Tobias Feldmann's research explores network narratives of the 20th and 21st century, investigating interconnectivity in complex works of fiction through a spatial, social, and digital lens.
Feldmann's research focuses on contemporary German, British, and American network literature, drawing primarily on spatial, network, and narrative theory. In his dissertation, he investigated the connection between characters and space in “Cloud Atlas” (Mitchell), “Die Häuser der anderen” (Scheuermann), and “Ruhm” (Kehlmann), revealing intricate narrative networks that connect both characters and spatial elements equivalently. Transcending the limitations of traditional, linear novels, these texts draw on themes of global connectivity and technology to problematize the issues of a contemporary and future world in a multi-faceted way. The creative component of his hybrid dissertation consists of Malzwolff, a novel comprised of five individual, yet interconnected stories that follow about a dozen different characters through their respective narratives.
Feldmann earned his bachelor's degree in German Studies and History from the University of Erfurt, Germany. During that time, he received the PROMOS fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to study at Chungnam National University in Daejeon, South Korea. He earned his master's degree in German Literature from Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany, and his Ph.D. in German & Comparative Literature, International Writers Track, from Washington University in St. Louis.