück, Germany
During my internship I provided organizational and technical assistance, designed and maintained the OSI's website, and recorded, edited and published videos of the keynote lectures.
Institute for English and American Studies, Osnabrück University
Student Assistant in Osnabrück, Germany
As a student assistant, I have provided organizational assistance, technical assistance, designed and maintained websites, and provided assistance with the organization of several conferences and symposia.
Bonn Science Shop
Temporary Assistant in Bonn, Germany
My work at the Bonn Science Shop included graphic design, filming and editing of video, and providing assistance in preparation for several conference presentations.
PhD Student
Osnabrück University in Osnabrück, Germany
My dissertation is tentatively titled “Property and Authorship in Digital Culture” and is situated at the intersection of copyright law, digital technology, and video gaming cultures.
Student Exchange
City College of New York in New York City, USA
Master of Arts "English and American Studies"
Osnabrück University in Osnabrück, Germany
My MA thesis was entitled “Modes of Serialization in the Video Game Series Halo” and dealt with the structure of video games (with Halo as an example).
Bachelor of Arts "Mathematics/English" (double major)
Osnabrück University in Osnabrück, Germany
My BA thesis was entitled “Representations of the Cold War in Computer Games.”
In: Law, Culture, and the Humanities: Concepts, Methods, Approaches. Sabine N. Meyer and Peter Schneck (eds.), forthcoming.
In: Eludamos. Journal for Computer Game Culture, Vol 8, No 1, 2014.
With Christina Meyer
In: International Journal of Comic Art 15.2, 2013.
At: 63rd Annual Meeting of the German Association for American Studies (GAAS) in Osnabrück, 2016.
At: Arts and Literature. Copyrighted. in Krakow, 2015.
At: Association for the Study of Law, Culture and Humanities Annual Conference 2015 in Washington, D.C.
At: Postgraduate Forum of the German Association for American Studies 2013 in Erlangen
Participant at the 2014 Fulbright American Studies Institute
Nomination for the Hans-Mühlenhoff-Preis for outstanding teaching
21st Century American Science Fiction
Hip-Hop History
Introduction to Literary and Cultural Studies
“America, I am addressing you“: The Literature of the Beat Generation
Studying Digital Cultures
Introduction to Literary and Cultural Studies
The “Gone Home“ Parable – Reading Digital Fiction
Whatever Will Be – Reading American Speculative Fiction
Study Skills: Introduction to Literary and Cultural Studies
The Future Looking Back at Us - Reading Cyberpunk
Study Skills: Introduction to Literary and Cultural Studies
Rewrite, Remix, Remake - Cultural Approaches to Intellectual Property
Study Skills: Introduction to Literary and Cultural Studies
'Let us consider the way in which we spend our lives' - Reading Thoreau
Study Skills: Introduction to Literary and Cultural Studies
Technology in American Literature and Culture
The Wor(l)ds of Comics – Sequential Art and Serial Worlds: Literary, Cultural and Linguistic Studies of Comic Books