Directory

Biography

Elena Valdez received her Ph.D. in Hispanic Literature from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, where she also completed her M.A. studies. Prior to joining the faculty at Christopher Newport University, she taught at Swarthmore College.
Professor Valdez specializes in Hispanic Caribbean Literature, U.S. Latina/o literature, 20th-21st Century Latin American Novel, Gender and Queer Studies and Diaspora Studies. Within Latina/o and Caribbean studies, her principal interests include queer sexuality, urban space, national identity and visual culture.
Professor Valdez has published a number of articles on contemporary Caribbean literature in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. She has presented on a range of topics at professional national and international conferences, such as the Modern Language Association and the Latin American Studies Association. She is currently working on a book manuscript on the politics of gender, sexuality and urban space in the Hispanic Caribbean.
At CNU, Professor Valdez teaches courses on Spanish-Speaking Caribbean literature and Latina/o literature, as well as Spanish language courses.