“Enfreakment in (Transnational) North American Culture” Conference at Leipzig University, Germany Institute for American Studies 22-23 May 2025 Organizers: Katja Kanzler, Ella Ernst, Laura Pröger, Anna Gaidash, Annika Schadewaldt, Stefan Schubert From the freak shows of the 19th century to contemporary odd, extraordinary, or otherwise exceptional characters, the ‘freak’ as a figure has seen tremendous popularity throughout US literature