Brianna Burke

Brianna Burke is a Visiting Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Hamilton College. She also holds an associate professor position in American Indian Studies and Environmental Humanities within the English Department at Iowa State University. Her work bridges environmental justice, American Indian studies, climate change, and animal studies.

• Ph.D., Tufts University
• M.A., Tufts University
• B.A., Saint Michael's College

Burke’s research focuses on the intersections of climate justice and animal studies, particularly how human-animal relationships are portrayed in literature and media. She is currently completing a book titled Becoming Beast: The Humanimal in Climate Justice Literatures, which examines shifting ideologies of animality in resource-scarce contexts.

Her recent publications include analyses of Bong Joon-ho’s Okja and Thomas King’s The Back of the Turtle, exploring themes of climate ethics, postcolonial narratives, and speculative fiction. These works highlight her interdisciplinary approach, integrating environmental humanities with critical animal and Indigenous studies.