Belén Rodríguez-Mourelo

Rodríguez-Mourelo, Belén
Division Head, Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Division
Professor, Spanish
[email protected]
610-396-6171
Franco Building, 134

Dr. Rodríguez Mourelo serves as professor of Spanish and head of the Division of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at Penn State Berks.

Dr. Rodríguez Mourelo's research focuses on the search for identity. Her doctorate in Modern Languages from Universidad Complutense in Madrid (cum laude), analyzed the search for identity in the works of African American writers during the Harlem Renaissance. Later, as a scholar in the United States, she expanded her investigations to include Afro-Hispanic writing, including a comparison between the poetry of Langston Hughes and the Cuban artist, Nicolás Guillén. Focusing on Cuba consolidated her fascination with, and passion for, Cuban studies, and linked her family’s story (a grandfather who lived and died in Havana) to that of writers in exile.

Dr. Rodríguez Mourelo has published three books:

  • Encounters in Exile. Themes in the Narrative of the Cuban Diaspora (2006);
  • Cuban Writing Between Two Centuries (2018); and
  • the edited anthology Identidad y Postnacionalismo en la Cultura Cubana (2019) with Laura Alonso Gallo.

Additionally, she has published two books of translation and numerous articles in national and international journals.

Dr. Rodríguez Mourelo began her career at Penn State Worthington-Scranton as an adjunct faculty. In 1999, she became an assistant professor of Spanish at Penn State Berks, earning tenure and promotion to associate professor in 2005, and promotion to full professor in 2018. From December 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, Dr. Rodríguez Mourelo also acted as the interim associate dean for academic affairs and chief academic officer for the college. 

Books

  • Rodríguez-Mourelo, B. Cuban Writing Between Two Centuries. Valencia: Aduana Vieja, 2018.
  • Encounters in Exile. Themes in the Narrative of the Cuban Diaspora. Valencia: Aduana Vieja, 2006. 

Anthology

  • Rodríguez Mourelo, B. with L. Alonso Gallo (Eds.) Identidad y postnacionalismo en la cultura cubana. Valencia: Aduana Vieja, 2019.

Books of Translation

  • Mujeres en el Exilio. Madrid: Siglo XXI de España Editores, S.A., 1998. Translation of M. Afkhami, Women in Exile. Charlottesville and London: University Press of Virginia, 1994.
  • Sexualidad en el Confesionario. Madrid: Siglo XXI de España Editores, S.A., 1998. Translation of S. Haliczer, Sexuality in the Confessional. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Parts of Books

  • Rodríguez-Mourelo, B. (Co-Author, 50%) with D. Chambers. “Post-COVID-19 Teaching Strategies for Second Language Acquisition” with Chambers, plus proceedings, published by Filodiritto Publisher, 2021, pp.308-313. DOI: 10.26352/FY11_2384-9509
  • Rodríguez-Mourelo, B. (Co-Author, 50%) with D. Chambers. “International Collaboration- A Case Study in Institutionalizing Service-Learning in Higher Education”. “El papel del Aprendizaje-Servicio en la construcción de una ciudadanía global / The Role of Service-Learning in the Construction of a Global Citizenship”. Pilar Aramburuzabala, Carlos Ballesteros, Juan García-Gutiérrez y Paula Lázaro (Eds.). UNED, 2020, pp.961-967.  http://e-spacio.uned.es/fez/view/bibliuned:EditorialUNED-aa-EDU-Jgarcia-000
  • Rodríguez Mourelo, B. (Co-Author, 50%) with L. Alonso Gallo. “Introducción: Identidad y postnacionalismo en la cultura cubana.” In Identidad y postnacionalismo en la cultura cubana, Aduana Vieja, 2019, pp. 11-42.
  • Rodríguez-Mourelo, B.  “A Postnational Encounter in Exile.” In Reading Cuba: Discurso literario y geografía transcultural. Sosa Cabanas, Alberto (Ed.) Valencia: Aduana Vieja, 2018, pp. 335-352.
  • “De exilio a integración. La narrativa de Daniel Iglesias Kennedy.” In Cuba: Arte y Literatura en Exilio. G. Piney & J.J. Pancrazio (Eds.) Valencia: Legua Editorial, 2011, pp.183-188.
  • “La escritura de la diáspora cubana y sus mecanismos de identificación.” In Monografías de ALDEUU, Presencia Hispánica en los Estados Unidos. N. Toscano et. al (Eds.) New York: St. John´s University, 2003, pp.111-117.
  • “Hacia una epistemología de la literatura feminista.” In J.A. Gurpegui, L.A. Lázaro & R. Sola (Eds.) La mujer en la literatura inglesa y norteamericana contemporánea. Madrid: Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, 1992, pp.15‑26.

Articles in Refereed Journals

Articles in Conference Proceedings

  • “Encounters in Exile.” Martin, G. (ed.) Rondas Literarias de Pittsburg 2006. Literaturas Hispánicas. Duquesne University, 2008, pp.49-58.
  • “Reconciliation in Women Narratives in Exile. Uva de Aragón´s Memoria del Silencio.” Martin, G. (ed.) Rondas Literarias de Pittsburg 2005. Literaturas Hispánicas. Duquesne University, 2006, pp.79-86.
  • “El despertar social y literario de la mujer: del ámbito privado al público.” AEHIM, Mujeres y ciudadanía. La relación de las mujeres con los ámbitos públicos. Santiago de Compostela: Preactas del Congreso, AEHIM, 1994, pp.61‑74.

Translation of Articles

  • “Cumplir los cuarenta: cultura y crisis a la mitad de la vida.” Translation Stanley Brandes, “The Meaning of Forty: Culture and the Mid‑Life Crisis.” Revista de Dialectología y Tradiciones Populares, Tomo L, Cuaderno Segundo, Madrid, 1995, pp.27‑51.

Book Reviews

  • Rodríguez Mourelo, Belén (2022) "Joseba Gabilondo. Introduction to A Postnational History of Contemporary Basque Literature (1978-2000): Remnants of the Nation. Tamesis, 2019.," Studies in 20th Century Literature: Vol. 46: Iss. 1, Article 18. https://doi.org/10.4148/2334-4415.2222
  • Rodríguez Mourelo, Belen (2021) "Martha E. Sánchez. A Translational Turn: Latinx Literature into the Mainstream. U of Pittsburg P, 2018.," Studies in 20th & 21st Century Literature: Vol. 45: Iss. 1, Article 24. https://doi.org/10.4148/2334-4415.2180
  • “El príncipe y la bella cubana: Los amores de don Alfonso de Borbón y Battenberg y doña Edelmira Sampedro y Robato by Roberto G. Fernández (review)." Cuban Studies, vol. 47, 2019, pp. 343-347.
  • Dorado-Otero, Ángela. Dialogic Aspects of the Cuban Novel of the 1990s, in Hispanic Journal, Vol 37, #2, Fall 2016, pp.158-60.
  • Review of Jiménez Román, Miriam; Flores, Juan, eds., The Afro-Latin@ Reader: History and Culture in the United States. H-LatAm, H-Net Reviews. February, 2014. http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=31625
  • “La ranura del horizonte en llamas.” Revista Hispano Cubana, # 27, Invierno 2007, pp.199-201.
  • “El sabor perfecto.” Revista: Revista de Literatura Cubana El Ateje, Año VI, #18, www.elateje.com, Febrero-Mayo, 2007. www.elateje.com
  • “El existencialismo como respuesta.” Encuentro de la Cultura Cubana, Vol. 43, Asociación Encuentro de la Cultura Cubana, Invierno 2006-2007, pp.281-283.
  • “Las trampas de la ideología.” Encuentro de la Cultura Cubana, 34-35, Otoño/Invierno 2004-2005, pp.332-334.

Ph.D. cum laude Modern Languages Philology. Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain.

Doctora cum laude por la Universidad Complutense de Madrid