Nataliya A research project on The Lord of the Rings has been launched at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. The project, taking Cultural Studies approach, examines a series of cultural issues triggered both by J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel and Peter Jackson’s films. It targets academic audience as well as popular readers. The outcome of the project includes a book, provisionally entitled How We Became Middle-earth. All persons interested in making a contribution are welcomed to contact either Dr. Adam Lam or Nataliya Oryshchuk for further information on the project.