Amanda Ellis

Amanda Ellis is an interdisciplinary researcher and Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Houston, specializing in Mexican American Literature and Culture. Her work bridges Chicana Feminism, Medical Humanities, and Ethnic Studies.

Education:

• Ph.D., English, Rice University
• M.A., English, Rice University
• M.A., Ethnic Studies, San Francisco State University
• B.S., Psychology, Barry University

Research Interests focus on decolonial healing practices in Mexican American literature, particularly through the lens of curandera traditions. She examines intersections between medical humanities, Latina/o/x identity, and social justice movements, often analyzing how cultural trauma manifests in literary and artistic forms.

Her scientific awards include the UH 2022 Provost’s Teaching Excellence Award and the NACCS 2020 Chicana Caucus Publication Award. Current Book Project: Letras y Limpias: Decolonial Medicine and Holistic Healing in Mexican American Literature (Arizona University Press, Fall 2021) expands these themes.

She teaches courses in Mexican American Literature, Literature and Medicine, and Women Writers, with a focus on US Latina/o/x Literature and Young Adult Literature. Her publications span journals like Chicana/Latina Studies, Aztlán, and Western American Literature, often addressing decolonial aesthetics and health disparities.