Zelideth María Rivas

Dr. Zelideth María Rivas serves as Professor of Japanese in the Department of Modern Languages at Marshall University, where she has taught since 2012. She also holds the Hedrick Teaching Fellowship at the Center for Teaching and Learning. Her instructional portfolio spans Japanese language, culture, and literature courses alongside innovative Honors College offerings like 'Asian Music Videos: Beyond Bollywood.'

Professor Rivas's research revolutionizes Japanese Studies through two pioneering frameworks: Mixed Race Studies examining biracial identities in Japanese contexts, and Asians in the Americas analyzing Asian immigrant literary traditions. Her scholarship investigates race representation in post-WWII Japanese literature/film and Asian diaspora writings, challenging monolithic societal narratives.

Her significant scholarly recognition includes:

• Ford Foundation Fellowship
• Fulbright-Hays Fellowship
• West Virginia Humanities Council Award
• National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship

Professor Rivas actively mentors students through study abroad programs with Japanese partner institutions and the KIIS consortium. She has co-organized international conferences and curated a mixed-race initiative, while publishing in premier journals including Comparative Literature Studies and Journal of Asian American Studies. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges language pedagogy, cultural studies, and critical race theory.