Peter Gibian

Peter Gibian is an Associate Professor in the Department of Literature at McGill University’s Faculty of Arts, specializing in American literature and culture before 1900, short story studies, public sphere theory, and cosmopolitanism. He holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University, an M.A. from New York University, and a B.A. from Yale University. Currently on sabbatical, Gibian has taught previously at Stanford University and Williams College.

His research focuses on tracing cosmopolitan traditions in American writing, examining oral modes of expression in Whitman’s poetics, and analyzing transnational and critical theoretical frameworks. Notable works include Oliver Wendell Holmes and the Culture of Conversation (2001), which won the NEASA Best Book Prize, and Mass Culture and Everyday Life (1997), which he co-edited.

Recipient of several teaching awards—including McGill’s Principal’s Prize (2009), the H. Noel Fieldhouse Award (2003), and the SSHRC Research Grant (2006-2009)—Gibian’s scholarly contributions span American Renaissance studies, public sphere theory, and transnational literature. His current projects explore cosmopolitanism in 19th-century American thought and the influence of oratory/conversation on Whitman’s work.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. (Stanford University)
  • M.A. (New York University)
  • B.A. (Yale University)
• Grants/Awards:
  • SSHRC Research Grant (2006–2009)
  • Principal’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching (2009)
  • NEASA Best Book Prize (2001)
• Past Affiliations:
  • Stanford University
  • Williams College