Claire Curtis

Claire Curtis serves as Professor of Political Science at the College of Charleston, teaching core courses including Introduction to Political Thought and specialized seminars on Utopia/Dystopia. Holding doctoral and master's degrees from Johns Hopkins University alongside a Bowdoin College bachelor's, her academic profile integrates political philosophy with literary analysis of speculative fiction genres to examine evolving conceptions of justice in societal collapse scenarios.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science from Johns Hopkins University
• A.B. in Political Science from Bowdoin College

Professor Curtis investigates how utopian, dystopian, postapocalyptic, and climate fiction function as experimental spaces for political theory. Her research traces connections between fictional narratives and philosophical frameworks—from Hobbesian social contracts to Nussbaum's capabilities approach—demonstrating how authors critique contemporary societies while envisioning radically restructured communities. This work reveals historical shifts in justice conceptions, particularly regarding disability rights and ecological crises in contemporary climate fiction.

Publication analysis shows progressive expansion from early social contract examinations in postapocalyptic settings toward current interdisciplinary engagements with disability studies and eugenics. Her scholarship consistently demonstrates how speculative fiction provides vital testing grounds for civic values during societal transformation, with increasing attention to marginalized perspectives in imagined futures.

Scientific Awards:

• No awards or fellowships documented in available materials

Professional activities focus on teaching and publication without mention of student mentorship or research grants. Her office in the J.C. Long Building reflects standard humanities faculty infrastructure without specialized laboratory requirements, consistent with theoretical literary analysis methodology.