Professor Hoffman specializes in 19th and 20th century European and American art. In addition, she teaches the history of photography and film, Islamic Art, and courses in the humanities program. She has studio experience in photography and painting, and exhibits and publishes photographs.

Professor Hoffman developed the Islamic Art course to give students the chance to understand Islamic art and culture. A grant, from the Whiting Foundation, and a fellowship at the American Center for Oriental Research in Amman, Jordan allowed her to travel to a number of Islamic sites in the Middle East and North Africa.

Professor Hoffman's research interests are interdisciplinary and cross-cultural studies.

She has published six books and numerous articles. Her most recent books include: Stieglitz: A Beginning Light ( Yale University Press, 2004), Georgia O'Keeffe: A Celebration of Music and Dance (George Braziller, 1997); and Concepts of  Identity: Historical and Contemporary Images of Self and Family (Harper Collins, 1996). She is currently working under contract for Yale University on a second book on Alfred Stieglitz, Stieglitz: A Legacy of Light. In addition, she lectures widely, most recently in Istanbul, Paris, Cape Town, Salzburg, and Warsaw.

During the 2006 spring semester, she was a Fulbright Distinguished Chair at the Karl Franzens University in Graz, Austria. Her project there involved a comparative study of the concept of the "Gesamtkunstwerk" in the work of the Vienna Secession and American Photo Secession.

Professor Hoffman received her BA from Smith College and Ph.D. from New York University.