REBECCA NISETICH
Ph.D., English
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR / DIRECTOR
HONORS PROGRAM
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE
SKYPE: REBECCA.NISETICH
PHONE: (207) 780-4189
RESEARCH
In its broadest sense, my scholarship is characterized by my sustained effort to listen for marginalized voices, to unearth the experiences of disempowered and silenced figures. The primary focus of my current research is the exploration of identity formation and contestation in twentieth century multiethnic American fiction. I look at literary representations of fraught and fragmented identities—racial, communal, familial, civic, and national. My approach combines methodologies from literary and cultural studies, law, and racial formation and critical race theories.
TEACHING
I believe that teaching students to read mindfully and to write thoughtfully are fundamental acts of social justice. Together, these skills empower students to harness their intellectual power, to find and cultivate their own voices, and to begin to see themselves not only as learners but also as agents of change. Writing and engaging with the world are inseparably intertwined. I strive to realize this ideal in my teaching, encouraging students to cultivate habits of mind that enable them to challenge their ideas and assumptions both within and beyond the classroom.