Associate Professor of English Taylor Black specializes in 20th-century American literature, popular music studies and queer theory. A Duke faculty member since 2019, he is currently working on two projects: the American fascination with cults and cult leaders, and a cultural history of New York’s downtown arts scene during the 1980s. Black is the author of the 2023 book “Style: A Queer Cosmology” and a recipient of the 2025-26 Langford Lectureship Award. read more about Faculty Spotlight: Taylor Black »
Congratulations to Duke English professors Taylor Black, Jarvis McInnis, Marguerite Nguyen, and Richard So! Nearly 40 scholars representing eight of Duke’s schools have recently been awarded tenure. In March, Duke’s Office for Faculty Advancement will host a two-day celebration and leadership retreat for newly tenured faculty members. read more about Duke Awards Tenure to Faculty Across Disciplines »
Professor Corina Stan was recently quoted in The Atlantic article, The Return of MAGA’s Favorite Forbidden Book, noting her scholarly expertise. read more about The Return of MAGA’s Favorite Forbidden Book »
Duke’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences has invited its faculty to submit proposals for the creation of new research initiatives on campus.Following the successful launches of the SPACE Initiative and the Society-Centered AI Initiative, the Trinity Research Initiative will support new directions for interdisciplinary research through seed funding for nascent research collaborations, community-building, and complementary educational and outreach activities.Open to all areas of research and… read more about Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Invites Proposals for New Research Initiatives »
On a continent where "multilingual” means not two or three languages, but thousands, years of working in literature have given Munyao Kilolo a unique perspective on the power of translation. In addition to being the founder and editor-in-chief of the Ituika Literary Platform and director of the Mabati Cornell Kiswahili Prize, Kilolo is the former managing editor of the magazine Jalada Africa[1]. Its Translation Issue revolutionized ideas about what translation could mean in… read more about “To See Their Mother Tongues In Text”: The Transformative Power of Translation »
Whilst it is known that Durham’s summers are endlessly long, fall has the best colors, and the cherry blossoms in spring are something out of a picture book –- where's the excitement for a Durham winter? It's always been rumoured that as a Duke undergraduate it will only snow once in your time here (I used mine up freshman year). Here are some books recommended by Duke students that will help you get in the wintery mood (even if it is still 75 degrees… read more about Duke Students Recommended Winter Reads »
Each year, The Graduate School awards hundreds of Summer Research Fellowships to Ph.D. students, funded by gifts from alumni and supporters. The fellowships allow students to continue their research year-round and maximize their time at Duke even in the summer months. read more about Summer Research Snapshots 2025 »
Ah, yes, it’s that time of the year again! That time when you spend days crafting the perfect schedule, furiously greeting group chats and tracking your exact walk to class. Will you have enough time to grab a coffee from Bella? Fingers crossed! When 7 am rolls around on registration day, you will sit next to your roommate frantically working out the math: can you get from Gross Hall to Biddle in under twenty-five minutes? Is an 8:30 am class on a Friday really so bad? (It always is.) So even… read more about Drop/Add Guide for Spring 2026 »
In a room reminiscent of the Kwani? magazine offices a decade ago, writer, professor, and editor Billy Kahora captivates his listeners. This time, however, his audience was not a board of magazine contributors, rather an audience of students, many of whom (myself included) were getting a glimpse into the world of small magazines and their operations for the first time. Kahora, currently a professor at the University of Bristol, previously served as Managing Editor of Kwani Trust, an organization dedicated to… read more about Notes from the Editor: Billy Kahora on Small Magazines »
The John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute has worked closely with undergraduates and graduate students across our various interdisciplinary programs and projects. This week’s spotlight focuses on the work of Trisha Santanam, a Duke University senior studying English and Music, and whose critical and creative encounters with both genres extend into new forms of communication. You can read more about her research endeavors below:Do you ever find yourself analyzing contemporary music in the same way, or do you try to… read more about Student Spotlight: Trisha Santanam on Literature, Music and the Power of the Humanities »
Camille Bordas, the 2026 Blackburn Artist-in-Residence, graced us during her recent “Read & Greet” by reading from her forthcoming book of short stories, One Sun Only. It was only her second time reading from the collection publicly. She chose to read the collection’s title story, because she wanted to read a piece in its entirety—something a writer seldom gets to do.It wasn’t just about the length of the story, though: I wanted to read something written in first person, because when it comes to… read more about Blackburn Artist-in-Residence, Camille Bordas “Read & Greet” »
What makes people politically engaged? Can AI be creative? Why is it so hard to understand the effects of fiscal policy on individual households? How could something as simple as a postcard drive political reform? These are just a few of the questions the scholars joining Trinity College of Arts & Sciences this fall are exploring.They are now part of an extraordinary community of faculty whose pathbreaking research spans disciplines and expands our understanding of the world. Together, they embody what it means to… read more about Meet the New Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Faculty of 2025 »
Including an interview with Professor Timothy HeimlichIntense feelings, locations that seem to transcend time, connection – unmistakably features of Romantic lyrical poetry that captured the hearts of nations in the late 18thC. The world turned from investigating the internal to appreciating the external and, as the globe became more interconnected, beauty was everywhere. Nationalist pride became rooted in individuals who believed their country was the most beautiful, and one way to cement that beauty was through… read more about Duke Poets Society - The Romantics Edition »
As Halloween creeps closer, Duke students have more than just costumes and candy to look forward to — Trinity has a cauldron of classes brewed for spooky‑season scholars. If you’re ready to trade your pumpkin spice latte for something a little more spooky, gather your study group coven and prepare to summon your inner ghoul, because these classes prove that learning at Duke can be delightfully haunting. read more about Spooky Season 101: Courses to Get You in the Mood for Halloween »
My talk was an effort to take the measure of ideas about disaster and possibility from the past and see how we might learn from them today.- Professor Nathan K. Hensley, Georgetown UniversityRecently, Duke English hosted the third annual Tennenhouse-Armstrong Lecture. This year's guest lecturer was Blue Devil alum Nathan K. Hensley, who received his PhD in English from Duke University, and is currently a professor at Georgetown University. Hensley presented a lecture titled… read more about Reflection: Tennenhouse-Armstrong Lecture Featuring Nathan K. Hensley »
Duke Arts Studio offers creative and professional support for undergraduate student projects in the fields of arts, entertainment, and media. This year’s cohort includes ten students developing projects in sculpture, writing, documentary, fashion design, and art technology. Each student is paired with an arts industry professional who will mentor them for the academic year as they develop their project. Mentors are drawn from both Duke’s alumni community and from Durham’s vibrant creative… read more about Announcing the 2025-26 Duke Arts Studio Pairings »
Christopher Ouma, an associate professor of English at Duke, likes to take his students on journeys to Africa; not physical journeys, but ones of the imagination made possible by literature.“My courses are really scaled up ways of encountering Africa,” Ouma said. “When I first met my students in the class on contemporary African fiction, I wanted to give them not only Adichie [Nigerian writer and activist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie], but a sense of Adiche’s generation, a whole generation of African writers. And I told them,… read more about Global Perspectives Feature: Christopher Ouma Brings the African Experience to Duke »
For Richard Jean So, joining Duke was the obvious choice. The associate professor of English and Rhodes Chair in Digital Humanities was drawn to the university’s strong commitment to interdisciplinary research and discovery. “Digital humanities is still a relatively new field,” So explains. “For Duke to invest in an area that many of its peer institutions are approaching with caution shows real boldness — Duke just feels ahead of the curve to me.” That same forward-looking spirit is reflected in So’s own research… read more about Richard So Charts New Territories in Digital Humanities »
Duke Poets Society: An interview with Professor Joseph Donahue, a current poet and English professor at Duke University. Professor Donahue has been with the English Department as a lecturer for over 14 years and specializes in teaching both the art of creating poetry and analysing and critiquing great poets’ works! This semester he is teaching English 220S: Introduction to the Writing of Poetry and English 390S-1: Special Topics in a Single American Author: Emily… read more about Duke Poets Society: An Interview with Professor Joseph Donahue »
British authors of the 18th century often were influenced by their natural surroundings, a parallel that resonates with Assistant Professor Timothy Heimlich, who joined the Department of English this fall. Heimlich’s inspiration to explore how Wales fits into the landscape of British literature came from an unlikely muse: Wisconsin. Growing up in the Milwaukee suburbs, Heimlich frequently rode his bike to Wales, a tiny village founded by Welsh immigrants in the 1840s. The forested route included street names like… read more about Timothy Heimlich Follows Wales into 18th Century British Literature »
As an English major and an avid reader, you will always find me pestering my friends on the day shopping carts open. Whether it's Arthurian romance tales or haikus – I want to take it. I want the classes at Duke with the biggest breadth and depth of literature across centuries and the globe. I have pieced together what I believe is a dream class journey for any aspiring English majors, minors, and those who are smart enough to take a chance on a course outside of their major!English… read more about Consuming the Literary Rainbow through Duke’s English Courses! »
Sophomore year is when things start to click, and the unknowns become the familiar. Classes feel more purposeful, friendships run deeper, routines develop and campus becomes home. As our four Trinity students return, the series picks back up to follow their next chapter focused on exploring new opportunities, choosing majors and finding momentum. Through stories, photos, videos and social updates, we’ll capture the energy as they lean in, step up — and hit their stride. read more about Trinity in Four Acts: Daniella Freedman »
Program introduces Duke faculty members to leadership roles, strategic focus areas read more about Four Selected as Provost Faculty Fellows for 2025-26 »
Marguerite Nguyen has been a Blue Devil basketball fan since elementary school. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees who fled Saigon in 1975, Nguyen developed an obsession for ACC basketball and would spend hours watching games in the family’s living room in southeastern Virginia. That early connection to Duke eventually brought her to campus to pursue a B.A. in English. “I knew I wanted to be an English major but didn’t necessarily know what I wanted to do with the major,” she explains. “With a lifelong love for… read more about Marguerite Nguyen: Scholarship Rooted in the Refugee Experience »
Professor Cynthia Dong joins Duke English for the 2025-26 academic year as a visiting professor. This fall she will be teaching English 390S – Film Comedy. She joins the department from McGill University. Senior Duke English major Trisha Santanam, ’26, recently interviewed Professor Dong. Trisha: Could you please introduce yourself and tell us a little about the academic topics that interest you?Professor Dong: I’m a film historian coming to Duke University from McGill… read more about Meet Cynthia Dong, Visiting Duke English Professor »
Graduate students at Duke University’s John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute (FHI) are redefining poetry’s place in academic settings. Tessa Bolsover and Michael Cavuto are building a deeply interdisciplinary, community-centered approach to poetry as co-conveners of the Contemporary Poetics Working Group (2023-2025). Its primary mode of engagement upends conventional lines separating academic study from artistic thought. read more about Building Community Through the Solarities Contemporary Poetry Series »
This fall, the Duke English department will have three new additions to its faculty. The department welcomes Professors Marguerite Nguyen, Associate Professor of English; Professor Richard Jean So, Associate Professor of English; and Professor Timothy Heimlich, Assistant Professor of English.Associate Professor of English - Marguerite Nguyen Professor Nguyen, a Duke English alum, joins the department from Wesleyan University. Her studies have focused on American… read more about New Duke English Faculty Members »
Novelist, short story writer and academic Camille Bordas will join Duke English as the '25-26 Visiting Blackburn Artist-in-Residence. Bordas will be the department's third Visiting Blackburn Artist-in-Residence. She has taught at the University of Florida and written for notable publications, including The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Tin House, Chicago Magazine, and LitHub.Each Blackburn Artist-in-Residence selection is an author who also has teaching experience, at least one published book, has other… read more about '25-26 Visiting Blackburn Artist-in-Residence, Camille Bordas »
Congratulations to Prof. Taylor Black, one of the four Duke Scholars honored with the 2025-26 Langford Lectureship Award. read more about Four Duke Scholars Honored With Langford Lectureship Award »