Dr. Maria Davis is a scholar in Latin American and American literature, with a focus on the Latin American boom writers and twentieth century American theater, respectively. She is an Associate Teaching Professor of Spanish at Oxford College of Emory University.

Dr. Davis’ courses include beginner, intermediate, and advanced Spanish language courses, such as Early Hispanic Texts and Contexts, Modern Hispanic Texts and Contexts, Special Topics in Language and Culture, Introduction to Hispanic Cultural History, and Theater, Film and Performing Art. Davis also teaches a Discovery Seminar called Fantasy and the Supernatural in Literature, which is an interdisciplinary course that first-year students can select to take their first semester at Oxford. She also frequently oversees students in independent studies in individual topics, and she is a participating faculty member in the Oxford Research Scholars program. Davis has led a travel course to Spain, where her students learned the aesthetic, economic, and linguistic influence of the Islamic, Jewish, and Catholic cultures. She has also directed the Emory Summer Study Abroad Program called Iberian Studies in Spain.

Davis has organized many Hispanic cultural events on and off campus as well as film festivals and internationally known Hispanic poets’ talks on campus.

A frequent presenter and panelist at academic conferences, Davis is a member of the Modern Language Association, the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, and Feministas Unidas.

Davis received a BA degree in English from Salamanca University, Spain, and a MA degree in teaching Spanish as a foreign language from Salamanca University. After receiving a PhD in American literature from Salamanca University in 2002, she decided to pursue a second PhD. She completed her PhD in Latin American Literature at Las Palmas University, Spain, in 2010. Davis taught at Cursos Internacionales at Salamanca University, Spain, UNO Nebraska, and Wake Forest University, North Carolina, before she joined the faculty of Oxford College in 2004. Oxford College Directory