Jane Caputi, Ph.D.

Professor Florida Atlantic University

  • Boca Raton FL

Jane Caputi, Ph.D., is an expert in contemporary American cultural studies, including popular culture, gender and violence, and ecofeminism.

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Biography

Jane Caputi is a professor of Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies at Florida Atlantic University. Her doctorate is in American Culture Studies. At FAU, Caputi has won the University Distinguished Teacher Award (2001) and was twice named University Researcher of the Year for Scholarly Activities, professor level (2005 and 2013). In 2016, the Popular Culture Association named her its “Eminent Scholar of the Year” and in 2020 the Association for the Study of Women in Mythology gave her its annual “Saga Award” for contributions to women’s history and culture. In 2013, Palm Beach County NOW (National Organization of Women gave her its annual Susan B. Anthony Feminist of the Year Award. Caputi has written four books: "The Age of Sex Crime" (1987); "Gossips, Gorgons and Crones: The Fates of the Earth" (1993); "Goddesses and Monsters: Women, Myth, Power and Popular Culture" (2004); and "Call Your “Mutha’” A Deliberately Dirty-Minded Manifesto for the Earth Mother in the Anthropocene" (2020). This last book is in a series on Heretical Thought and was published by Oxford University Press. Caputi also has made two educational documentaries: "The Pornography of Everyday Life" (2006), distributed by Berkeley Media; and "Feed the Green: Feminist Voices for the Earth" (2016), distributed by Women Make Movies. She also guest curated three exhibits on the presidential campaigns for the Schmidt Galleries at FAU: “Political Circus 2008;” “Political Sideshow 2016;" and “Political Pandemonium 2020.” These focused on popular artifacts (T-shirts, bumper stickers, buttons, etc.).

Areas of Expertise

Feminism
Gender and Violence
Contemporary American Cultural Studies
Popular Culture
Ecofeminism

Accomplishments

SCAF (Scholarly and Creative Activities for Faculty) Award

2017
Florida Atlantic University

Research and Scholarly Activities

2005
Florida Atlantic University

Distinguished Teacher

2001
Florida Atlantic University

Education

Bowling Green State University

Ph.D.

1982

Simmons College

M.A.

1977

Boston College

B.A.

1974

Selected Media Appearances

What Feminist Scholar Jane Caputi Believes History Can Teach Us About Taking on Male Supremacy—and Building a Future Without Femicide

Ms. Magazine  online

2025-08-27

The professor and The Age of Sex Crime author explained in the latest episode of Looking Back, Moving Forward why the backlash we’re facing is proof that we’re winning—and urged feminists not to abandon their utopic visions for a world without misogyny.

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‘Wonder Woman’ vs. ‘The Godfather’

Ms. Magazine  online

2024-10-31

Ahead of the presidential election, Donald Trump fans align him with The Godfather, and Kamala Harris supporters idealize her as Wonder Woman.

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FAU’s “Political Circus” Explores Another Polarized Campaign Cycle

Boca Raton Magazine  online

2024-10-16

Co-curated by Lisa Rockford of Rockford Projects and FAU professor Dr. Jane Caputi from her ongoing collection, and subdivided into categories addressing immigration, race, religion, cults of personality, voting, women’s rights and more, “Political Circus” revels in extremes. It’s like walking through an unfiltered comments section of a political site—subreddits expanded into three dimensions. I found some of the merchandise genuinely witty, particularly a riff on the similarities between Donald Trump and Jim Jones, and a pointed dig at Ron DeSantis’ footwear that flips the script on his anti-LGBTQ stances.

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Selected Articles

We look to our mothers to save us from injustice and distress | Opinion

Miami Herald

Jane Caputi

2020

In times of greatest extremity, people cry out for their mothers. George Floyd, while being tortured and then killed by a white policeman, called out “Mama.” Hearing this, many instantly wept in recognition, as this calling to the mother touched on the universal experience of infant helplessness, need for care and the hope for succor and intervention.

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Men still want to slay dragons, especially the female kind

Miami Herald

Jane Caputi

2019

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The Color Orange? Social Justice Issues in the First Season of Orange Is the New Black

The Journal of Popular Culture

Jane Caputi

2015

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