Matthew Motyka, S.J.

Matthew Motyka S.J. has published articles in the field of early modern Romance literatures as well as in applied linguistics. More recently in his research he tries to explore the intersection between spirituality and the second language acquisition. This is reflected in his book published by the University Press of America/Hamilton Books, 2017, One Word but Many Tongues. In this autobiographical approach to life in multiple languages, the book shows that living multilingualism and multiculturalism carry with them a transforming spiritual force. His latest forthcoming publication is a book American Misfit: In Search for Reality by Common Ground Research Networks. Matthew Motyka is currently the co-chair of the department and the director of the French Studies program and the coordinator of the Italian language program. He teaches both lower division courses in French and Italian and upper division courses in French. 

• Cultural studies
• Language acquisition
• Literary studies

• Contemporary cultural issues in Europe
• Foreign language pedagogy
• French and Italian early modern literature

• Co-Chair, Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
• Program Director, French Studies
• Coordinator, Italian Language Program

• UC Berkeley, PhD in Romance Languages and Literature
• University of London-Heythrop College, MA in Philosophy of Religion
• Santa Clara's School of Theology, Mdiv.

• Lecturer in French and Italian, UC Berkeley
• Lecturer in French and Spanish, Santa Clara University

• American Misfit: In Search for Reality. Common Ground Research Networks , New Directions in the Humanities. Forthcoming 2025.
• “The Naturalization of Torquato Tasso’s Narrative Theory by the French Academy.” The InternaEonal Journal of the HumaniEes Annual Review. January 2021.
• One Word But Many Tongues: Confessions of a Multiculturalist. University Press of America/Hamilton Books. 2017.