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About Juan Carlos Rocha Osornio, Ph.D

Juan Carlos is a Faculty Member in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Toronto. He received his Ph.D from Western University with a specialization in Mexican Literature that deals with the topic of Male Homosexuality. In addition to that, he holds a Certificate in Sexuality, Culture and Society from the Graduate School of Social Sciences at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, a Master of Arts degree in Spanish Language and Literature, and a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Literature & English Linguistics and Literature from Texas A&M University-Commerce in the USA.


Dr. Rocha Osornio's teaching experience in Canada and abroad includes: Trent University (Peterborough, Ontario), Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Surrey, British Columbia), Acadia University (Wolfville, Nova Scotia), Thompson Rivers University (Kamloops, British Columbia), Western University (London, Ontario), and Texas A&M University (Commerce, Texas, USA). He has also taught in Querétaro, México, where he is originally from.


Juan Carlos is the author of his most recent book El espacio torcido en la narrativa mexicana de temática homosexual masculina (1977-1997) (Madrid: Verbum Editores, 2015), where he examines how the narratives of Raúl Rodríguez Cetina, Luis Zapata, Mario Bellatin, and Gerardo Guiza Lemus recreate what he calls "Espacio Torcido" (Queer Space) in which they aim (some more than others) at questioning and deconstructing the valuesof the heteronormative system: ambiguity, pleasure, rupture, and the quest for legitimacy compose this space. While each author takes a different approach, it can be said that they all participate in the construction of the history of the gay community in Mexico as seen in the latter part of the XX century: 1977-1997.

He is also Co-Founder of the Canadian Spanish Teaching Assistant Dialogues (CASTAD), an annual conference focusing on teaching Spanish at Canadian Universities by graduate students. In the recent past, he has served as President of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer, and Two-Spirited Committee at the Kwantlen Faculty Association during his visiting professorship at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in 2014-2015. He was also Vice president of the Confederation of Mexican Graduate Students and Researchers in Canada (CEIMEXCAN) from 2014-2016.

Should you have any questions pertaining to his professional experience and research expertise, do not hesitate to get in touch with him.

Positions

2014 - Present Vice President, Confederation of Mexican Graduate Students and Researchers (CEIMEXCAN)
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Present Assistant Professor of Spanish -- Teaching Stream, University of Toronto ‐ Department of Spanish and Portuguese
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May 2016 - July 2016 Special Projects Advisor, Office of the Associate Vice President -- KPU International, Kwantlen Polytechnic University ‐ KPU International
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August 2015 - April 2016 Assistant Professor of Hispanic Studies, Trent University ‐ Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
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May 2015 - June 2015 Visiting Lecturer, Acadia University ‐ Department of Languages and Literatures
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August 2014 - August 2015 Spanish Instructor, Kwantlen Polytechnic University ‐ Department of Language and Cultures
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September 2013 - December 2013 Spanish Lecturer, Thompson Rivers University ‐ Department of English and Modern Languages
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September 2009 - August 2013 Faculty Member, Western University ‐ Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
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2007 - 2009 Spanish Teaching Assistant, Texas A&M University-Commerce ‐ Department of Literature and Languages
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Disciplines

Research Interests

Modern Latin American Literature, Mexican Literature, Queer Studies, Mexican Gay Literature, Gender and Sexuality
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Honors and Awards

  • Western Graduate Research Scholarship, University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario, Canada), 2009-2013
  • Entrance Hispanic Studies Grant, University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario, Canada) 2009
  • Award for Excellence in the Role of Graduate Teaching Assistant, The Hispanic Studies Program Sep 2011-Apr 2012
  • Recipient of Graduate Student Teaching Award 2011-2012 by the Society of Graduate Students SOGS.

Courses

Education

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2015 - 2015 Graduate Certificate in Sexuality, Culture and Society, Universiteit van Amsterdam ‐ Graduate School of Social Sciences
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September 2009 - August 2013 PhD in Hispanic Studies, The University of Western Ontario ‐ Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
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May 2006 - May 2009 Master of Arts in Spanish Language and Culture, Texas A&M University-Commerce ‐ Department of Literature and Languages
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January 2005 - May 2006 Bachelor of Arts in Spanish & English, Texas A&M University-Commerce ‐ Department of Literature and Languages
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Links

Contact Information

Department of Spanish and Portuguese
University of Toronto
91 Charles Street West
Toronto, ON M5S 1K7
CANADA

Email:

Books (2)

Organized Events (13)

Course Posters (2)

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals (5)

Invited Talks Presenter (12)