Elena Peña-Argüeso
Education
2019: M.A. Spanish, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2014: M.A. Teaching English as a Foreign Language, University of Sevilla
2013: M.A. English, University of Sevilla
2012: B.A. English Studies, University of Sevilla
About Elena
Elena Peña-Argüeso is Ph.D. candidate and Graduate Teaching Fellow. Her research focuses on the literary and cultural productions of Early Modern Iberian Spain and Colonial Latin America. She is particularly interested in theatre, flamenco, lives of saints, “relaciones de sucesos” (news pamphlets), nation building, the construction of cultural identities, and European expansions and exchanges between Catholic Spain and the Protestant world.
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles (under review)
“La vida de San Pedro Nolasco de Lope de Vega: un modelo de santidad a través de la hibridación genérica.” Bulletin of the Comediantes
Articles in progress
“Gold prospecting and the Black Legend in Fernando de Zárate’s La conquista de México (1668)”
Collaborations
2019 ¡ANDA! Curso elemental by Audrey L. Heining-Boynton, Glynis S. Cowell, Sonia S. Torres-Quinones
BOOK REVIEWS
2018 Aracil Varón, Beatriz. “Yo, don Hernán Cortés.” Reflexiones en torno a la escritura cortesiana. Iberoamericana/Vervuert, 2016. https://americasinnombre.ua.es/article/view/2018-n23-beatriz-aracil-varon-yo-don-hernando-cortes
Conferences
Panel Chair
2022 “Lyric as Power: Narratives of Spanish Music.” Carolina Conference for Romance Studies. UNC-Chapel Hill
INVITED TALKS
Andalucía: History and Culture of Muslim Spain
2020: “Contemporary Connections: Issues of in(migration) in Contemporary Spain.” The Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies, UNC Center for European Studies, and National Humanities Center
PAPERS PRESENTED
2023 “Tricks in La vida de Estebanillo González, hombre de buen humor (1646).” MLA, San Francisco
2022 “Comedy-news or dramatized news pamphlets?” The Performance of Genre across Renaissance Europe and Beyond, MEMS conference. UNC-Chapel Hill
2020: “Expansión transoceánica de la Iberia católica y su representación en La conquista de México (1668) de Antonio Enríquez Gómez.” Asociación Internacional Siglo de Oro. ONLINE
2019 “Catarismo, redenciones y milagros en La vida de San Pedro Nolasco de Lope de Vega.” Asociación Internacional de Hispanistas. Hebrew University, Israel
2018 “War and the Supernatural: Shaping Sainthood in La vida de San Pedro Nolasco (1629).” Carolina Conference for Romance Studies. UNC-Chapel Hill
2014: “The Actress and her Character: The Prologues and Epilogues of Charlotte Butler (1680-1693).” 25 International SEDERI Conference. University of Oviedo, Spain
Awards & Honors
FELLOWSHIPS, HONORS & AWARDS – UNC-CHAPEL HILL
2023-24 The Graduate School Dissertation Completion Fellowship
2023 Dana B. Drake Award for Excellence in Teaching Spanish, Romance Studies department
2023 Jack O. Spies and Family Jewish Studies Grant, Carolina Center for Jewish Studies
2023 Travel Grant, Romance Studies department
2022 Dana B. Drake Summer Fellowship, Romance Studies department
2021 The Graduate School Summer Research Fellowship
2020 Travel Award, Graduate and Professional Student Government
2020 Nominated to the Best Teaching Award, Romance Studies department
2020 Nominated to the Boka W. Hadzija Award
2020 Gutherie Summer Award, Romance Studies department
2019 The Graduate Student Transportation Grant
2019 Excellence in Mentoring Graduate Students Award, Graduate and Professional Student Federation
2018 Nominated to the María Salgado Award at the Carolina Conference, Romance Studies department
EXTERNAL GRANTS
2023 Modern Language Association Convention Grant
Typical Courses Taught
Instructor of Record
Spanish for High Beginners (Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Fall 2022)
Elementary Spanish (Fall 2019, Fall 2021)
Intermediate Spanish (Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2023)
Spanish Conversation (Spring 2020, Fall 2022)
Spanish for Medical Professions (Fall 2020)
Intermediate Spanish for Health Care (Spring 2021, Spring 2023)
Advanced Spanish in Context (Fall 2021)
Spanish for Professional and Community Engagement (Spring 2022)
Teaching Assistant
Love and Conflict in Spanish Literature from the Middle Ages to the 20th Century (Fall 2022)