Javier García León

Dr. Javier García León is an Associate Professor of Spanish Linguistics in the Department of Languages, Cultures, and Translation. He served as Associate Editor of the Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics (2018–2024) and currently serves as an elected member of the Advisory Board of the International Gender and Language Association (2025–2027).

His interdisciplinary research explores the intersections of language, power, and representation. He has worked on Languages in Contact (Spanish and Creole languages in the Caribbean) and Linguistic Attitudes and Policies (Colombia). His work also includes Critical Discourse Analysis and Latin American LGBTQI+ Cultural and Media Studies. In particular, he has examined the representation of transgender individuals in Latin American newspapers and audiovisual journalism over recent decades. As part of an international research group, Javier is exploring the representation of disability and mental health in the Spanish-speaking world. His research has been supported by several internal and external grants, which have helped advance his work on language and representation.

At UNC Charlotte, Javier teaches courses such as Spanish Sociopragmatics, Discourse Analysis, Critical Linguistics, Spanish in the U.S., and Advanced Grammar and Composition.