Chad Leahy

Chad Leahy is an Associate Professor with Tenure and Chair of the Department of Spanish Language, Literary & Cultural Studies at the University of Denver's College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences. He also directs the CAHSS First-Generation Student Program. His research focuses on the intersection of religion, politics, gender, and race in early modern Spain and medieval Iberia, particularly Jerusalem's role in Spain's cultural and political identity. He teaches courses such as 'Sex, Bodies, and Power in Imperial Spain' and 'Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Medieval Iberia.'

Leahy holds a Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. from Brown and Boston Universities. His publications include Jerusalem and the Early Modern Invention of Spain, co-edited Jerusalem Afflicted and Pornographic Sensibilities, and articles in Quidditas, Hispanic Review, and others. He has been involved in collaborative projects like the three-volume On the Uses and Abuses of Early Modern Spanish Culture (under contract with University of Amsterdam Press).

His scholarly work bridges historical analysis with contemporary cultural memory, examining how early modern Spanish history is leveraged in modern contexts. He actively contributes to academic discourse through edited volumes, translations, and interdisciplinary initiatives.