Matthew Burkhart

Matthew Burkhart is a Lecturer in the Department of English at Case Western Reserve University. His research focuses on environmental humanities, multiethnic American literature, and indigenous studies, particularly in the U.S. Southwest. He holds a PhD in English from the University of Arizona, preceded by a Master’s in English and American Studies, and a BA from the University of Colorado’s Honors Program.

His current writing project, “Travels in the Glittering World,” examines Navajo Nation depictions in literature and film through the lenses of cultural sovereignty and environmental justice. He is also developing a second project, “The Emergent Global Sublime,” exploring global literature and visual arts addressing anthropogenic environmental changes.

Before joining CWRU, Burkhart served as a full-time Instructor at Northern Arizona University and a Visiting Assistant Professor at Colby College. His work has been published in Western American Literature and ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and The Environment. He teaches courses such as “Reading Nature Otherwise” and “The Built Sublime,” integrating his research into pedagogy.