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Karen Perez

Associate Professor (Teaching) of Spanish
Karen Perez
Pronouns She / Her / Hers Email perezk@usc.edu Office THH 256R

Biography

Karen P. Pérez is an Associate Professor (Teaching) of Spanish and a native from Peru. She has taught elementary to advanced Spanish courses, introduction to Hispanic and Spanish literature, and Latinx cultures. She enjoys teaching Spanish and conducting research in identity and literature that transcends the limit of geographical boundaries. She has translated scholarly articles and presented research nationally and internationally. She is also the recipient of several awards, including, the Outstanding Teaching Award, the Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program, the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, and Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. She is one of the Director of the Spanish Language Loss and Indigenous Deculturation in Cusco, Peru, and has been taking USC students abroad to Peru since 2018.

Education

  • Ph.D. Spanish, University of California, Riverside, 12/2013
  • M.A. Spanish, University of California, Riverside, 6/2009
  • B.A. Spanish: Language and Literature, California State University, Dominguez Hills, 6/2007

  • Conference Presentations

    • “Beyond Fulfilling Academic Goals: Experiencing a New Culture” , Identity and Indigenous Heritage of CuscoTalk/Oral Presentation, University of San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL), Cusco,, Invited, Virtual, Peru, 2020-2021

    Other Presentations

    • “¡Don Quijote se va a México! Un breve análisis sobre los valores tradicionales y el papel de la mujer en ‘El estudiante'”, 41st International Symposium of Hispanic Literature: The Influence of Don Quixote in the Humanities, Carson, CA, 2014-2015
    • “Un nuevo padrastro: Una narrativa romántica dentro de un mundo cinematográfico mordaz”, 2013 AATSP Spring Conference, Southern California Chapter, Whittier, CA, 2012-2013
    • “An Analysis of the Mexican Don Quixote as proposed by Roberto Girault’s Film ‘El estudiante’ Under the Magnifying Glass of the 21st-century”, Cine-Lit VII: An International Conference on Hispanic Film and Fiction, Portland, OR, 2010-2011
    • “La construcción de un caballero en Pero Tafur: ‘Andanças e viajes'”, XXXIII International Symposium: Women in the Literature of the Hispanic World, Carson, CA, 2009-2010
    • “Sátira Avellanística: Aspectos satíricos en el Quijote de Cervantes”, 92nd American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) Annual Conference, Jalisco, Mexico, 2009-2010
    • “Conflictos del alma: El libre albedrío y la salvación en ‘El esclavo del demonio,’ ‘Don Juan Tenorio,’ y ‘El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de Piedra'”, Contested Territories: Conflict Violence and the Body, Riverside, CA, 2009-2010
    • “El realismo social: El intento y la transgresión de un estilo literario en ‘El balneario’ y ‘El cuarto de atrás’ de Carmen Martín Gaite”, XXXI International Symposium of Literatu, Carson, CA, 2008-2009
    • “Lugares subvertidos: Espacio e identidad en la ‘Respuesta a Sor Filotea de la Cruz’ y ‘Yo la peor de todas'”, 2009 Conference of the Inland Empire, Riverside, CA, 2008-2009
    • “Si te pinto verde… ¿eres verde? La corporalidad desde el punto de vista de la imagen en ‘Los cuatro viajes del Almirante y su testamento'”, (Re)semanticize (Re)locate (Re)claim: An Interdisciplinary Dialog on Entities and Identities, Riverside, CA, 2008-2009
    • “‘El burlador de Sevilla’: Un análisis de los viajes de los personajes, la estatua que camina y el traslado del sepulcro”, (AATSP) Spring Conference, Southern California Chapter Conference, Santa Monica, CA, 2007-2008
    • “The Comedia during the Siglo de Oro: An analysis of ‘La Estrella de Sevilla’ and ‘Las mocedades del Cid'”, 19th Annual Summer Research Symposium, Riverside, CA, 2007-2008
    • “‘El Burlador de Sevilla’ an Analysis of Three English Translations”, UPRH McNair Research Symposium: Research: The Building Blocks of Knowledge, Humacao, Puerto Rico, 2006-2007
    • “Raíces de la poesía de Violeta Parra en la poesía popular española de los siglos XVI y XVII”, La mujer en la literatura del mundo hispánico Conference, Carson, CA, 2006-2007
    • “The Evasion of Don Quixote: Don Quixote as a Medieval Christian Knight”, Western Regional Honors Conference, Greeley, CO, 2005-2006
    • “Don Quixote’s White Armor: The Relationship Between Don Quixote and Jesus”, 13th Annual Symposium, Changing the Face of Academia, Berkeley, CA, 2005-2006
    • “Referencias bíblicas en ‘El Quijote'”, Celebrating 400 Years of Don Quijote Symposium, Carson, CA, 2004-2005
    • (Spring 2020) SPAN 499. Special Topics – Spanish Language and Latinx Cultures in the US, OFFICE
    • (Spring 2022) SPAN 260. Advanced Spanish: Arts and Sciences, MWF, 11:00am – 11:50am, THH 211
    • (Spring 2023) SPAN 220. Spanish III, WF, 08:00am – 09:50am
    • (Spring 2023) SPAN 499. Special Topics – Immigration, Society and Work Culture in Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • (Spring 2024) SPAN 397. Language Loss and Deculturation in Cusco, Peru, TBA – TBA, OFFCAMPUS
    • (Spring 2025) SPAN 499. The Ecoculture of Costa Rica: An Approach to its History, Politics, Arts, People and its Culture of Ecotourism, Conservation and Sustainable Practices, TBA – TBA, OFFICE
    • (Fall 2025) SPAN 316. Spanish for the Professions – Journalism and Social Media, TTh, 02:00pm – 03:20pm
    • (Spring 2026) SPAN 120. Spanish I, MW, 12:00pm – 01:50pm, THH113
    • (Spring 2026) SPAN 150. Spanish II, MW, 02:00pm – 03:50pm, LVL3V
    • Graduate Division Equity Fellowship Grant, University of California, Riverside, 2025-2026
    • CLC Language Teaching Innovation Grant, University of Southern California, 2024-2025
    • Dornsife Faculty Development Funds, University of Southern, California, 2023-2024
    • Hispanic Studies Department Teaching Fellowship, University of California, Riverside, 2008 – 2012
    • Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, University of California, Riverside, 2009-2010
    • California State University Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program (CDIP), Fall 2007
    • Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, California State University, Dominguez Hills, 2004 – 2007
    • Foreign Language Assistance Program Scholarship, Title III, California Department of Education, 2006-2007
    • Julieta and Juan Domínguez Memorial Scholarship, California State University, Dominguez Hills, 2006-2007
    • Latino Honor Awards Alumni Scholarship, California State University, Dominguez Hills , 2006-2007
    • Mentoring Summer Research Internship Program (MSRP), University of California, Riverside, Spring 2007
    • Honors Program Apprentice Scholarship, California State University, Dominguez Hills, 2005-2006
    • Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, California State University, Dominguez Hills nomination, 2005-2006
    • Mentoring Summer Research Internship Program (MSRP), University of California, Riverside, Spring 2006
    • University of California, Los Angeles, Graduate Division Summer Program for Undergraduate Research, Spring 2006

  • Editorships and Editorial Boards

    • Executive Editor, Alba de América, Academic Journal, 2022 –
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