Roxanna Curto, PhD. AB
Technology in Literature, Connections between Francophone and Latin American Theatre, and Sports in Global Cultures
In my research, I explore the representation of Western cultural elements (such as technology and sports) in 20th- and 21st-century French, Francophone and Caribbean literature. I am currently completing a book manuscript, “Inter-tech(s): Colonialism and the Question of Technology in Francophone Literature,” which examines the representation of modern technologies in the works of Francophone writers from Africa and the Caribbean. I am also writing a series of articles exploring connections between Aimé Césaire and Latin American literature, in order to argue that Césaire’s works can be interpreted from the perspectives of Afro-cubismo and negrismo, magical realism, and the “theater of development” movement. My second book project is a study of the representation of sports, especially soccer, in literature and film, focusing on their fundamental role in post-colonial body politics, nation-building, and the formation of collective imaginaries.
A reading knowledge of either French or Spanish; some broad training in a humanities discipline.
My priority is to choose a role that fits best with the student's particular interests, so that this is the best learning experience possible! I would be very happy to supervise any project related to my research and teaching interests in French, Francophone and Latin American studies. If a student were interested in assisting me with my research, I am working on several projects for which I would be delighted to receive help from an undergraduate assistant. First, an assistant could help me with final revisions for my book manuscript on technology in Francophone literature. Second, he/she could help me explore connections between Francophone and Latin American theater, by finding potential texts of study. Third, the assistant could help me identify works to study for my second-book project on sports in global culture. When I was a professor at Illinois State University (my previous institution), I had a research assistant in my last semester, and we read and discussed books and films about sports together, which was a real pleasure for both of us. As an undergraduate, I participated in a similar program (Mellon/Mentored Scholars) and greatly enjoyed my experience; now that I am a professor, I hope to provide a similarly positive experience for McNair Scholars at Iowa.
