Dr. Maria Hadjipolycarpou

Biography

Maria Hadjipolycarpou is a Teaching Assistant Professor focusing on Modern Greek Studies, with an academic background in postcolonial Mediterranean studies. She earned her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Michigan. Her research investigates the intersections of autobiography, politics, and narratives within the literary communities of the Eastern Mediterranean. Maria's work also explores themes such as religion, modernity, state dynamics, class, gender, and identity in Mediterranean literature. She is completing a book on narrative communities and islandness in the Eastern Mediterranean, along with a forthcoming study on peaceful coexistence in post-secular societies. Maria has presented her research widely across the United States, Canada, and Europe, and has been actively involved in organizing panels for academic organizations such as the Modern Language Association (MLA), the American Comparative Literature Association (ACLA), and the Modern Greek Studies Association (MGSA). Before joining Illinois, she served as a Visiting Fellow at the Center for European and Mediterranean Studies at New York University (2016-2017) and held the James Winn Graduate Student Fellow position at the Institute for the Humanities at the University of Michigan (2013-2014). With prior teaching experience at Columbia University and the City University of New York, she continues to contribute to her field through public lectures and scholarly endeavors.

Research Interests

Experience

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