Raymond De Luca

Raymond De Luca is an Assistant Professor of Russian Studies at Emory University’s Department of Russian and East Asian Languages and Cultures (REALC). Previously, he held an assistant professorship at the University of Kentucky and earned his Ph.D. in Slavic Languages & Literatures from Harvard University, with a secondary focus in Art, Film, and Visual Studies. His interdisciplinary work bridges Soviet and Russian cinema with animal studies, philosophy, and ecology. He has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Russia and a Harvard Mahindra Humanities Center Dissertation Fellowship.

Dr. De Luca’s research examines ethical and philosophical dimensions of cinema, particularly in the works of Andrei Tarkovsky and Soviet-era filmmakers. His first book, *And the Cow Burned: Animals and Philosophy in the Cinema of Andrei Tarkovsky*, critiques Tarkovsky’s use of animal imagery, while his current project, *The New Soviet Animal*, explores how Soviet ideology redefined the human-animal relationship post-1917. He is the book review editor for the *Journal of Soviet and Russian Cinema Studies* and actively engages students in independent research projects.

His teaching spans all academic levels, emphasizing original research and scholarly publication. He encourages students to pursue conference presentations and graduate studies through mentorship in academic writing and critical analysis.

Dr. De Luca’s scholarly contributions include articles on Soviet and Eastern European cinema, focusing on themes like race, gender, environmentalism, and intermediality. His work has been published in journals such as *Slavic and East European Journal* and *Canadian Journal of Film Studies*.