Dr. Karin Roffman

Biography

Karin Roffman is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Humanities Program at Yale University, where she also serves as the Associate Director of Public Humanities. Her academic work focuses on American literature and cultural studies, particularly the writings and influence of noted poets and artists. Roffman has authored the biography 'John Ashbery, Songs Know John Ashbery’s Early Life' (Farrar, Straus Giroux, 2017), which was recognized as one of the 100 notable books of 2017 by The New York Times. She previously held the position of Associate Professor of English at the United States Military Academy at West Point and has been a Visiting Professor of Literature at Bard College. Her research interests include Modernist literature, especially the works of women writers, and she has contributed to various academic journals and publications. In 2019, Roffman collaborated with the Yale University Digital Humanities Lab to create 'John Ashbery’s Nest', a virtual tour website highlighting Ashbery’s Hudson house. She has received several fellowships and grants throughout her career to support her research endeavors, including those from the American Council of Learned Societies and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Her scholarly contributions extend to discussions on the intersection of art and literature, particularly in the context of 20th and 21st-century American writers and painters.

Research Interests