Cyrus Patell


Cyrus R. K. Patell is a literary and cultural critic who writes and teaches on World literature with a focus on US literature. He is currently Professor of English at New York University and Global Network Professor of Literature at New York University Abu Dhabi, where he previously served as Associate Dean of Humanities.
Patell received his AB from Harvard College in 1983 and his PhD from Harvard University in 1991. His dissertation, supervised by Sacvan Bercovitch, was entitled The cultural logic of individualism in late twentieth century America. Before taking up his position at NYU, he was a President's Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley.
He has interests in the theory and practice of cosmopolitanism; US literature and culture; the history and culture of New York City; Global Shakespeare; minority discourse; cultural studies; and literary historiography. His publications include:
Patell also served as associate editor for the first two volumes of the Cambridge History of American Literature and contributed the "Emergent Literatures" section to volume seven, Prose Writing, 1940–1990.
He is the co-editor of The Oxford History of Literature in English: Volume 8, American Fiction after 1940.

Fellowships and honors