Lecturer II of Spanish
About
Lisa Montes graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with a double major in Elementary Education and Psychology. She later attended Wayne State University in Detroit, earning a Master’s in Spanish and PhD in Modern Languages and Literary Criticism. For thirteen years, she taught in the bilingual elementary program and later instructed middle school students in English Language Arts and Spanish. Upon completing her PhD in 2015, she began teaching at Wayne State University and later at Oakland University. Lisa joined the department of Romance Languages and Literatures at the University of Michigan as a full-time lecturer of Spanish in 2018.
As a child, Lisa studied the flamenco, regional and folkloric dances of Spain under her grandmother, Dama María del Carmen Montes. During her many years of training, she obtained a deep understanding of the dances and of Spain, particularly the flamenco style. This sparked her interest in the gitano culture, one of her ongoing areas of research. In 2016, she published her book Sociological Approaches to García Lorca’s Literary Productions and continues her research in 20th century peninsular literature. In 2023, she was invited by the Detroit Opera House to lecture on the life and legacy of Garcia Lorca. She was also the guest panelist for a Q and A session before the Detroit Opera House’s production of Ainadamar. In her current investigation, she applies Existentialist philosophies to the works of Miguel de Unamuno.
Outside of Academia, Lisa continues teaching and performing flamenco. She is also a certified fitness and yoga instructor, and works at a local sanctuary for rescued farm animals.
Publications:
- Montes, Lisa. “The Life and Legacy of Federico García Lorca.” 2023
https://detroitopera.org/the-life-and-legacy-of-federico-garcia-lorca/
- Montes, Lisa. Sociological Approaches to the Literature of García Lorca. Madrid, Ediciones del Orto, 2016.
- Montes, Lisa. “Review of Susan Larson and Eva Woods’ Visualizing Spanish Modernity.” Crítica Hispánica Vol. XXX, 2008.
