Waïl S Hassan

Waïl S. Hassan is a Professor and Head of the Program in Comparative and World Literature at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. He holds additional appointments in English, French and Italian, and interdisciplinary centers including the Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory, European Union Center, Center for African Studies, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, and Center for Global Studies. His research focuses on Arabic and Arab Diaspora literatures, transnational studies, postcolonial theory, and comparative literature, with a current emphasis on the Arabic novel and Arab cultural interactions with the Americas. Hassan earned his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from UIUC in 1998.

His notable works include Arab Brazil: Fictions of Ternary Orientalism (2024) and essays on Arab-American literature and global South literary comparisons. His affiliations span multiple academic centers, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to literature and culture.

Recent publications highlight his exploration of South-South relations, transnational narratives, and the geopolitical dimensions of world literature. His work bridges Arabic, Brazilian, and North American literary traditions, emphasizing cultural translation and postcolonial identity.