• Critical race theories
• Racial formation theories
• U.S. multi-ethnic literature
• Critical literary theory
• Space and place
• Marxist theory and studies
• U.S. history
• Civil rights history
• Migration histories, cultures, and experiences
• Globalization and neoliberalism
• Social innovation research
• Diversity in the U.S.
• Social innovation
• Intergroup dialogue and intercultural communication

Washington State University, American Studies, Ph.D., 2002.

Simply to be American? U.S. Radical Literature in the Era of Monopoly Capitalism. Wilmington, Delaware: Vernon Press (2025).

Mythologies: A Political Economy of U.S. Literature, Settler Colonialism, and Racial Capitalism in the Long Nineteenth-Century. New York: International Publishers (2022).

The Collectivity of Life: Spaces of Social Mobility and the Individualism Myth. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books (2016).

Faculty Mentor Award, 2023, Graduate Student Association for Outstanding Faculty.

Joel Wendland-Liu is the author of three books, including Simply to be American? U.S. Radical Literature in the Era of Monopoly Capitalism (Vernon Press, 2025). Simply to Be American? examines the works of nearly two dozen writers from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries who challenged systemic forces such as capitalism, racism, heteronormative patriarchy, and imperialism, using satire and allegory to foster resistance. This book traces the development of this literary movement, emphasizing its enduring legacy of critiquing oppression and establishing a foundation for subsequent struggles against injustice. Additionally, Wendland-Liu's significant scholarly contributions include the books Mythologies: A Political Economy of U.S. Literature, Settler Colonialism, and Racial Capitalism in the Long Nineteenth Century (International Publishers, 2022) and The Collectivity of Life: Spaces of Social Mobility and the Individualism Myth (Lexington Books, 2016). He has authored over twenty scholarly articles, forewords, and book chapters related to his research interests, which include political economy, social innovation, racial formation studies, interdisciplinary research methodologies, and U.S. literary studies. Furthermore, he has published numerous book reviews and commentaries in both academic journals and public media. He has earned accolades for his role as a mentor for graduate and undergraduate student research.

Wendland-Liu CV