Tara Powell

Tara Powell is an Associate Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of South Carolina's McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. Her academic foundation includes a PhD (2004), MA (1999), and BA (1997) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Research Focus: She specializes in 20th-Century American Literature, Southern Literature, and Poetry, with active projects examining verse memoirs, the Waldensian diaspora through poetry, and Doris Betts's short fiction. Her work frequently intersects with cultural studies, foodways, and regional identity.

Publications Overview: Her scholarship predominantly analyzes Southern cultural narratives, poetry, and fiction through critical essays examining race, gender, and regionalism in contemporary works. Recent writings explore film adaptations, African American literary identity, and feminist perspectives.

Academic Service:

• Poetry Editorial Board Member: Weber: The Contemporary West (2007–present)
• Executive Committees: South Atlantic Modern Language Association (2014–2016), Society for the Study of Southern Literature (2013–2015)
• Chair: Southern Writers Speaker Series (2007–2012)