Mrinalini Chakravorty

I was fascinated by stories long before I became a literary studies scholar. Today, I teach and research modern literature with special attention to the global circulation of novels. I’m interested in how colonialism shapes our perceptions of the world and what we say and feel about our place in it. My first book, In Stereotype explored how colonial cultural stereotypes continue to influence our attitudes towards others. I'm now writing about radical sexual politics in literature. My next book, The World Republic of Queer Letters, shows how a vast network queer exchanges constitute world literature. My curiosity about why literature travels between vastly different cultures, places, and languages comes from my own migrations. Aside from Charlottesville, I have lived in eight cities and towns in three different continents over the course of my life. Over the years, I’ve also found great joy in discovering how places and people are joined by literary and related art forms such as music, painting, film, graphic art, and poetry. I’m excited about teaching in the Engagements where I hope to share in the thrall of good storytelling with students and to probe the lessons they impart.