Dr. Erica Edwards

Biography

Professor Erica Edwards teaches courses in American literature, Black studies, and feminist theory. Her primary research interest lies in African American literature, exploring the intersection of literature, politics, social movements, and popular culture through the lens of Black feminism. Edwards's recent book, 'Side Terror: Black Women Culture U.S. Empire' (New York University Press, 2021), received significant recognition, including the American Studies Association's John Hope Franklin Prize for outstanding book in American Studies. She has also written 'Charisma Fictions Black Leadership' (University of Minnesota Press) which won the Modern Language Association’s William Sanders Scarborough Prize. In addition to her scholarly contributions, she serves as co-editor for the text, 'Keywords for African American Studies' (NYU Press, 2018) and has published in various prestigious journals such as 'Callaloo', 'American Quarterly', and 'American Literary History'. Edwards previously taught at Rutgers University and the University of California, Riverside, where she was instrumental in founding the Lindon Barrett Scholars Mentoring Program. She is also a co-founder of the University of California Consortium for Black Studies in California.

Research Interests

Experience