Supritha Rajan

Supritha Rajan is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Rochester, affiliated with the School of Arts & Sciences. Her research bridges literature, intellectual history, and philosophy, focusing on 19th-century British literature and critical theory. She holds a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has taught at institutions including the University of Washington and UNC-Chapel Hill.

Her scholarly work includes A Tale of Two Capitalisms (2015), awarded the MLA First Book Prize, which examines intersections of literature, anthropology, and political economy. She is completing Transparent Forms, exploring Enlightenment-era cognitive attitudes across sciences. Rajan also publishes poetry, with works like Fabula under consideration, and has received honors such as ACLS fellowships and the Richard Hugo Poetry Prize.

• Education: PhD, English (UNC-Chapel Hill, 2007); MA, Comparative Literature (UW, 2001); AB, Philosophy (Oberlin, 1995)
• Research Interests: Victorian literature, critical theory, creative writing
• Professional Service: MLA Executive Committee member, poetry editorships, conference organizing

Rajan’s teaching spans 19th-century literature, critical theory, and creative writing, with courses like 'Victorian Literature and Science' and poetry workshops. She advises the Undergraduate English Council and contributes to University governance through roles on the Faculty Council and Curriculum Committees.

Her awards include the MLA First Book Prize (2015), ACLS Fellowship (2015-16), and multiple teaching/service recognitions. She regularly presents at conferences like NAVSA and MLA, and her poetry appears in journals such as Poetry Northwest and Colorado Review.