Phyllis Burns

Phyllis Burns serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Otterbein University, specializing in African American Literatures, Hip Hop Culture, Black Women’s Culture Studies, and Black Radical Theory.

Her academic credentials include:

• B.A. from Western Michigan University (1984)
• M.A. from Western Michigan University (1998)
• Ph.D. from Michigan State University (2006)

Dr. Burns' research examines intersections of Black cultural production with politics and media, focusing on literature, film, and popular culture. She teaches innovative courses including "Dystopias," "Women & Hip Hop," "Civil Rights & the Black Power Movements," and "African American Satire," exploring themes of resistance, identity, and sociopolitical commentary through literary and cultural analysis.

She actively mentors senior projects across these domains and contributes scholarly perspectives on African American cinema, visual artists like Kehinde Wiley, and cultural institutions including Essence magazine through her column "Krik?" in Mainstream Press.