معرفی
Tom Perrin is Professor of English and Chair of the Department of Language, Literature, and Communication at Huntingdon College, where he also serves as Director of the Hobbs Honors Program and Academic Outreach. He chairs the College's Race and Justice Initiative, demonstrating leadership in both academic and social domains.
His educational background includes advanced degrees from the University of Chicago and the University of Cambridge, with a focus on English Literature. He earned a B.A. and M.A. from Cambridge, followed by two M.A.s and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, and a PG.Dip. in Theatre Directing from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, London.
Dr. Perrin's research centers on 20th-century American literature, particularly middlebrow fiction, modernism, and literary aesthetics. His work explores the cultural significance of popular novels, the intersection of high and mass culture, and the role of literature in vocational and personal development. He has published extensively in academic journals and edited collections, and his monograph The Aesthetics of Middlebrow Fiction is a key contribution to the field.
His publications reveal a sustained engagement with literary form, cultural hierarchies, and the evolving role of the humanities in education. Themes of vocation, meaning, and justice recur across his scholarly and public writings, reflecting a commitment to connecting literature with broader societal concerns.
- The Aesthetics of Middlebrow Fiction: Popular US Novels, Modernism, and Form, 1945–75 (2015)
- “The Old Men and the ‘Sea of Masscult’” (American Literature, 2012)
- “Rebuilding Bildung” (Novel: A Forum on Fiction, 2011)
- “Vocation for Atheists” (blog, 2020)
- “One Way To Make College Meaningful” (NYT op-ed, 2019)
Dr. Perrin has played a key role in curriculum development and academic leadership, including co-designing a new general education program, leading the honors program, and serving as associate provost. He has secured grant funding for the College’s SACSCOC Quality Enhancement Plan focused on vocation and calling, demonstrating success in academic administration and program development. He mentors students through the honors program and has likely advised numerous undergraduate researchers, though specific students are not listed.
He leads the Race and Justice Initiative, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty, staff, and alumni to advance social justice at Huntingdon College. This initiative integrates academic, co-curricular, and alumni engagement, reflecting a holistic approach to institutional change.
