Dawn Duke is assistant professor of Spanish and Portuguese in the Department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures. She specializes in Afro-Latin American literature and cultural studies. Her book, Literary Passion, Ideological Commitment: Toward a Legacy of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian Women Writers was released in October 2008, by Associated University Presses. The study examines Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian women writers and analyzes the roles of women of African descent in Cuban and Brazilian literature.
Duke has published various articles on race, gender, and writing in Cuba, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
Research Interests
- 19th-century portrayals of Afro-Hispanic and Afro-Brazilian female characters
- Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Brazilian women’s organizations
- Black Movement activism
- African religions in the Americas
- Feminism in Latin America
- Mestizaje, racism, and ethno-cultural identity