jana
marlene
mader
I am a writer, professor, translator, and artist, with a deep connection to both the creative and academic fields. As a professor in the Environmental Humanities at Bard College, my research and teaching focus on the interrelationship between nature and the arts, particularly in the Hudson River Valley and New York. As Director of Academic Programs at the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College, I focus on the themes of courage and collective action inspired by Arendt's writings.
I have published four books, working on both fiction and nonfiction projects. In my writing, too, I explore how the arts shape our understanding of the natural world — and how nature, in turn, influences art. In addition to writing and teaching, I occasionally paint, drawing inspiration from the landscapes and histories that surround me. I live in Upstate New York and Munich.
Out now:
Walk Her Way New York City
A Walking Guide to Women's History
2025, Hardie Grant
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I’m now on Substack! Rooted in walking, Fieldnote Fridays arrives in your inbox once a week — a photo (often a Polaroid) and a short reflection from a walk; a glimpse of the world as I saw it that week. Small, poetic entries — part diary, part field guide. I hope you’ll join me. Subscribe for free and walk along.
My first novel was published in 2018 and my latest book on the literary Hudson River and Rhine came out in 2023. Walk Her Way New York City, an illustrated walking guide was published by Hardie Grant in February 2025.
Before coming to Bard, I taught at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and at The Juilliard School. I received my doctorate from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich. My research and teaching focus on the relationship between nature and the arts.
As a translator, I specialize in texts from English into German. Since 2012, I have translated both shorter texts and entire books in the fields of politics, history, the environment, art and literature.
From time to time I paint. My works have been exhibited in galleries in New York and featured in magazines in the U.S. and Germany. I support organizations and good causes with my art; fundraisers have included Mission Blue and support for Ukraine.
As professor of environmental studies, my work focuses on the connections between spaces, health, and history. For Walk Her Way, we curated walks through New York City, each of them along women's history. The book will be published in March 2025.
portrait photo: AnneRaft Photography