Nicole McCleese

Nicole McCleese is an Assistant Professor (fixed-term) in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures at Michigan State University. Her work bridges feminist literary theory, queer studies, and medical humanities, with a focus on temporalities in contemporary literature and disability narratives. She teaches courses such as Human Values in the Arts & Humanities, exploring rage in black, feminist, and queer disability stories through social media and literary analysis.

Her research examines narrative delay, historical performance, and sadomasochism in feminist speculative fiction. Key projects include a monograph on masochistic time in works by authors like Octavia Butler and Samuel Delany, and co-editing an anthology on Kathy Acker’s legacy. Her writing engages with science fiction, medical humanities, and pedagogical approaches to #MeToo-era feminist literature.

Mccleese’s publications span African American Review and edited collections on science fiction and teaching methodologies. She is actively involved in interdisciplinary scholarship, blending literary analysis with disability studies and temporal theory.