Dr. Nelson Hodges received her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1998.  As a graduate student, her research focused on the social construction of identity through textiles and dress in culture and history.  Her dissertation topic explored the experiences of women textile artists in contemporary Ireland.  She has been at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro since 1998, where she has continued this focus on the contextual factors of dress and textiles in both her teaching and research. 

Dr. Nelson Hodge’s current research emphasis involves the exploration of dress in history, culture and society.  Specifically, her research focuses on issues of gender as related to dress.  Current research topics include:  women and the textile and apparel industry in North Carolina; cross-dressing across cultures; the use of the Internet as a forum for dress; and women  and the creation of knowledge within the clothing and textiles field.

 

Dr. Nelson Hodges has published in several academic journals, and has presented her findings at many juried national and international conferences.  She is currently a member of the Executive Board of the International Textiles and Apparel Association and is on the Editorial Board for the Clothing and Textiles Research Journal.  She recently proposed funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities to study cross-dressing at global Mardi Gras celebrations.