Bio

Kristen Whissel received her Ph.D. from Brown University. Her research focuses on articulations of American modernity in early cinema, including representations of the Spanish-American wars, new technologies at World's Fairs and expositions, and the "white slavery" scandals. Her articles include: "The Gender of Empire: American Modernity, Masculinity and Edison's War Activities" published in A Feminist Reader in Early Cinema; "Regulating Mobility: Technology, Modernity, and Feature Length Narrativity in Traffic in Souls" published in Camera Obscura; and "Placing the Spectator on the Scene of History: The Battle Reenactment at the Turn of the Century, from Buffalo Bill's 'Wild West' to the Early Cinema" which appeared in The Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. She is completing a book manuscript entitled Picturing American Modernity: Traffic, Technology and the Early Cinema.

Kristen Whissel was the recipient of the 2007 Divisional Distinguished Teaching Award for Senate Faculty Members. The award is given for significant contributions to teaching and service in the Arts and Humanities Division of the College of Letters & Science.