Professor and Co-Director of Literature Program
English, Institute for the Environment and Sustainability
Michele Navakas
Introduction
I specialize in American literature to 1900, the environmental humanities, and race and material culture. My books include Coral Lives: Literature, Labor, and the Making of America (Princeton University Press, 2023); and Liquid Landscape: Geography and Settlement at the Edge of Early America (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018), winner of two book awards from the Florida Historical Society. Presently I am at work on a new book project, tentatively titled Rachel Carson Reading.
Research Interests
- American literature to 1900
- Environmental humanities
- Race and material culture
Courses Taught
- American Literature (ENG 275, ENG 349, ENG 352)
- Literature & Environment (ENG / IES 264)
- Advanced Composition (ENG 225)
Education
- Ph.D. English, University of California, Irvine (2009)
- M.A. English, University of California, Irvine (2004)
- B.A. English, summa cum laude, Boston University (2001)
Publications
- Coral Lives: Literature, Labor, and the Making of America (Princeton University Press, 2023)
- Liquid Landscape: Geography and Settlement at the Edge of Early America (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018)
Work in Progress
Rachel Carson Reading (book-in-progress)