Sandra M. Gustafson

Sandra M. Gustafson is the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of English and Concurrent Professor in the Department of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame. She holds affiliations with the Center for Civil and Human Rights and the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. Her research focuses on literature and deliberative democracy theory, religious rhetoric, and peace education, with notable works including Imagining Deliberative Democracy in the Early American Republic (2011) and Eloquence is Power (2000). She has edited volumes like The Norton Anthology of American Literature and co-edited Reimagining the Republic (2022).

Her scholarship bridges literary analysis with political theory, exploring how early American literature shaped democratic ideals. She received an NEH fellowship (2014) for a project on the American novel and the early peace movement. Gustafson’s work frequently addresses intersections of religion, conflict resolution, and civic engagement, reflecting her commitment to interdisciplinary dialogue.

• Awards: NEH Fellowship (2014)
• Editorial Roles: Advisory editor of Early American Literature, co-editor of Cultural Narratives

Her research also extends to peace education and the role of literature in fostering consensus, informed by her affiliations with Notre Dame’s peace and justice initiatives.