Henry James Morello

311 Burrowes, University Park, PA 16802 / (814) 863-4927 /  morello@psu.edu

 

Education:

 

Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies, University of Illinois, 2006.                                      

 

Dissertation: Masking the Past: Trauma and Memory in Latin American and Spanish Theatre.  Through

analysis of several Latin American and Spanish plays that represent socially disturbing historical

events I argue that their aesthetics mimic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which in turn affect the

way traumatic historical moments are remembered.

 

M.A. in Hispanic Studies, Illinois State University, 1998.                                   

B.A. in Theatre, Western Illinois University, 1989.                                             

 

Areas of Specialization:

 

Spanish and Latin American Theatre, Literature, and Culture; Film and Media Studies; Trauma Theory; Cultural Studies; Literary and Cultural Theory

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

 

Senior Lecturer .Departments of Comparative Literature and Spanish.  Pennsylvania State

University, State College, PA. (2006-Current; Lecturer 2002-2006) Internet Course Design for Comparative Film and Literature Course.  Supervisor Spanish III.

 

Graduate Teaching Assistant.  Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. University of

Illinois, Urbana, IL. (1999-2002).

 

Research Assistant. Dr. Elena Delgado. University of Illinois, Urbana, IL. (2000-2001).

 

Instructor.  Heartland Community College, Normal, IL. (1999-2000).

 

Graduate Teaching Assistant.  Department of Foreign Languages. Illinois State University, Normal,

IL. (1997-1998).

 

Teacher. Colegio Nueva Granada, Bogotá, Colombia. (1995-1996). Introduction to Theatre,

Language Arts (English).

 

RESEARCH:

 

Edited Volume:

With Sophia A. McClennen. Representing Humanity in an Age of Terror.  Special issue of CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture. 9.1 (March 2007) <http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/clcweb/vol9/iss1/>  (book with Purdue UP forthcoming 2008).

  

Articles:

 

(With Sophia A. McClennen). "Introduction" in Representing Humanity in an Age of Terror. Thematic issue of CLC Web: Comparative Literature and Culture 9.1 (March 2007) <http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/clcweb/vol9/iss1/1/>
 

 “e-(re)volution: Zapatistas and the Emancipatory Internet.”  A Contracorriente. 4.2 (2007): 54-76.

 

Translation:

“Novels of the End of the World,” by Carlos Franz.  Mediations, volume 22, Spring 1999: 144-49.

 

Research in progress: 

 
Books:
Post-Traumatic Theatre: A Transatlantic Perspective.  Revision and expansion of dissertation.

 

Stage and Screen: Revolutionary Struggle in the Information Age.  This research explores the

        way in which the indigenous groups in Chiapas, Mexico have used testimonial theatre as a tool

for identity creation and preservation, and how they then employ the Internet as a way of

disseminating this identity.

 

Articles:

 

“Two Traumas, One Aesthetic: Post-Traumatic Theory in Rodolfo Walsh’s Operación Masacre and Tectonic Theater’s The Laramie Project.”
 
“The Theatre of Public Trauma in Argentina, Chile, and South Africa.”
 
“Witnessing Trauma in Ariel Dorfman’s La muerte y la doncella and Griselda Gambaro’s Información para extranjeros.”

 

ACADEMIC EVENTS CHAIRED/ORGANIZED:

 

Co-Organizer/Chair. "Terrorism, Violence, and Topographies of Otherness" Southern Comparative Literature Association, September 2007.

 

Seminar Organizer/Chair. “Representing Humanity in an Age of Terror” American Comparative Literature Association, March 2006.

 

Panel Organizer/Chair. “Performing Humanity in an Age of Repression” Latin American Studies Association, March 2006.

 

Seminar Organizer/Chair. “Colonizing the Mind” American Comparative Literature Association, March 2005.

 

Panel Chair. “We Work: Graduate Student Activists Making Over the MLA” Modern Language Association, December 2001.

 

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS:

 

"The Effects of Terror on Latin American Theatre" Southern Comparative Literature Association, September 2007.

 

“Finding the Self: Colombian Identity in the Music of Aterciopelados” Latin American Studies Association, September 2007.

 

“The Theatre of Public Trauma” Southern Comparative Literature Association, Athens, Georgia, September 2006.

 

“Two Traumas, One Aesthetic: Post-Traumatic Theory in Rodolfo Walsh’s Operación Masacre and Tectonic Theater’s The Laramie Project.” American Comparative Literature Association, Princeton, New Jersey, March 2006.

 

“Teaching Critical Thinking After 9/11.”  Modern Language Association, December 2005.

 

“Witnessing History and Trauma in Latin America.” Latin American Studies Association Conference November 2004.

 

“Echoing Silence: Responsible Politics in and Out of the Classroom.” Modern Language Association, December 2003.

 

“Graduate Students in the Profession.” Modern Language Association (Welcoming Panel) December 2002.

 

“The Theory Behind Spanish Departments.” Modern Language Association, December 2000.

 

 

GRANT AWARDS:

 

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship for the study of Portuguese, Summer 2001.

 

University of Illinois Departmental Conference Travel Grant for December 2000 MLA.

 

Illinois State University Departmental Research Grant for Travel to Guadalajara, Mexico. Project Title: Memory and History in Mexican Theatre, 1998.

 

Talent Grant Recipient - Western Illinois University 1985-88.

 

PROFESSIONAL HONORS, AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS:

 

Incomplete List of Excellent Teachers – UIUC Fall 1999, Spring 2000, Spring 2001

 

TEACHING RECORD:

 

In Comparative Literature:

Literature of the Americas

Narrative Theory: Film and Literature

Internet Course: International Film and Literature

In Spanish:

Iberian Civilization

Ibero-American Civilization

Spanish Composition

Intermediate Spanish Grammar

Spanish Conversation

Basic Spanish

                In English:

                         Introduction to Film

 

EXTERNAL SERVICE (SELECTED):

               

Book Review Editor Comparative Literature and Culture CLCWeb (2005-)

President – Graduate Student Caucus of the MLA – 2002-3

Web Master – Graduate Student Caucus of the MLA – 2004-6

 

INTERNAL SERVICE (SELECTED):

 

Teaching Mentor, Department of Comparative Literature – Pennsylvania State University

Graduate Representative to Faculty – University of Illinois

Graduate Student Advisory Group - Representative – Illinois State University

Graduate Committee - Student Representative – Illinois State University

Fine Arts Planning Committee - Western Illinois University

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

               

Modern Language Association

             Latin American Studies Association

             American Comparative Literature Association

             Southern Comparative Literature Association

               

OTHER SKILLS:

 

Taught Computer-Aided Courses

Online Teaching

Web Design

Digital Video Editing

 

Theatre Experience:

 

Professional Actor – Chicago Actor’s Ensemble, Oklahoma Shakespeare Festival, Torso Theatre

Plays Directed – La agonía del difunto, Bogotá, Colombia 1996

Play scripts – Still Life with Death, University produced in Debrecen Hungary; “The Killing Game” Citation recipient with Emerging Artists Project 1994.