Ashley R. Smith

Ashley R. Smith is a Lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), affiliated with the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism. Their academic background includes a BA (summa cum laude) in English from Rider University (2009), an MA in Cinema Studies from New York University (2012), and an anticipated PhD in Screen Cultures from Northwestern University (2019).

Research Interests: Focus on film genre analysis, particularly horror cinema, and the intersection of media with cultural and social contexts. Key topics include the abjection of rural identities in horror, 1970s cinema influences, and the evolution of New American Horror. Presentations include discussions at Northwestern University and Whitman College on themes like 'Wilderness, Maniacs, and the Rural Other' and 'Grittier and Grungier: New American Horror and the 1970s.'

Teaching: Courses such as 'Film Genre: The Horror Film' explore narrative conventions, visual style, and societal impact of film genres. Teaching emphasizes genre's relationship to literature, art, and popular culture.