Eleanor Courtemanche

Eleanor Courtemanche is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois, holding appointments across multiple departments including Comparative & World Literature, English, Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory, and Germanic Languages and Literatures within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Her academic profile bridges literary scholarship with cultural and political theory, with a specialized focus on Victorian literature and its intersections with economic thought.

Her educational background includes a BA from Yale University (1990, summa cum laude), followed by an MA (1994) and PhD (1998) in Comparative Literature from Cornell University. This strong foundation in comparative approaches informs her interdisciplinary scholarship that spans literary studies, economics, and political theory.

Professor Courtemanche's research explores economic and political approaches to Victorian fiction, history of economic theory in Europe and America, utopian novels, urban planning history, narrative theory, and irony and comedy. Her work demonstrates how literary forms interact with economic thinking and social organization, particularly during the 19th century. She has developed innovative courses examining Victorian socialisms, machine dreams in Victorian utopias, and sustainability concepts in Victorian Britain.

Her recent publications reveal a trajectory from specialized Victorian studies toward broader cultural critique, increasingly engaging with contemporary political issues including feminism, digital culture, and academic integrity in the age of artificial intelligence. This evolution reflects her commitment to connecting historical literary analysis with urgent present-day concerns about democracy, technology, and social justice.

Professor Courtemanche maintains an active public intellectual presence through her blog and publications in venues like Public Books, where she addresses topics ranging from Trump-era politics to the cultural implications of generative AI. Her writing combines scholarly rigor with accessible commentary that reaches beyond academic audiences.

Her teaching portfolio includes undergraduate courses like Victorian Literature and Culture and The British Novel, along with specialized graduate seminars exploring topics like 'The Industrial Novel and the Rise of Cultural Studies' and 'Victorian Political Radicalism.' Her pedagogical approach emphasizes the relevance of historical literary forms to contemporary theoretical and political questions.