Rate My Professor Ilan Mitchell-Smith

Ilan Mitchell-Smith is an Associate Professor of medieval literature and culture in the Department of English at California State University, Long Beach, where he contributes significantly to the study of Literature through his teaching and research. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Medieval Studies from the University of California, Davis, a Master of Arts in Medieval Studies from Fordham University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Medieval English Literature from Texas A&M University. As Co-Director of the CSULB Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Mitchell-Smith organizes programs, events, and collaborations that promote scholarship in medieval and Renaissance topics. He teaches a diverse range of courses covering early- and late-medieval British literature, providing students with in-depth knowledge of these historical literary periods. Additionally, he sponsors the Medieval and Renaissance Student Association, fostering a vibrant community for students interested in medieval studies and encouraging their academic and extracurricular involvement in the field.

Mitchell-Smith's academic interests and research specializations span Old and Middle English language, medieval literature, chivalric literature, monsters, and contemporary American versions of the Middle Ages. He focuses on later Middle English chivalric romances and examines race, identity, and nationalism in contemporary recreations of the Middle Ages. His scholarly work encompasses lesser-known chivalric romances, the poetry of Geoffrey Chaucer, the Ashmole 61 manuscript, Disney Princesses, Dungeons & Dragons, and American nationalistic medievalisms. Furthermore, his expertise includes British literature and culture of the Middle Ages, with particular attention to gender, violence, and monstrosity in later medieval English literature, especially chivalric narratives. Through these contributions, Mitchell-Smith enriches the academic discourse on medieval Literature and culture at California State University, Long Beach, while mentoring students and leading interdisciplinary initiatives in the humanities.