Rate Professor Nicole Fleetwood

Professional Summary: Professor Nicole R. Fleetwood

Professor Nicole R. Fleetwood is a distinguished scholar and cultural critic based at New York University (NYU), where she holds a prominent position in the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication. With a focus on race, visual culture, and incarceration, her work has significantly shaped contemporary discourse in cultural studies, African American studies, and media theory.

Academic Background and Degrees

Professor Fleetwood earned her academic credentials from esteemed institutions, reflecting her commitment to rigorous scholarship:

• Ph.D. in Modern Thought and Literature, Stanford University
• B.A. in Latin American Studies and Art History, Oberlin College

Research Specializations and Academic Interests

Her research primarily explores the intersections of race, gender, and visual culture, with a particular emphasis on the aesthetics and politics of incarceration. Key areas of interest include:

• Black visual culture and representation
• Carceral aesthetics and the cultural impact of mass incarceration
• Gender and feminist theory in media studies
• Critical race theory and African American studies

Career History and Appointments

Professor Fleetwood has held several significant academic positions, demonstrating her expertise and leadership in her field:

• Professor of Media, Culture, and Communication, New York University (current)
• James Weldon Johnson Professor, New York University (current)
• Previously, Associate Professor of American Studies, Rutgers University

Major Awards, Fellowships, and Honors

Her groundbreaking work has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards and fellowships:

• MacArthur Fellowship (2021) – Often referred to as the 'Genius Grant,' awarded for her innovative contributions to cultural criticism and carceral studies
• Whiting Foundation Creative Nonfiction Grant (2016)
• Fellowship at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
• American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship

Key Publications

Professor Fleetwood is a prolific author whose publications have had a profound impact on her fields of study. Notable works include:

• Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration (2020) – Winner of multiple awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism
• On Racial Icons: Blackness and the Public Imagination (2015)
• Troubling Vision: Performance, Visuality, and Blackness (2011)
• Numerous articles and essays in leading journals and edited volumes on visual culture, race, and incarceration

Influence and Impact on Academic Field

Professor Fleetwood’s scholarship has redefined the study of visual culture and incarceration, particularly through her concept of 'carceral aesthetics,' which examines how art and visual representation emerge from and respond to systems of imprisonment. Her work bridges academic research with public engagement, influencing policy discussions and cultural understandings of race and justice. Her book Marking Time has been widely celebrated for its humane and critical approach, earning acclaim as a seminal text in cultural studies.

Public Lectures, Committees, and Editorial Contributions

Beyond her written work, Professor Fleetwood is an active public intellectual and contributor to academic communities:

• Delivered keynote lectures at institutions and conferences worldwide on topics of race, visuality, and incarceration
• Curated exhibitions, including projects related to art and incarceration, amplifying the voices of marginalized communities
• Serves on editorial boards and committees within cultural studies and African American studies organizations