Dr. George Cole

Associate Professor of Spanish

Hispanic Caribbean Literature and Culture (Cuba and Puerto Rico) | Afro-Caribbean Religious Practices | Hispanic Fantasy, Horror, Crime and Science Fiction | Hispanic Comics and Graphic Novels

Ph.D., Arizona State University, 2005

george.cole@ttu.edu

Biographical Info

Dr. George Cole is of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent. He was born and raised in Puerto Rico and holds a B.A. in French Language and Literature from the University of Puerto Rico, an M.A. in Foreign Languages & Literatures with a concentration in Spanish from Washington State University, and a Ph.D. in Spanish from Arizona State University.

Dr. Cole specializes in contemporary Latin American literature and culture, with particular emphasis on Cuba and Puerto Rico; Afro-Cuban literature, culture, and religions; contemporary Spanish American drama and poetry; and Hispanic cinema. His additional research interests include Caribbean ritual theater; Cuban and Puerto Rican cinema; Hispanic detective fiction; the historical novel; science fiction, horror, and fantasy; the graphic novel; and anthropological approaches to literature.

He has more than thirty years of professional experience in the theater as an actor, producer, director, and playwright. Dr. Cole has twice been nominated for an AriZoni Theatre Award for his acting performances in The Mission (2002) and Romeo y Julieta (2004). He is the author of the plays Y el director, ¿dónde está? (2007), La indocumentada (2008), and Dos monedas para Caronte (2025). Since joining Texas Tech University, he has directed six plays.

Dr. Cole’s scholarly publications and conference presentations address a wide range of topics, including the artistic production of Spanish American playwrights, representations of Yoruba religious practices in popular culture and literature, supernatural detective fiction, and Hispanic Holmesian pastiches. He is also the author of the poetry collections Círculos concéntricos (2014), Hojas sueltas (2015), and La isla que no se va (2025), as well as the cyberpunk noir short story collections Cadáveres en la oscura ciudad y otros relatos (2023) and Contratos de titanio y sangre (2026).

He currently serves as Associate Editor of Dura: Revista de literatura criminal hispana and as Associate Director of CILDE (Congreso Internacional de Literatura Detectivesca en Español).

Administrative Duties

•  Director of Spanish and Portuguese Graduate Studies, Texas Tech University, 2023-2025
• Interim Director of Spanish and Portuguese Graduate Studies, Texas Tech University, Summer 2022
• Co-Director of the Hispanic Studies Collection and the Janet Pérez Library, Texas Tech University, 2015-Present
• Director of Spanish and Portuguese Graduate Studies, Texas Tech University, 2018-2021
• Director of the Spanish and Portuguese Division, Texas Tech University, 2014-2015
• Spanish Graduate Program Recruiter & Admissions Officer, Texas Tech University, 2011-2014
• Faculty Advisor, Céfiro, Spanish Graduate Students Organization, Texas Tech University, 2008-2010

Offices Held

• Associate Director, CILDE (Congreso Internacional de Literatura Detectivesca en Español), 2018-Present
• Graduate Student Liaison and member of the Executive Board, SCOLAS, 2018-2021.
• Vice-President of the Llano Estacado Chapter of AATSP, 2007-2008

Editorial

• Associate Editor, Dura, Revista de Estudios de Literatura Criminal Hispana, 2018-Present
• Editorial Board, Revista Temas Americanistas, 2018-Present
• Editorial Board, Revista Hogueras, 2012-2015

Courses Commonly Taught

• Afro-Cuban Literature and Culture
• Hispanic Caribbean Literature
• Hispanic Cinema
• Hispanic Historical Fiction
• Hispanic Poetry
• Hispanic Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy
• Hispanic Theatre
• Hispanic Crime Fiction
• The Play in Spanish

Areas of Research

• Afro-Cuban Literature and Culture, Latin American Literature, Hispanic Caribbean Literature and Culture (emphasis in Cuba and Puerto Rico)
• Hispanic Drama, Hispanic Literary Sub-Genres (Historical Fiction, Sherlock Holmes, Crime Fiction, Comic Books & Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Horror, Dystopian & Fantasy Literature)
• Hispanic Cinema, Theatre, Freemasonry, African Mythology, Oral Tradition, Yoruba Culture, Anthropological approaches to Literature, Cultural Studies

Selected Publications

• “Pasión, violencia y corrupción: El puñal, una novela narcopolítica de espías.” Polifonía, vol. XV, no. 1, 2025, pp. 123-136.
• “Elvis Infante, From Occult Investigator to Shaman Detective: A New Manifestation of Criminal Fiction in F.G. Haghenbeck’s novels and in the Diablero Series.” Magic, Magicians, and Detective Fiction: Essays on Intersecting Modes of Mystery. Edited by Rebecca Josephy. MacFarland, 2025, pp. 195-214. ISBN: 978-1-4766-8820-6
• “El dilema de los próceres: un homenaje borgeano a Sherlock Holmes.” Cuadrivium, no. 16-17, años 22-23, pp. 114-120.
• “La edad cronológica, la edad en santo y el más allá: varias maneras de envejecer y el concepto de la inmortalidad dentro de la Santería.” Revista del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, ser. 3, no. 6, 2017, pp. 141-149.
• “Los 200 No: un choque ideológico entre generaciones y ámbitos políticos.” Cuadrivium, no. 11, año 17, otoño 2015-primavera 2016, pp. 152-157.
• “Guiado por los orishas: la santería como agente definitorio de la identidad cubana y su representación en el cine y la literatura (1981-2001).” Polifonía, vol. VI, no. 1, 2016, pp. 18-34.
• "Los elementos paralelos entre Los naufragios y La Odisea: otra muestra de la falta de veracidad en la obra de Cabeza de Vaca.” Revista de Literaturas Modernas, vol. 46, no. 22, julio-diciembre 2016, pp. 95-110.
• “‘Leyenda de la Tatuana’: análisis de su simbología y elementos míticos mayas.” Forum, vol. XVIII, 2010, pp. 85-93.
• “En búsqueda de Talía y de Melpómene: ¿existe el teatro modernista?” Magazine Modernista, no. 12, agosto 2009.
• “‘Transcultureo cubano’: la santería, el negrismo y la definición de la identidad cultural cubana a comienzos del siglo XX.” Dissidences, vol. 3, no. 5, 2008, art. 5, pp. 1-25.
• “Los òrìşà se manifiestan sobre las tablas: la presencia de la santería en el teatro cubano de los años sesenta.” Negritud, vol. 2, no.1, verano 2008, pp. 64-76.
• “Buscando santo: panorama histórico de la religión yorùbá en Cuba.”  Negritud, vol. 1, no. 1, noviembre 2007, pp. 217-230.
• “Chau Misterix: la pérdida de la inocencia y el rito de paso.” Gestos, no. 44, noviembre 2007, pp. 43-54.
• “Creencias principales y la estructura religiosa de la santería.” Hispania, vol. 90, no. 2, 2007, pp. 235-245.
• “Escuchando la voz de Ecue: la representación de la Sociedad Secreta Abakuá en la obra de Alejo Carpentier.” Revista Monográfica, vol. XXII, 2006, pp. 130-142.

Books Reviews

• “López-Herrera, Juan. Las aventuras del ingenioso detective Frank Stain.” Dura, Revista de Estudios de Literatura Criminal Hispana. 3 (2021).
• “Catalá Carrasco, Jorge, Pablo Drinot & James Scorer, Eds. Comics & Memory in Latin America.” Studies in Latin American Popular Culture.  Vol. 39 (2021). 169-171.
• “Villepastour, Amanda, Ed. The Yorùbá God of Drumming: Transatlantic Perspectives on the Wood that Talks.” Studies in Latin American Popular Culture. Vol. 38 (2020). 197-199.
• “Cosentino, Donald J. Divine Revolution: The Art of Edouard Duval-Carrié.” Chasqui. 34.2 (Nov. 2005), 155-156.

Awards and Honors

• XII Concurso de Cuentos “Cuéntale tu cuento a La Nota Latina.” Finalist with the short story “Chinchorreo en la memoria.”

•  

  President's Leadership Institute, 2025
• College of Arts & Sciences Graduating Seniors Survey named as an Outstanding Faculty Member. Texas Tech University, May 2007.
• College of Arts & Sciences Graduating Seniors Survey named as an Outstanding Faculty Member. Texas Tech University, August 2006.
• College of Arts & Sciences Graduating Seniors Survey named as an Outstanding Faculty Member. Texas Tech University, December 2005.
• Best Supporting Actor, AriZoni Theatre Awards 2004 (Nominated)
• Best Supporting Actor, AriZoni Theatre Awards 2002 (Nominated)

Creative Writing Interests

Essays

• “Humilde defensa de la Orden Masónica.” Acacia. Abril-mayo. 1998: 13-14.
• "Ser o No Ser." Acacia. Abril-mayo. 1998: 15-17.

Poetry

• La isla que nos se va. Editorial GC, 2025.
  ISBN: 979-8288736568
• Hojas sueltas. Editorial GC, 2015.
  ISBN: 979-8290017761
• Círculos concéntricos. Editorial GC, 2014.
  ISBN: 979-8289993373

Short Story

• Contratos de titanio y sangre. Editorial GC, 2026.
  ISBN: 979-8291632536
• Cadáveres en la oscura ciudad y otros relatos. Editorial GC, 2023
  ISBN: 979-8858289777

Novel

• Por este signo conquistaréis (Work in progress)

Drama

• Teatro. Editorial GC, 2025.
  ISBN: 979-8292268741
• Dos monedas para Caronte (2025)
• La indocumentada (2008)
• Y el director, ¿dónde está? (2007)