Philip Nel
Distinguished Professor
Department of English
Orcid identifier0000-0002-7209-0776 (opens in a new tab)
- Distinguished ProfessorDepartment of English
- Kansas State University, English, 919 Mid-Campus Drive, Manhattan, KS, 66506, United States
- Kansas State University, 919 Mid-Campus Drive, Manhattan, KS, 66506, United States
ABOUt
The author or co-editor of 15 books on children's literature and/or comics, Philip Nel is an occasional guest on media programs, and was once a clue on the popular American game show Jeopardy. His Was the Cat in the Hat Black?: The Hidden Racism of Children's Literature and the Need for Diverse Books (2017) was one of the catalysts for Dr. Seuss Enterprises' March 2021 decision to stop publishing six Dr. Seuss books that contain racist imagery. In April of 2025, it was one of 381 books removed from the US Naval Academy Library. Nel's most recent book is How to Draw the World: Harold and the Purple Crayon and the Making of a Children's Classic (2024)
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
- University Distinguished ProfessorKansas State University, English, 919 Mid-Campus Drive, Manhattan, 66506, United States8 Jan 2013
- ProfessorKansas State University, English, 919 Mid-Campus Drive, Manhattan, 66506, United States8 Jan 2008 - 1 Aug 2013
- Associate ProfessorKansas State University, English, 919 Mid-Campus Drive, Manhattan, 66506, United States8 Jan 2005 - 1 Aug 2008
- Assistant ProfessorKansas State University, English, 919 Mid-Campus Drive, Manhattan, 66506, United States8 Jan 2000 - 1 Aug 2005
DEGREES
- Ph.D., EnglishVanderbilt University, English, Nashville, TN, United States1 Aug 1993 - 1 Aug 1997
- M.A., EnglishVanderbilt University, English, Nashville, TN, United States1 Aug 1992 - 1 Aug 1993
- B.A., English and PsychologyUniversity of Rochester, English, Psychology, Rochester, NY, United States1 Sep 1988 - 1 May 1992
LANGUAGES
- EnglishCan read, write, speak, understand and peer review