Dr. Mariajosé Rodríguez Pliego

Biography

Mariajosé Rodríguez Pliego holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from Brown University and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at Northwestern University. She is a comparative scholar specializing in Indigenous, U.S. Latinx, and Latin American literature. Her book manuscript, “Foundational Futures: Nationhood, Migration, Environment Literatures Abiayala,” delves into the linguistic nationalism of the United States and Mexico from the nineteenth century to the present. This work bridges national and disciplinary boundaries, learning from oral and written stories in English, Nahuatl, and Spanish to imagine new forms of land stewardship and belonging within the structures created by nation-states. She theorizes how the nation is inextricably linked to literary forms by examining novels, short stories, oral narratives, and poetry that capture state infrastructures such as railroads, borders, and national parks. Her research has been recognized by the American Comparative Literature Association and published in notable journals including Comparative Literature and Revista de Estudios Hispánicos. At Northwestern, she teaches interdisciplinary courses focused on Latinx studies, Indigenous literatures, and Latin American fiction.

Research Interests