Melvy Portocarrero

Teaching

Dr. Portocarrero teaches Spanish language, literature and culture and civilization courses.  She believes in an interactive dynamic teaching style, where the student actively participates and becomes an essential part of class.

Scholarship

Dr. Portocarrero’s focus is on the Latin American novel of exile and Latin American testimonial literature, but in the last few years she has concentrated on contemporary Latin American women writers and the difference between feminine literature and feminist literature. She has also studied historical novels written by Latin American women writers that question the relationship between history and fiction.

Selected publications

Journal Articles

• “Mujercitas: de Alcott a Serrano, una nueva Vision Femenina del las Mujer Latinamericana.” Hispanic Journal 31, no.1 (2010)
•  “The Scroll of Seduction: Putting a New Light on the Dark Side of History.” Hispanic Journal vol. 31, no. 2 Fall (2010)
• “Inés Suárez: La conquistadora de Chile, una mujer que rompe con las barreras de género.” Letras Femeninas. Vol. 36, no. 2 Invierno (2010)
• “La Llorona: Un mito cultural de la mujer latinoamericana del siglo XXI.” http://grafemas.org/  Grafemas. Diciembre, 2010.
• "Una nueva interpretación a la visión tradicional de la Malinche."  Reivindicaciones y proyecciones en la literatura hispánica.  2007 

Service

For the last 12 years, Dr. Portocarrero has been actively involved in organizing academic programs abroad to Spain, Mexico and Peru for Bradley students. She has also served on the Women Studies committee and on the University Faculty Senate.