Josh Matthews

Josh Matthews is a Professor of English at Dordt University, specializing in early American literature, science fiction, and film analysis. He earned his PhD from the University of Iowa (2012), MA from Kent State University (2005), and BA from Indiana University (2003). His academic work bridges literary criticism with Reformed Christian thought, focusing on Dante's influence in America and technical writing pedagogy.

• Affiliations: Dordt University, Walt Whitman Archive, Walt Whitman Quarterly Review, Pro Rege journal
• Teaching: Leads off-campus study in Florence for Dante/Italian Renaissance class

Matthews' research spans:
• Science Fiction: Christian engagement with genre fiction
• Dante Studies: 19th-century American receptions of The Divine Comedy
• Civil War Literature: Whitman's Drum-Taps and Melville's periodical fiction
• Media Criticism: Analyzing film's cultural impact through his YouTube channel "Learning About Movies"

His 2012-2017 publications explore intersections of Dante, Whitman, and Melville with American cultural history, focusing on how classical European literature shaped American writers during the Civil War era. Articles appear in journals like Christian Scholar's Review and Leviathan.

Teaching initiatives include international fieldwork in Florence and technical writing courses. He also contributes film criticism to public platforms, examining technology's ethical implications in works like The Circle (2017).