James P. Mesiti

James Mesiti ’17 returns to the Hill as a visiting assistant professor in Hispanic Studies. He recently completed his doctoral degree at the University of Pennsylvania, where his research focused on the evolution of Spanish Surrealism and the way in which poetic thought manifests throughout distinct art forms and media. Looking forward, Mesiti’s plan is to apply this framework to examine how surrealist poetics extend beyond national boundaries, fostering a more cohesive transatlantic dialogue. In addition to his academic research, Mesiti has published two poetry books: one in Spanish: Algo de nadie (Valparaíso Ediciones, 2021) and one in English: petal / transport (Arteidolia, 2024). Most recently, he won the NeMLA prize for best unpublished fiction for his manuscript Unconsciously and is currently developing creative projects in English as well as Spanish.

Recent Courses Taught

First Term Spanish
Advanced Grammar Review

Research Interests

Spanish Surrealism, poetry, painting, film, Spanish and Latin American literature, avant-garde aesthetics

Distinctions

• Lynne & Michael Tarnopol Graduate Fellow, University of Pennsylvania (2024–2026)
• Dean Scholar, University of Pennsylvania (2025)
• Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching, University of Pennsylvania (2025)
• Department of Spanish and Portuguese Teaching Prize, University of Pennsylvania (2024)
• William Carlos Williams Prize (Honorable Mention, 2023 and 2026), Academy of American Poets, University of Pennsylvania
• The Judge John Wells Fellowship, Hamilton College (2017)
• The Ned Doyle Prize Scholarship, Hamilton College (2015)

Selected Publications

Articles

• "Samuel Beckett and Luis Buñuel, Surrealist Filmmakers." Literature/Film Quarterly, vol. 54, no. 3, 2026.

Book Reviews

• "Samuel Beckett and His Transdisciplinary and Creative Process." Rev. of Transdisciplinary Beckett: Visual Arts, Music, and the Creative Process, by Lucy Jeffery, Ibidem Verlag, 2021. Journal of Modern Literature, vol. 49, no. 1, 2025, p. 180-183.
• Miradas encontradas: Sociedades y ciudadanfas de España y Estados Unidos, by Montserrat Huguet and Esperanza Cerdá. Chiricú Journal: Latina/o Literatures, Arts, and Cultures, vol. 7 no. 1, 2023, p. 131-133.
• El feminismo no es nuevo: Las crónicas de Clotilde Betances Jaeger by María Teresa Vera-Rojas. Chiricú Journal: Latina/o Literatures, Arts, and Cultures, vol. 5, no. 2, 2021, pp. 268-269.

Professional Affiliations

Modern Language Association (MLA)
Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA)

Appointed to the Faculty

2026

Educational Background

Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
M.A., University of Pennsylvania
M.A., Saint Louis University, Madrid, Spain
Master of International Relations, Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals (IBEI), Barcelona, Spain
B.A., Hamilton College

Dissertation

The Poetic Turn in Spanish Surrealism (Poetry, Painting, Film)