Luisa Ossa, Ph.D.

Luisa Ossa is a professor of Spanish at La Salle and director of the Black Studies minor. Her research interests include Afro-Hispanic Literatures and Cultures, as well as the Chinese presence in Latin America. She has published articles on the work of Manuel Zapata Olivella in the Afro-Hispanic Review and the Monographic Review. Her other publications include, “Conciencia social y la herencia africana en la salsa de Joe Arroyo y Grupo Niche” in the Afro-Hispanic Review and “Muerte caliente: El erotismo y la muerte en La última noche que pasé contigo” in the anthology, La narrativa de Mayra Montero: Hacia una literatura transnacional caribeña, edited by Madeline Cámara and Kevin Raúl Sedeño. Her current research focuses on the life and works of Colombian poet, Edelma Zapata Pérez.  Dr. Ossa also currently serves as the President of the Afro Latin/American Research Association (ALARA), an international scholarly organization devoted to the study of the African Diaspora in the Americas.

Areas of Expertise
20th and 21st century Latin American literature
Afro-Hispanic literatures and cultures
Chinese presence in Latin America

Education
Ph.D. Spanish, Temple University
Primary Area of Specialization: Contemporary Latin American Literature and Culture.
Secondary Areas of Specialization:  Medieval Spanish Literature
M.A. Spanish, Contemporary Latin American Literature, Ohio State University
B.A. English and Spanish, University of Notre Dame

Research Interests
Afro-Hispanic, Caribbean, and Colombian literatures and cultures; the Asian presence in Latin America; Latin American popular music and culture; Spanish for the Professions; and Translation.