David McInnis and Justin Clemens elected to the Australian Academy of the Humanities
David McInnis and Justin Clemens, both Associate Professors in English and Theatre Studies in the School of Culture and Communication were among the 40 new Fellows elected to the Australian Academy of the Humanities on 24 November 2023.
Pictured L-R: Associate Professors Justin Clemens and David McInnis. Source: Di Cousens
Elected through a rigorous nomination process for their excellence and impact of their scholarship in the Humanities, David has been acknowledged as a leader in the study of early modern and Shakespearean literature, in particular the period’s drama and theatre culture.
“It’s an extraordinary honour, and I'm exceptionally proud to have my scholarship on Shakespeare recognised in this way. I've been fortunate to have had such strong support from the Faculty of Arts in this regard. Their investment in Shakespeare studies has been really inspiring.
“We've just entered into a cultural partnership with the Bell Shakespeare Company and are about to award our first Shakespeare PhD scholarship thanks to the Faculty's fundraising for the Shakespeare400 Trust, and on December 14, Prof. Emma Smith from Oxford will be delivering the inaugural Ian Donaldson Memorial Lecture, which will be an annual public event featuring distinguished Shakespeareans from around the world,” he said.
Justin has been elected for his work as a literary theorist elucidating the connections between literature, psychoanalysis, and philosophy.
“There’s an extensive nomination process involved in being elected to the Academy, I’m honoured to have been voted in by my peers. This is an important recognition for both myself and the scholarship in Humanities, despite a lot of challenges for the area of study, this demonstrates the importance of the work that we do.
“I’ve been working collaboratively with a range of experts on Australian literature and poetry, re-examining the relationships between Australia as a colony and the sorts and varieties of writing and arts that can happen here that exceed inherited European models. It’s exciting to see a lot more Indigenous scholarship and more sharing of Indigenous knowledge, it represents an exciting time for the study of humanities,” said Justin.
A significant achievement and testament to the outstanding contributions they have made to their disciplines, it is the highest honour within the humanities.
The Australian Academy of the Humanities is an independent, not-for-profit organisation with a Fellowship of over 700 humanities leaders championing their unique role in understanding the past, explaining the world we live in, and imagining and shaping the future.