Mark Rice

Professor, American Studies Department
School of Arts and Sciences

Areas of Expertise

• History of American photography
• Rhetoric of American exceptionalism
• American culture

Bio

Rice specializes in the history of photography, 20th century American culture, and transnational American Studies. His research focuses on the history of American photography, particularly that photography which asserts some sort of authoritative vision about its subject. He is also interested in the rhetoric of American exceptionalism and how that relates to American politics and culture.

He has been a contributor to Forbes magazine, Huffington Post, and Newsweek International. He also maintains the internationally recognized blog, "Ranking America."

In 2012, Rice was a panelist on the TV Ontario current affairs program, The Agenda, where he discussed the myths and realities of American exceptionalism. He was also quoted in New York Times in 2012 on the presidential race; and has given several radio interviews based on his blog.

In 2007, Rice was a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Vietnam, helping to establish an American Studies curriculum at Can Tho University.

His scholarly publications include Dean Worcester’s Fantasy Islands: Photography, Film, and the Colonial Philippines (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2014); Through the Lens of the City: NEA Photography Surveys of the 1970s (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2005); and (as a co-author) 1000 Photo Icons: George Eastman House (Köln: Taschen, 2002).