News

By Britain Miethe
 

Lee University Assistant Professor of Spanish Dr. Alexander
Steffanell’s new book has been published by Thomas de Quincey
Editores. The book is entitled “El Caso Madre Castillo: Discurso
Confesional Hegemonico y Canon en la Literatura Colombiana.” (The
Case of Mother Castillo: Hegemonic Confessional Discourse on Canon
in Colombian Literature) 

Steffanell’s book focuses on the 15-17^th century
Colombian spiritual autobiographies, specifically in the case of
Mother Castillo. Castillo was a white upper class nun who wrote
about dreams sent to her from God, in which evil was portrayed in
the form of the indigenous and black people groups.

In his book, Steffanell analyzes Castillo’s spiritual
autobiography and the themes of racism, power relations, and
religious discourse throughout Castillo’s writings.

Steffanell joined the Department of Language and Literature in
2007 as an assistant professor of Spanish. Before this, he served
as a teaching assistant, lecturer, and assistant to the coordinator
of First Year Programs in Spanish at Miami University in Ohio
before moving to the University of Florida in 2003 to take a
graduate teaching position and complete his doctoral studies. He
has also organized cross-cultural trips to Argentina, Uruguay,
Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Colombia.

Steffanell dedicates the book to his family, as well as the Lee
students who have impacted him and inspired him to finish his
writings.

“I am very appreciative for the support of the Department of
Language and Literature,” said Steffanell. “Without them, the
publication of this book would have been impossible.”

“El Caso Madre Castillo” is available in Colombia through Thomas
de Quincey Editores, or can be purchased from Dr. Steffanell at [email protected].