Mark W Rectanus

Mark W. Rectanus is Professor of German Studies in the Department of World Languages and Cultures at Iowa State University. He received his Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis and and completed his dissertation on paperback series in Germany (Literary Series in the Federal Republic of Germany from 1960 to 1980) as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Munich. Professor Rectanus has been a visiting professor at The Ohio State University and an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Fellow at the University of Munich. Professor Rectanus was Chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures from 2008 to 2013.

His research interests include the German publishing industry, the book and electronic media, contemporary German literature, corporate sponsorships, cultural politics, museums, and contemporary conceptual art. Much of his research addresses the globalization of culture, including his book Culture Incorporated: Museums, Artists, and Corporate Sponsorships (University of Minnesota Press), and the impact of globalization on contemporary museums. Prof. Rectanus is currently working on several projects dealing with museums, mobility, and visual culture in urban spaces.

In addition to his research Professor Rectanus instructs courses on “German Film and Media Studies”, “German for Business and Professions”, “Germany Today” and “Technology, Globalization, and Culture” (co-taught with James Oliver). He is the founding Director of the Languages and Cultures for Professions program at Iowa State University and continues to co-direct the program with Professor Chad Gasta.