Prof. John Plotz (ENG) has been awarded a 2011-2012 academic year Guggenheim Fellowship for his current book project titled Semi-Detached: The Aesthetics of Partial Absorption, according to an April 9 BrandeisNOW article. "It feels fantastic," Plotz said in an interview with the Justice. He also said that the fellowship, which will grant him between 6 and 12 months that he may spend at his discretion for his work, will allow him to set aside time to focus on the research surrounding his project.

According to Plotz, he will spend a few weeks in Kelmscott, England at the home of William Morris, a 19th-century poet and artist who Plotz said contributed greatly to his research.

"It's always been important for me to try spend more time getting inside his head, ... and that is what I hope to do during this research trip," said Plotz.

According to its website, the Guggenheim Fellowship is awarded through two annual competitions to applicants who have "demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Candidates must apply to the Guggenheim Foundation to be considered for either competition. Applicants are reviewed by experts in their own field before a network of advisers and former Guggenheim Fellows submit reports on the applicants of their respective fields. Their recommendations are sent to a selection committee, which then makes the final decisions. Between 3,500 and 4,000 applications are received each year, and only about 220 of them receive the award each year.

According to Plotz, his work on semi-detachment is about being absorbed in a piece of art while simultaneously being present in the real world.

Plotz said that he looked at both modern and 19th-century mediums of art consumption in real life for his book.

"This project really began with my thinking about what it means to ride around listening to your iPod while riding your bike," said Plotz.

According to Plotz, his current project also stems from two previous projects: One, a book titled The Crowd: British Literature and Public Politics, which examined the role of crowds, riots and demonstrations in 19th-century British literature, and his more recent book titled Portable Property: Victorian Culture on the Move, which looks at the role portable items such as jewelry and other trinkets in the lives of members of Victorian society.

"[This project] brings together a bunch of things I have been thinking about for a long time," said Plotz.

Plotz also said that he had begun his project by focusing on semi-detachment in the 21st-century.

However, like in his two former projects, he soon broadened the scope of the project so it now includes 19th-century ideas, specifically art.

"For the first time, I really found a way to talk about 19th century paintings, which is something that I wanted to do for a long time," said Plotz.

"I realize [semi-detachment] applies, not just to our own lives nowadays, but that it really helps me understand a lot of paintings that I really love from the Victorian period."

Plotz said that while comparing semi-detachment in both time periods, he knew that there would be differences between the two.

"I knew one big difference was going to be this whole notion of a wired generation," said Plotz, meaning the question regarding if current generations, especially the college-age generation, are "hardwired" differently from members of previous generations.

Plotz noted that interactions with social media as well as consumption of media through the Internet and electronic devices would also be a main difference and question to explore in terms of literature, music and art.

However, Plotz also said that there were similarities between semi-detachment concerning 19th-century art and that of 21st-century media.

He described these similarities, listing the central issue of being immersed in a piece of art or being detached from real life, while still dealing with everyday issues as an example.