Dr. Thomas Gustafson

Biography

Thomas Gustafson is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in English from Stanford University, which he obtained in 1986, and also earned a B.A. in English History from Yale University in 1975. His research interests primarily focus on Colonial and 19th century American literature, American political discourse, and contemporary literature. He is known for his scholarly contributions on American literature, with a keen interest in the cultural contexts of Los Angeles and the American West. Furthermore, his work includes investigations into New Jersey's literary history, exploring the intersection of literary forms with regional historical narratives and the arts, encompassing music and film. Gustafson has published notable works including "American Anti-Pastoral: Brookside, New Jersey Garden State Philip Roth" with Rutgers University Press and "Representative Words: Politics, Literature, American Language, 1776-1865" with Cambridge University Press. He was awarded the USC Raubenheimer Outstanding Junior Faculty Award in 1990, recognizing his impactful contributions to education and scholarship.

Research Interests

Awards