Susanna Cassisa
Regional Research Area
Thematic Research Area
Education
B.A. in International Studies and German, University of Mississippi, 2021
About
Originally from Oxford, Mississippi, Susanna (she/her) is currently an M.A. student in Germanic Studies. She earned her B.A. in German and International Studies from the University of Mississippi in 2021, and completed her undergraduate thesis on queer activism in East Germany under the supervision of Dr. Corina L. Petrescu. Her experimental M.A. thesis is a podcast, supervised by Dr. Kyle Frackman. The project explores the history and functions of the ongoing moral panic that labels queer people as sexual predators, or “groomers.” Incorporating archival audio footage, interviews with scholars, and original narration, the podcast uses historical examples from Germany and the United States to trace this trope over the last century.
Research
Susanna’s current research interests include East German Studies, Queer Studies, and Media Studies.
Awards
Affiliated Fellowship Funding, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, University of British Columbia (2021-2022)
Best Thesis on a European Topic Award, Croft Institute for International Studies, University of Mississippi (2021)
Taylor Medal, University of Mississippi (2021)
Hans-Juergen Gaycken German Studies Excellence Award, Department of Modern Languages, University of Mississippi (2019)