Modern American Poetry: Whitman to Contemporary Voices

Dr. Cary Nelson serves as Jubilee Professor of Liberal Arts & Sciences Emeritus at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he has established himself as a preeminent voice in modern poetry studies and academic freedom advocacy. His prolific academic career includes authoring or editing 36 books and nearly 300 articles, with significant works such as "Our Last First Poets: Vision and History in Contemporary American Poetry" and "Repression and Recovery: Modern American Poetry and the Politics of Cultural Memory." As former president of the American Association of University Professors (2006-2012), he has shaped discussions on academic freedom and higher education policy. His scholarly contributions extend beyond poetry to include critical theory and cultural studies, as evidenced by his editorship of the comprehensive "Anthology of Modern American Poetry" and "Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry" (Oxford University Press). He co-edits the Modern American Poetry Site (MAPS) and holds an affiliated faculty position at the University of Haifa, along with an honorary doctorate from Ben Gurion University of the Negev