Mercedes Mayna-Medrano

Mercedes Mayna-Medrano is an Assistant Professor of Spanish and Hispanic Studies at Union College, affiliated with the Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) and Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies programs. She holds a Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and prior degrees from Peru's Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Her research focuses on Andean-Amazonian Studies, decolonial frameworks, and 19th-century Latin American literature.

Education:

• B.A. and Licenciatura in Hispanic Literature (Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú)
• M.A. in Linguistics (Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú)
• Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies (University of Pennsylvania)

Her research explores how marginalized communities are represented through literature, with a focus on melodrama's role in shaping perceptions of Indigenous peoples. She co-founded the Andean-Amazonian Reading Group, which received NY6 Seed Grants in 2023 and 2024, and is currently completing a book analyzing fear and melodrama in 19th-century Andean texts.

Teaching specialties include decolonial approaches to Latin American studies, gender studies in literature, and language pedagogy. She designs courses blending cultural analysis with contemporary issues like health, environment, and indigeneity.

Grants & Leadership:

• NY6 Seed Grant awardee (2023, 2024)
• Organizer of interdisciplinary reading group analyzing Andean-Amazonian cultural production

Her work bridges academic scholarship with community engagement, emphasizing Latin America's cultural complexities through a decolonial lens.