Dr. D Smith

Biography

D. Vance Smith's work focuses on African decolonial literature theory, Africanfuturism, history anthropology, and medieval roots of colonial administrative ideological structures, and ecocriticism. His recent book, 'Atlas’s Bones: African Foundations of Europe' (University of Chicago, 2025), explores the intellectual history of classical and medieval production of knowledge in Africa and the imposition of medieval structures of knowledge governance in African colonies. Smith is currently writing a related book, 'Blood Flowers,' which studies the environmental human costs of African conservation flower-farm industries and examines medieval roots of land laws. He engages in community building and radical pedagogy in Trenton, where he is actively involved with local arts organizations. His 2020 book, 'Arts Dying: Literature and Finitude in Medieval England,' examines the medieval experience of beginnings, middles, and ends. He has written articles on topics such as Chaucer in Africa and medieval literary philosophy. Smith is a Fulbright Scholar and has held fellowships at prestigious institutions. His teaching and research interests include British literature, literary theory, medieval literature, and postcolonialism.

Research Interests