Harvey Michael Teres

Harvey Michael Teres is the William P. Tolley Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities at Syracuse University, where he teaches in the Department of English within the College of Arts & Sciences. He has been a dedicated faculty member with extensive contributions to literary studies, particularly focusing on 20th-century American literature and culture.

His educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in English from the University of Chicago (1986)
• M.A. in English from the University of Chicago (1981)
• B.A. in English from Cornell University (1972)

Teres's research interests center on the public role of literature and criticism, with particular emphasis on literary leftism and the political presence of literature in American culture. His work bridges academic scholarship with public engagement, exploring how literature interacts with broader societal issues. He has made significant contributions to Jewish American studies and Holocaust literature, examining how these subjects intersect with American cultural identity. Teres is particularly known for advocating publicly engaged scholarship—research projects based on sustained and reciprocal relationships with non-academic communities.

His publication record reveals a consistent focus on the relationship between literature, politics, and public life throughout the 20th century. Teres has traced the evolution of literary leftism from the New York Intellectuals through the New Left, examining how political movements have shaped literary criticism and cultural production. His more recent work emphasizes community-based approaches to humanities scholarship, as evidenced by his oral history project on ordinary Americans' experiences with beauty. This trajectory shows a progression from historical analysis of literary politics to practical models for connecting academic work with community engagement.

Among his notable honors:

• William P. Tolley Distinguished Teaching Professor for the Humanities, CAS, Syracuse University (2024-2026)

Teres has been actively involved in academic service, including membership on the Senate Committee on Curriculum and Instruction, the Undergraduate Committee for English, and the University Senate's Academic Freedom, Tenure, and Professional Ethics Committee. He has served as Faculty Coordinator for Sigma Tau Delta and as a Reader of Graduate Field Exams. His teaching spans a wide range of courses including World Literature, American Literature, Holocaust in American Literature, and various topics in Ethnic Literatures and Cultures. Teres previously directed the Jewish Studies Program and was the first Faculty Representative to the Syracuse University Board of Trustees.

His academic journey includes six years as a labor organizer in Chicago factories before returning to earn his advanced degrees, which informs his perspective on the relationship between intellectual work and social engagement. Teres has supervised numerous M.A. theses and dissertations on topics ranging from William Bronk's poetry to Appalachian literature to community and social justice in New Deal literature.