Leila Ben-Nasr

Excerpt from Leila’s teaching philosophy

“In my classroom, students are exposed to varying historical, cultural, religious, literary, folk, and scholarly critical perspectives. We examine literature in order to find the truth in our own shared human experience. I believe firmly in my students’ capacity to learn and grow in the traditions of more than just one culture. … [D]eveloping empathy and respect for those who are `unlike ourselves’ and the cultural negotiations inherent in understanding ourselves and others is essential in navigating the globalized world.”

From student recommendation

“She is the most organized and motivated person I have ever seen… [She] has an obvious passion for teaching that shows through making her a very intuitive and attentive instructor. She is very good at listening and asking pointed questions to get us thinking during class hours and outside of class hours as well… Her efforts to interact with us on [a personal] level really encouraged me to push myself in both my reading and writing… She is very knowledgeable about her subject matter and is one of the most caring and engaging graduate students that I know.”

Research and scholarship interests

Leila's primary research interests are devoted to examining the narrative space of childhood in contemporary Anglophone Arab literature published in the 21^st century.