Dr. Ryan Schneider

Biography

Ryan Schneider holds an A.B. magna cum laude in History and Literature from Harvard University, an M.A. in English from Duke University, and a Ph.D. in English from Duke University, awarded in 1998. He specializes in 19th and early 20th-century American literature, with a particular emphasis on Transcendentalism, African American literature, and Critical Race Theory. His book, "Public Intellectualism: Ralph Waldo Emerson, W.E.B. Du Bois, and the Emotional Dimensions of Race Reform," published by Palgrave Macmillan, is part of the Cognitive Studies in Literature and Performance series. Professor Schneider's articles have appeared in the American Transcendental Quarterly and Arizona Quarterly, among other edited collections. He has received numerous internal research awards from Purdue University and external fellowships from the American Antiquarian Society and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Currently, he is completing a book on cognitive approaches to racial difference in African American speculative fiction. His research examines evolving representations and interpretations of Henry David Thoreau’s "Walden" in literature and popular culture. Schneider is a long-time member of the Editorial Board of San Diego State University Press and a founding member of the Cancer, Culture, and Community Program at Purdue University, which explores the human response to cancer through art and literature. He teaches a wide range of courses in American literature and has received 30 teaching awards at both undergraduate and graduate levels, including the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award from the College of Liberal Arts and the Overall Excellence in Teaching Award from the English Department, along with being a two-time recipient of the Center for Undergraduate Instructional Excellence Fellowship. He has 6 years of experience as the Director of Graduate Studies and 1 year as the interim Director of the Literature, Theory, and Cultural Studies Program.

Research Interests

Experience