Rebecca Gross

I’m currently pursuing my PhD in literature at UC Santa Cruz.

My research interests include cultural objects post-1945; comparative diaspora studies; coalitional organizing; cultural memory; folklore & mysticism; surreal and utopic thought; political theology; and Marxist critical theory. My current project looks at contemporary Jewish anti-Zionist literature, film, and performance art, and examines how a variety of theological and mystical notions of diasporism are employed to imagine a future of Jewishness untethered from Zionism, imperialism, and more generally, any single territorial attachment.

I’m also an educator with 6+ years experience teaching at the college level. Most recently, I was the instructor of record for a course I designed, Narratives of Resistance: Anti-Zionist Jewish Literature. I have experience teaching rhetoric & composition and first year writing, and I’ve worked as a teaching assistant for a variety of courses spanning from critical theory to film analysis to Jewish studies.

I am committed to fighting for a truly public education system and a university that prioritizes its students and workers over its private investments. I organize with with my union, UAW 4811, around demands that reflect this commitment.

Outside of academia, I work as a freelance writer, editor, and researcher, and have worked for clients such as Lux Magazine, NYT Bestselling author, David Shields; The Black Scholar journal. For hiring or collaboration inquiries, reach out to me at relgross (at) ucsc (dot) edu.