Dr. Jennifer Wilks

Associate Professor

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Biography

Jennifer M. Wilks is an Associate Professor and the Director of the John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. She specializes in Comparative African American and Caribbean literatures, as well as contemporary African diasporic literature and Francophone literature. Her recent works include a book titled 'Carmen Diaspora: Adaptation, Race, Opera's Famous Character,' which examines the adaptation of Carmen within African diasporic contexts, and 'Race, Gender, Comparative Black Modernism,' exploring the legacies of the Harlem Renaissance and the Negritude movements. In addition to her teaching, Wilks has published a number of essays in prestigious journals such as the African-American Review and Callaloo. She has also conducted research on the representations of race and apocalypse in contemporary literature. Her academic career includes visiting professorships in Paris, and she has held leadership roles at the Texas Institute for Literary and Textual Studies. Wilks is recognized for her excellent teaching and has received multiple awards, including the Harry Ransom Award for Teaching Excellence. She is actively involved in the academic community, having chaired significant conferences and contributed to podcasts discussing race and literature.

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Professor

2006-01-01 — Present

University of Texas at Austin • Austin, TX, USA

Full-time faculty focusing on African American and Caribbean literature.

Visiting Associate Professor

2013-01-01 — 2013-05-01

Université Sorbonne Nouvelle-Paris 3 • Paris, France

Engaged in teaching and research as part of a faculty exchange program.

Visiting Assistant Professor

2006-01-01 — 2006-05-01

Université Paris Nanterre • Nanterre, France

Provided instruction in African American literature and culture.

Awards

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Harry Ransom Award for Teaching Excellence

2018-01-01
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Thomas Cable Upper-Division Teaching Award

2010-01-01
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Raymond Dickson Substantial Writing Component Teaching Award

2006-01-01

Courses

Apocalyptic Narratives African Literature Since Harlem Renaissance African American Writers in France Caribbean Literature End of World in American Literature and Culture

Requirements for University of Texas at Austin

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
GRE General
TOEFL
Total
Required:79
IELTS
Overall
Required:6.5
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Application fee
  • Official transcripts
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • CV/Resume
Specialization Notes

General requirements for the Graduate School at UT Austin apply to all programs unless otherwise specified.