Meg Wesling

Meg Wesling is an Associate Professor of US Literatures at UC San Diego, affiliated with the Critical Gender Studies Program. She previously served as faculty director of UC Education Abroad Program in France (2013–2015). Her research focuses on intersections of American literature, sexuality studies, feminist theory, and queer theory, with a particular emphasis on colonialism and diaspora. Wesling holds a Ph.D. in English from Cornell University, an M.A. in Cultural Studies from Carnegie Mellon University, and a B.A. in French with a Women’s Studies certificate from Indiana University.

Education:

• Ph.D. in English, Cornell University (2004)
• M.A. in Cultural Studies, Carnegie Mellon University (1998)
• B.A. in French (with Women’s Studies certificate), Indiana University (1995)

Research Highlights: Wesling’s monograph Empire’s Proxy: American Literature and US Imperialism in the Philippines (NYU Press, 2011) analyzes colonial narratives. Her recent work critiques neoliberalism’s impact on queer identities and explores diasporic consciousness in literature. She has been recognized with Hellman and UC San Diego Faculty Research Fellowships.

Publications Overview: Her articles span queer diaspora theory, postcolonial literature, and the politics of marriage equality. Notable themes include queer kinship in diasporic contexts, the role of colonial education, and the intersection of sexuality with neoliberal academia.

Awards & Grants: Recipient of Society for the Humanities fellowship (Cornell) and UCSD Hellman Fellowship. Her work bridges critical theory with literary analysis, addressing contemporary social issues through historical and cultural lenses.