Biography

Dr. Kruse has been teaching geography courses at West Liberty University since fall of 2005. He has also served as Interim Chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences (2010-2012) and Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts (2013-2015). He continues to publish research on various aspects of social and cultural geographies.

Education

McMillen Endowed Chair, College of Liberal Arts (2023-2027)

Professional Experiences

Ph.D. Geography, Kent State University, 2004
Dissertation title: “Placing the Beatles,” Advisor: James A. Tyner
Fields of specialization: cultural geography, landscapes, popular culture. Cognate discipline: sociology

M.A. Geography, Kent State University, 2001
Thesis title: “Social Spaces of Little People,” Advisor: James A. Tyner
Field of specialization: social geographies of disabilities

B.A. Geography, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, 1999

Most Recent Publications and Presentations

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles:
2025 “Socio-Spatial Experiences of Living with Cancer: New Landscapes of a Geographer-Patient,” Social and Cultural Geography, March 2025.

2024 “Revisiting Point Pleasant, West Virginia: Notes on the Changing Geographies of an Appalachian Town,” Southeastern Geographer, 64(4): 477-483.

2022 “Bach on the Harbourfront: Geographies of the Toronto Music Garden,” Area 55(2), 254-263.

2020 Pritchard, E. and Kruse, R. “Introduction: Cultural Representations of Dwarfism,” Journal of Literary and Cultural Disabilities Studies 14(2): 131-135.

2019 “John Cage and Nonrepresentational Spaces of Music,” Social and Cultural Geography 22(6): 767-782.

Invited Publication:s
2025 “The Wheeling Soundscape Project: Exploring the Sounds that Define a Community,” Weelunk, https://weelunk.com/the-wheeling-soundscape-project-exploring-the-sounds-that-define-a- community/