Editor's Note

Abstract

Issue 37 of RSAJournal devotes its Special Section, guest edited by Ali Dehdarirad, Giorgio Mariani, and Sascha Pöhlmann, to (Re)Reading Encyclopedic Narratives in the Digital Age, exploring Edward Mendelson’s influential concept of the encyclopedic narrative, its critical transformations and renewed significance in the context of digital culture, algorithmic forms of representation, and changing conceptions of textual totality. The Articles section brings together three essays that investigate the intersections of ideology, subjectivity, and historical change in American culture. Their subjects range from Richard Linklater’s A Scanner Darkly as a critique of mental illness under neoliberal capitalism, to Eliza W. Farnham’s gendered vision of Manifest Destiny during the California Gold Rush, and a reassessment of John Steinbeck’s In Dubious Battle through Erich Fromm’s theory of authoritarianism and the psychology of the crowd. The Forum, Outside In, Inside Out: Teaching American Studies in a Changing World, edited by Ingrid Gessner, examines the teaching of American Studies from transnational perspectives, highlighting innovative pedagogical practices developed across different European contexts. Finally, the First Edition, edited by Fulvia Sarnelli, presents the posthumous publication of Alex Kuo’s final poem, accompanied by an introduction that situates the text within the author’s broader literary trajectory and reflects on memory, historical violence, and ethical witnessing. The Editor’s Note also marks the conclusion of the current editorial team’s tenure, reflecting on the journal’s recent transition to fully digital open-access publication and reaffirming RSAJournal’s commitment to international scholarly dialogue within American Studies.