Juliana Fillies

Juliana Fillies serves as Assistant Professor of Spanish in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, specializing in Afro-Latin American literary and visual representation. Her binational academic background bridges German, Brazilian, and U.S. institutions with expertise spanning literary analysis, historical photography, and diaspora studies.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Spanish - Arizona State University
• Ph.D. in Comparative Literature - University of Cologne (Germany) and State University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

Research Focus: Dr. Fillies investigates identity construction in Latin American cultural production through intersecting lenses of race, gender, and visual archives. Her work critically examines how 19th-20th century photography shaped narratives of Afro-Latin American communities, particularly in Brazilian and Cuban contexts, while analyzing literature's role in resistance politics and postcolonial discourse. This interdisciplinary approach combines literary theory with historical archival research to challenge dominant narratives of representation.

Publication Trends: Recent scholarship reveals consistent thematic evolution toward visual culture analysis, with increasing emphasis on photographic archives as primary historical sources. Her work spans Brazilian literary studies, Cuban independence narratives, and Central American feminist texts, demonstrating methodological versatility across Spanish, Portuguese, and interdisciplinary journals while maintaining core focus on African diaspora experiences.

Awards:

• Franklin Research Grant, American Philosophical Society (2022-2023, $6000)

Grants and Mentoring: The Franklin Research Grant supported critical archival work on Cuban photographic collections. As Assistant Professor, Dr. Fillies mentors students in Spanish literature and cultural studies while developing curricula focused on Latin American visual cultures and diaspora histories, though specific advisees aren't documented in current materials.