Wessam Elmeligi

Wessam Elmeligi is an Associate Professor of Arabic Studies and Comparative Literature at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, specializing in Literary Theory. He holds leadership roles as Director of the Center for Arab American Studies, Director of the Arabic Translation Certificate, and Director of the Comparative Literature Certificate. His affiliations include the Center for Middle Eastern & North African Studies (CMENAS), the Global Islamic Studies Center, and the Department of Language, Culture, and the Arts.

He earned a PhD (2000), MA (1997), and BA (1993) in Literary Theory and English Literature from Alexandria University, Egypt. Additional training includes a 1995 British Council-sponsored program on British culture and a 1999 Fulbright Summer Institute on contemporary literature.

Elmeligi’s research focuses on narratology, visual narratives, gender studies, and SWANA cultures. He explores classical Arabic texts like the Arabian Nights and Shahnameh alongside modern works such as graphic novels and films, emphasizing themes of cultural identity, psychoanalysis, and intermediality. His books include The Poetry of Arab Women from the Pre-Islamic Age to Andalusia (2019) and Cultural Identity in Arabic Novels of Immigration (2020), which critically examine women’s poetry and migration narratives across centuries.

His recent work (2021–2024) expands into digital humanities, VR applications in empathy studies and language education, and performativity in Arab cinema. Elmeligi’s articles often bridge traditional literary analysis with modern visual media, such as graphic novels and film adaptations. His conference presentations address postcolonialism, diaspora studies, and medieval Arabic poetry.

• Awards:
  • Nominated for Educator of the Year at Macalester College (2013)
  • Academic Excellence Faculty Award at Alexandria University (2007)
  • Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (2008–2009) and multiple Fulbright grants (1999, 2008–2009)

Elmeligi has directed academic programs for over 20 years, including roles at Middlebury College and Macalester College. He co-developed the 'Hyphenating Identities' course (2018) on multiculturalism in Al-Andalus and the Americas. Beyond academia, he authored and illustrated graphic novels Jamila (2017) and Y & Y (2016), integrating narrative and visual arts.