About
Alice Rutkowski is a Professor and Chair of the Department of English at the State University of New York at Geneseo, within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She joined the faculty in 2003 and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. Her research focuses on the Civil War and Reconstruction eras, queer theory, and trans politics, with notable publications analyzing 19th-century literature and LGBTQ+ identities. Rutkowski has received prestigious awards including the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching (2012) and the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service (2022).
Her teaching portfolio includes courses such as Literature and the Civil War, Queer Nineteenth Century, and Feminism and Pornography. Since 2021, she has chaired the English department and serves as chair of the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society selection committee. She founded Geneseo's LGBTQ Issues Working Group in 2013 and coordinates the Safe Zone Network, offering allyship trainings for marginalized communities.
Rutkowski’s scholarship bridges historical analysis and contemporary gender studies, often examining how literary works reflect societal struggles around race, gender, and identity. Her recent work, including Trans Feeling in the Nineteenth Century (2023), expands trans studies into earlier historical contexts. She has also contributed to journals like Radical Teacher and Legacy: A Journal of American Women Writers.
In addition to her academic roles, Rutkowski advocates for inclusive education through initiatives like the Safe Zone Network, emphasizing intersectionality in disability and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Her service contributions include curriculum development and institutional equity efforts.
