معرفی
Laura Mielke serves as the Dean's Professor of English and Interim Department Chair at the University of Kansas. She specializes in 19th-century U.S. literature, Indigenous and African American literatures, early American drama, and performance studies. Her research examines intersections of literature, politics, and performance, with a focus on pre-20th-century America.
Education: B.A. in English/Philosophy from Saint Olaf College, M.A. and Ph.D. in English from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill).
Key research areas include:
- Antislavery oratory influenced by theater
- Sentimentalism in Native American removal contexts
- Indigenous performances in early settler literature
- Contemporary remixes of 19th-century culture
Publications:
- Provocative Eloquence (2019)
- Native Acts (2011)
- Moving Encounters (2008)
- Broadview Anthology of American Literature (co-ed.)
Recognitions:
- Frances L. Stiefel Teaching Professorship (2021-24)
- University Scholarly Achievement Award (2020)
- Franklin Research Grant (2020)
- Multiple teaching excellence awards
Her work bridges literary analysis with performance studies, including studies of John Brougham's burlesque theater and Indigenous gothic aesthetics. Current projects explore Black orators' audience dynamics in the 19th century. She advises graduate students in American literature and directs departmental initiatives.
