Wilkins Joins UA Little Rock as New Spanish Professor
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has welcomed Rex Wilkins as a new visiting assistant professor of Spanish.
“My wife and I have both fallen in love with the area, and we already love UA Little Rock,” Wilkins said. “Little Rock has big town amenities with a small-town feel. I look forward to helping students not only master the Spanish language but also connect with the rich cultures and histories of the Spanish-speaking world. It’s an exciting opportunity to inspire a deeper appreciation for global communication and cultural understanding.”
Wilkins has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a master’s degree in Hispanic literature, both from Brigham Young University, as well as a Ph.D. in Hispanic Literature and Cultural Studies from the University of Arizona.
“A lot of people don’t know what cultural studies is. Simply put, I look at different kinds of entertainment, media, and artistic expression and study them like literature,” Wilkins said. “Most people don’t read books like they used to, but a lot of people watch videos and movies, listen to music, and have art in their homes. I like to incorporate different kinds of media to help students gain greater literacy. I want people to think about what they consume and what it means to them.”
His research areas include Spanish American literature and cultural studies, Latter-day Saint (Mormon) Latino culture and representation, Latino popular culture in the transnational music industry, Latin American and North American religious studies, and Mormon studies.
His dissertation, “Latinos at the Border of Identity in the LDS Church,” explored the challenges of maintaining a Latino identity within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Wilkins is teaching an Afro-Latino Literature course and a Spanish for Heritage Speakers course this fall. In the spring 2025 semester, Wilkins is looking forward to teaching a new course on Latin American Soundscapes, which will explore Latin American music and artists of the 20th Century.
