Vol. 20 No. 1 (2026): Hans Christian Andersen on the Move

150 years after his death, Hans Christian Andersen remains one of the most widely disseminated and adapted authors in the world. This special issue examines both the national and the international circulation of his works and explores how they have been translated, transformed, and reinterpreted across different linguistic, cultural, and medial contexts. Drawing on reception and translation theory as well as world literature frameworks, the contributions analyze how Andersen moves between national anchoring and global dissemination.

This issue comprises a series of research articles that have been subjected to double-blind peer review alongside the editors’ own assessment. It further includes a selection of more experimental, essayistic pieces, which have been peer reviewed by the editors.

The special issue originates from the conference Hans Christian Andersen as World Literature, held in Odense in August 2024 as part of the Sapere Aude research project of the same name, funded by Independent Research Fund Denmark. The conference was additionally supported by the Carlsberg Foundation.

The cover illustration features a linocut portrait of Andersen and accompanying prints, both carved and printed by Sarah Bienko Eriksen. Photograph by the artist.