Benedict Anderson is Aaron L. Binenkorb Professor Emeritus of International Studies, Government & Asian Studies at Cornell University and he received his PhD from Cornell's Indonesian Studies program in 1957.  Professor Anderson is best known for his celebrated book, Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, which forged a new field of study when it first appeared in 1983.  Since then it has sold over a quarter of a million copies and is widely considered the most important book on the subject.  His most recent books include Under Three Flags: Anarchism and the Anti-colonial Imagination (2005), The Spectre of Comparisons: Nationalism, Southeast Asia, and the World (1998) and Language and Power: Exploring Political Cultures in Indonesia(1990).  He is also widely regarded as an authority on twentieth-century Indonesian history and politics.

The Ian Watt Lecture in the History and Theory of the Novel commemorates the renowned Stanford professor whose work has profoundly influenced literarystudy for nearly 50 years. This lecture presents an annual opportunity to discuss core intellectual issues surrounding the novel and literary studies. If you have questions, please contact Lupe Carrillo (lupec@stanford.edu), Mike Benveniste (mbenv@stanford.edu) or Kenny Ligda (kenligda@stanford.edu). 

The Center for the Study of the Novel
Stanford University
Alex Woloch, Director

Co-Sponsored by The Stanford Institute For Creativity and the Arts