Mary E. Papke

Mary E. Papke is a Professor of English at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences. Her research focuses on American literary naturalism, gender studies, and 19th-/20th-century literature. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from McGill University and a B.A. from the University of Illinois.

Dr. Papke’s scholarly work includes monographs such as Twisted from the Ordinary: Essays on American Literary Naturalism (2003) and edited works like Susan Glaspell: A Research and Production Sourcebook (1992). Her recent publications analyze feminist reinterpretations of naturalist texts and pedagogical approaches to gender studies.

• Recipient of the D. Allen Carroll Distinguished Teaching Professorship (2015–2017)
• Notable UT Woman of the Year (2018)
• Multiple teaching awards including the John C. Hodges Excellence in Teaching Award (1987)

Her articles explore intersections of naturalism with commodity culture, gender, and contemporary literature. She has contributed to journals like Studies in American Naturalism and The Forum: The Present and Future of Higher Education.