Laura Chrisman

Laura Chrisman is a Professor of English at the University of Washington's College of Arts & Sciences, holding the Nancy K. Ketcham Endowed Chair. She is affiliated with the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies' Africa Studies Program and contributes to the Nancy K. Ketcham Endowed Chair in English. Her academic work bridges literary criticism with transnational political analysis.

Education:

• B.A. (Honors) in English Language and Literature, University of Oxford (1984)
• D.Phil. in English Literature, University of Oxford (1992)

Chrisman specializes in African literature, postcolonial theory, and Black Atlantic studies with particular focus on South African literary resistance and imperial discourse. Her current research traces transnational connections between early 20th-century African-American and South African black nationalist intellectual traditions.

Her publications demonstrate sustained engagement with anti-imperial critique across multiple disciplinary frameworks, including cultural studies, historical analysis, and literary theory. This work intersects with her teaching in British Empire literature, globalization, and postmodern fiction.

Scientific Awards:

• Recognized in University of Washington Faculty Awards (2023-2024)

Chrisman has supervised 11 PhD dissertations exploring diverse postcolonial themes, from Victorian masculinity's impact on colonial narratives to contemporary literary responses to disaster in Haiti and the Gulf Coast. She teaches courses on globalization, cultural studies, and African literatures.