Dr. Elvira Aballi Morell

Biography

Elvira Aballi Morell earned a B.A. from the University of Havana and her Ph.D. in Spanish and Portuguese from Vanderbilt University. Her research interests encompass Afro-Hispanic and Afro-Latinx studies, Black diaspora, theories of the archive, and public digital humanities. She has published work on significant authors such as Nicolás Guillén, Juan Francisco Manzano, Cirilo Villaverde, Manuel Mendive, Eduardo Roca, Sara Gómez, Belkis Ayón, and Junot Díaz in reputable journals including Hispanic Review, Latin Americanist, Hispanic Issues, Afro-Hispanic Review, and Cuban Studies. As a classically trained flutist, she also enjoys curating eclectic Spotify playlists that range from Portuguese fados to German lieder. Currently, she is completing a book manuscript titled 'Afraid Sikán? Myth, Gender, Afterlife in the Abakuá Society,' which examines the figure of Sikán—a central element of the Abakuá foundation myth—through questions of gender, spirituality, and power. Before joining Princeton University, she taught in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Vanderbilt University and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, as well as the Center for Talented Youth program at Johns Hopkins University.

Research Interests