Campana wins MLA’s Scaglione Prize for book on Japanese poetry

Andrew Campana, assistant professor of Asian studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, has received the Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for East Asian Studies from the Modern Language Association of America for his book "Expanding Verse: Japanese Poetry at the Edge of Media," a study of work by poets who push the genre in unexpected directions.

The prize is awarded annually for an outstanding scholarly work in East Asian or East Asian diaspora literary or linguistic studies. It will be presented on Jan. 9 during the Modern Language Association's annual convention.

In an interview when it was published in December 2024, Campana said one of his aims for the book was to introduce readers to a wide range of exciting poets who are not usually discussed as literary figures, even within the realm of Japanese poetry. He features the poetry of, among others, 1920s socialite Sachiko Ōi, disability rights activist Hiroshi Yokota, 1980s alternative pop star Jun Togawa and contemporary feminist poet ni_ka, who draws together girl's culture and digital technology.

Read the full story on the College of Arts and Sciences website.