Mercedes Tasende

Dr. Mercedes Tasende is a professor in the Department of Spanish at Western Michigan University and the Director of the Heredia, Costa Rica, study abroad program.

She is a specialist in early 20th century Spanish literature. She has authored a book on the work of Valle-Inclán, "Palimpsesto y subversión" and Un estudio intertextual del El ruedo ibérico, an intertextual study of El Ruedo Ibérico - The Iberian Circle, a novel series by Valle-Inclán). Tasende has also authored papers and articles on Pardo Bazán, Unamuno, Gómez de la Serna and Manuel Rivas.

She is currently conducting research on Unamuno and Spanish Civil War literature. 

Tasende was the recipient of the 2013 College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Achievement Award in Global Engagement.