Anne Coleman

Anne Coleman serves as Associate Professor of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame, where she teaches courses including Sports and American Culture, American Wilderness, Sports and Environment, and 20th century cultural history. Her research critically examines the intersections of identity, power, and environmental narratives within outdoor recreation industries.

Her scholarly focus encompasses:

• Racial dynamics in outdoor sports accessibility
• Historical evolution of national parks and wilderness conservation
• Technology's mediation of natural experiences
• Labor practices of professional outdoor guides
• Cultural production of sporting identities
• Environmental justice in recreational spaces

Analysis of her publications reveals a trajectory from foundational race studies in 1990s skiing culture to contemporary examinations of digital mediation and embodied labor in wilderness access. Her work consistently connects material practices of recreation to broader cultural power structures, with increasing emphasis on how technology and professional guiding reshape human relationships with wild landscapes.

Professor Coleman mentors American Studies students through research projects on cultural-environmental intersections, supported by grants enabling extensive archival work on river histories and ethnographic field research for her forthcoming book on professional guides. Her scholarship demonstrates sustained commitment to exposing hidden power dynamics within seemingly neutral outdoor experiences.