faculty

Mary Docter, Ph.D.

Professor of Spanish
(805) 565-7182

Office Location

Reynolds Hall 201

 

Office Available

Wednesdays 2-3 pm

Thursdays 9:30-10:30 pm

& by appointment

Specialization(s)

Spanish and 20th century Latin American literature, especially poetry

Biography/Details

Dr. Docter graduated from UCLA with a degree in Spanish and earned both a master’s degree (Spanish) and a doctorate (Hispanic languages and literatures) there. She joined the Westmont faculty in 1992 after teaching for four years at Scripps College. Her research focuses on 20th century Latin American literature, especially poetry, and she has written about José Emilio Pacheco, a leading Mexican poet and thinkers. She also studies Hispanic film and Colonial Latin American literature, especially work by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a 17th century Mexican feminist nun. She has traveled extensively in Spain, South America, Central America, and Mexico to interview and videotape the oral history of a large cross-section of the population, equipping her with unique multi-media materials for her courses. She publishes extensively in scholarly journals.