Susan Weinstein

Susan Weinstein is the MacCurdy Distinguished Professor of English at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, specializing in English Education and New Literacy Studies. She serves as President of the Board of Directors for Humanities Amped, a nonprofit promoting critical pedagogy. Dr. Weinstein holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago and previously taught high school English in Chicago and Cochabamba, Bolivia.

Her research explores three interconnected domains:

• Youth Spoken Word Poetry: Examining its pedagogical applications and role in youth development
• Urban Youth Literacies: Investigating writing practices in marginalized communities
• Critical Pedagogy: Developing transformative educational frameworks through Humanities Amped

Her scholarly publications demonstrate a consistent focus on youth agency through literacy, with recent works analyzing poetry slam culture, community literacies, and ethical teaching practices. A secondary research thread addresses public health communication strategies.

Honors include the MacCurdy Distinguished Professorship. Her leadership at Humanities Amped facilitates community-engaged scholarship connecting academic research with youth empowerment initiatives in Baton Rouge.