Elizabeth Wheeler

Elizabeth Wheeler is a Professor of English, Disability Studies, and Comics Studies at the University of Oregon’s College of Arts and Sciences. She is also the artistic director of Perfect Circle Theater, a community-based initiative collaborating with students and individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities to create plays from shared stories. Her research focuses on disability representation in comics, literature, and public discourse, emphasizing intersections of race, class, gender, and nationality. Wheeler has authored HandiLand: The Crippest Place on Earth (2019) and co-edited special issues on disability in children’s literature and graphic medicine. She received the 2023 UO Faculty Excellence in Universal Design Award and the 2018 LILAC Award for disability advocacy.

Wheeler’s teaching integrates creative methods like comics creation, memoir writing, and role-playing to engage students beyond traditional essays. She pioneered the University of Oregon Disability Studies Minor, designing its curriculum and core courses. Her community work includes the Inside Out Prison Education Program, the UO Literacy Initiative, and partnerships with organizations like Mobility International USA and DanceAbility International. Current projects include a graphic novel on youth anxiety and a history of ableism for K-12 educators as an open-access resource.

Her academic contributions span disability studies, comics analysis, and American literature. Recent publications explore representations of madness in Batman, Afrofuturism, and intersections of disability with race and gender. She advocates for universal design in education, prioritizing accessibility and adaptability to meet diverse needs.