Elena  Peña Argüeso

Contact Information

4027 LCLB
Instructor

Education

2025                 Ph.D. Spanish, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2019                 M.A. Spanish, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2014                 M.A. Teaching English as a Foreign Language, University of Sevilla, Spain

2013                 M.A. English, University of Sevilla, Spain

2012                 B.A. English Studies, University of Sevilla, Spain

Courses Taught

Elementary Spanish I

Intensive Elementary Spanish

Spanish in the Professions

Spanish Composition

Premodern Spanish Literatures & Cultures

Additional Campus Affiliations

Program in Jewish Culture and Society Affiliate 

 European Union Center Affiliate


academic interests

My research and teaching focus on Early Modern Hispanic literature and culture, with particular emphasis on the intersections of empire, religion, and transoceanic exchange during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In the classroom, I encourage students to engage critically with the cultural, political, and ethical questions raised by early modern texts, while drawing connections to contemporary debates about globalization, migration, colonial legacies, religious conflict, and cultural diversity. My courses emphasize the relevance of the early modern Hispanic world to present-day discussions about empire, transnational exchange, and religion.

selected publications

2024     “La vida de San Pedro Nolasco de Lope de Vega: un modelo de santidad a través de la hibridación genérica.” Bulletin of Spanish Studies