Dr. Cristina Visperas

Associate Professor

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Biography

Cristina Visperas researches cultural politics of science and medicine, focusing on race and state/state-sanctioned violence. Drawing from her background in science, she examines how the work of experts reproduces social hierarchies while being mobilized for the ends of justice and social good. Her book, 'Skin Theory: Visual Culture and the Postwar Prison Laboratory' (NYU Press), is an abolitionist study of postwar medical science experiments conducted in prisons and the emergence of modern American bioethics. Her current project analyzes the complicated relationship between emotion and scientific knowledge in the context of accelerating climate and public health catastrophes. Visperas is affiliated with the editorial board of Catalyst: Feminism, Theory, Technoscience.

Research Interests

Cultural Politics Race and State Violence Medical Science and Ethics

Awards

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Finalist, Association for the Study of the Arts Present Book Prize

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Honorable Mention, Rachel Carson Book Prize, Society for Social Studies of Science

Courses

COMM 206: Communication Culture COMM 451: Visual Communication Social Change COMM 476: Crisis Culture: Anthropocene COMM 649: Methodologies Cultural Studies GESM 131g: Science Communication Post-Truth Era

Requirements for University of Southern California

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Listening
Required:20
Reading
Required:20
Writing
Required:20
Speaking
Required:20
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Listening
Required:6
Reading
Required:6
Writing
Required:6
Speaking
Required:6
Overall
Required:6.5
GRE General
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Math, or Hard Science
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • Personal Statement
  • Resume/CV
  • Letters of Recommendation (not required for MS CS, but allowed)
Specialization Notes

GRE is NOT required for Master's applicants for 2025-2026.