Javier Mocarquer

Dr. Javier Mocarquer holds a Ph.D. in Literature from the University of Notre Dame, with a specialization in Latin American literature and cultural studies. He is committed to inclusive, socially engaged language education and designs student-centered courses that promote diversity, dialogue, and critical inquiry. His dynamic classroom environments encourage reflection on social justice, inequality, and cultural identity, connecting language instruction to real-world issues. Through experiential and anti-oppressive pedagogy, he fosters empathy, global awareness, and social responsibility at all levels of Spanish instruction.

His research adopts a comparative, interdisciplinary approach, integrating history, cultural studies, and gender theory. Focusing on the Southern Cone (Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay) and Brazil, his work explores how literature responds to political violence, symbolic oppression, and the lived experiences of historically marginalized communities. Drawing on intersectional and decolonial frameworks, he has written extensively on the literary legacy of Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature, positioning her as a feminist poet and public intellectual. His publications also examine modernity and Modernismo, post-dictatorial literature, and the cultural legacies of exile and memory.

Dr. Mocarquer has presented his research at national and international conferences, including the Modern Language Association, the Latin American Studies Association, and the American Comparative Literature Association. He received a fellowship from Harvard University’s Institute for World Literature and attended the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities summer school at the University of London. His scholarship challenges dominant narratives and promotes critical engagement with the complexities of the contemporary world.

He is passionate about helping students explore the connections between language, culture, and society, empowering them to become global citizens. His classes foster a supportive and interactive environment in which students feel engaged and valued.

Outside the classroom, Dr. Mocarquer enjoys independent films, global music, and art, as well as cooking, hiking, and travel.