Ryan Giles

Ryan Giles is a tenured Professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Indiana University Bloomington, affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. (2005) and M.A. (2003) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a B.A. (1999) from the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

• Education: UNC Chapel Hill (PhD, MA), UNC Asheville (BA)
• Affiliations: Medieval Studies Institute, Renaissance Studies Program
• Office: Global and International Studies Building 2109
• Contact: rdgiles@iu.edu

Giles specializes in Medieval and Renaissance Iberian literature, with particular focus on parody, satire, sanctity, material culture, and interreligious dynamics. His research bridges early Iberian authors like Gonzalo de Berceo and Alfonso X with early modern Spanish writers such as Quevedo and Cervantes. Recent publications explore textual materialities, sensory studies, and religious iconography.

As an educator, he teaches graduate courses on medieval Spanish literature, including topics on love narratives, the Libro de Buen Amor, and epic traditions, alongside undergraduate courses covering Hispanic literature, translation, and cultural studies. His current research investigates "Fictions of Peace in Medieval and Early Modern Iberia".

Scientific Awards

• Collaborative Fellowship, IU Institute for Advanced Study (2016)
• John K. Walsh Prize for Outstanding Essay (2008, 2016)
• Franke Institute for the Humanities Fellowship (2009-10)
• National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar (2003, 2009)

Giles has contributed to major edited volumes including A New Companion to the Libro de buen amor and The Routledge Hispanic Studies Companion to Medieval Iberia, and has translated Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library texts. His work examines evolving cultural phenomena from the Middle Ages into the early modern period, with a emphasis on theological and ritual intersections.