American Studies Faculty

Mary Ellen Curtin Associate Professor CAS | Critical RGC Studies

Mary Ellen Curtin has a Ph.d from Duke University and is a historian of modern African American and women's social and political history. Her first book Black Prisoners and Their World documented the

  curtin@american.edu

  (202) 885-6168

Tanja Aho Senior Professorial Lecturer CAS | Critical RGC Studies

Dr Tanja Aho is a Senior Professorial Lecturer in American Studies, where Dr Aho teaches the core classes of the Disability, Health, and Bodies Certificate as well as other classes focused on disabili

  aho@american.edu

Lydia X. Z. Brown Adjunct Professorial Lecturer CAS | Critical RGC Studies

Lydia X. Z. Brown is an advocate, organizer, attorney, strategist, and writer whose work focuses on interpersonal and state violence against disabled people at the intersections of race, class, gender

  lydiab@american.edu

Tyler Christensen Professorial Lecturer CAS | Critical RGC Studies

K. Tyler Christensen holds a PhD in American Literature & Culture from the English Department at The George Washington University. The expanse of his doctoral work is concerned with storytelling that

  christen@american.edu

Donald Collins Adjunct Professorial Lecturer CAS | Critical RGC Studies

Donald Earl Collins is a freelance writer and historian who has written on the topics of multiculturalism, education reform, race, and the history of African American and American identity for more th

  collinsd@american.edu

Anthony Gualtieri Adjunct Professorial Lecturer CAS | Critical RGC Studies

As a public anthropologist working in the District of Columbia, I research creative economic development, placemaking, public policy, and inequality.

  anthonyg@american.edu

Christina Juhasz-Wood Professorial Lecturer CAS | Critical RGC Studies

Christina Juhász-Wood is a Professorial Lecturer in the American Studies Program where she teaches courses on American culture and history, poverty, and critical refugee studies. Her work focuses on s

  cjwood@american.edu

Anna Kaplan Professorial Lecturer CAS | History

Anna Kaplan researches and teaches 20th Century US history and public history. Her focus is memory and the creation and uses of public narratives about race, particularly African American, white, and

  afkaplan@american.edu

Theresa Runstedtler Associate Professor CAS | History

Theresa Runstedtler is a scholar of African American history whose research examines Black popular culture, with a particular focus on the intersection of race, masculinity, labor, and sport. Her crit

  runstedt@american.edu

  (202) 885-6991

Hye Young Shin Senior Professorial Lecturer CAS | World Languages and Cultures

Dr. Shin received her PhD in Multilingual and Multicultural Education from George Mason University and Master’s degree in TESOL from American University. As a native Korean, she has taught both herita

  hshin@american.edu

  (202) 885-1513

Alison Thomas Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer CAS | Literature

Alison Thomas has taught at AU since 2005, and has offered courses in the Department of Literature and in the American Studies Program. Her research focuses on information literacy and the teaching of

  athomas@american.edu

  (202) 885-8945

David Vazquez Associate Professor Literature and CRGC, Program Director of Latinx Studies CAS | Critical RGC Studies

David J. Vázquez is Associate Professor of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies and Director of the Latina/o/x Studies Program. He teaches courses on comparative Latina/o/x literature and cultur

  dvazquez@american.edu

Katharina Vester Associate Professor CAS | History

Katharina Vester is Associate Professor of History & American Studies at American University in Washington, D.C. She specializes in cultural theory, transnational studies, and the dynamics of power in

  vester@american.edu

  (202) 885-2409

Lily Wong Associate Professor CAS | Literature

Lily Wong is an Associate Professor in the departments of Literature (LIT) and Critical Race Gender & Culture Studies (CRGC) at American University. She also serves as an Associate Director of Faculty

  wong@american.edu

  (202) 885-2987