About Faculty in English

Our faculty are distinguished for their innovative scholarship, compelling creative writing, professional leadership, and pedagogical talent.

two people sitting near a desk in an office setting, facing each other; one person points to a piece of paper with a pen.

Leaders in Literary Studies and Creative Writing

Our faculty are nationally and internationally acclaimed scholars and creative writers—they make us not only a celebrated and top-raked English department but also a great place to study literature and creative writing. They research, publish, and teach across the American, British, and World literatures, combining geographical with historical coverage. They produce cutting-edge research and publish bestselling books and bring their expertise to the classroom. Browse academic faculty fields below. 

American Literatures

Our American Literature faculty illuminates powerful, inspiring voices, and complex histories. From early Indigenous narratives to contemporary stories, they examine how literature has shaped and responded to American experiences. 
Patrick Alexander

Patrick Alexander

  • Associate Professor of English and African American Studies
Andrew Bishop

Andrew Bishop

  • Instructor in English
Leigh Anne Duck

Leigh Anne Duck

  • Associate Professor of English
Timothy Earley

Timothy Earley

  • Instructor in English
Cristin Ellis

Cristin Ellis

  • Associate Professor of English and Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Environmental Studies
Adam Gussow

Adam Gussow

  • Professor of English and Southern Studies
Jaime Harker

Jaime Harker

  • Director of the Isom Center and Professor of English
Max Hipp

Max Hipp

  • Instructor in English
Kathryn McKee

Kathryn McKee

  • Director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, McMullan Professor of Southern Studies, and Professor of English
Richard Purcell

Richard Purcell

  • Hubert H. McAlexander Chair in English and Associate Professor and Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Cinema Studies
Justin Raden

Justin Raden

  • Instructor in English
Peter Reed

Peter Reed

  • Professor of English
Ethel Scurlock

Ethel Scurlock

  • Dean of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and Associate Professor of English and African American Studies
Eric Solomon

Eric Solomon

  • Instructor in English and Southern Studies
Annette Trefzer

Annette Trefzer

  • Professor of English
Alba Tomasula Y Garcia

Alba Tomasula Y Garcia

  • Instructor in English
Caroline Wigginton

Caroline Wigginton

  • Chair and Professor of English

British and World Literatures

Our faculty specializing in British and world literatures explore how English-language literature connects cultures across time and space. Their work ranges from the early British greats like Beowulf and Shakespeare to the global stories that redefine the boundaries of the literary experience. 
Adetayo Alabi

Adetayo Alabi

  • Professor of English