Craig Smith

Craig Smith is a part-time faculty member in the Department of English at Wayne State University, where he has been teaching since 1998. He holds a Ph.D. in English from Wayne State University (2003) and a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan (1984). His research focuses on LGBTQIA2+ and BIPOC literature, queer theory, animal studies, and intersections between poetry and cinema.

Smith has received WSU Thompkins Awards for his play The Pansy Craze (2000) and essay Friends of Dorothy (2001). His work spans poetry, prose, and literary criticism, exploring themes of identity, empathy, and non-human subjectivity. He emphasizes a teaching philosophy rooted in fostering empathy and intellectual curiosity.

Recent courses include ENG1010 - Basic Writing, taught in 2023, 2024, and upcoming in 2025. Though not on campus this semester, his contributions to queer literature and interdisciplinary studies remain notable.