Congratulations to Professor Aarthi Vadde, the 2024 E. Blake Byrne Chair. Professor Vadde is among the four Duke faculty members inducted into the Bass Society of Fellows this year. read more about Bass Society of Fellows Awards Its 2024 Chairs »
Two books by three Duke English professors' recent publications are among the Spring '24 books on the Duke Today's Spring Books by Duke Authors list: The Palgrave Handbook of European Migration in Literature and Culture by Professors Corina Stan and Charlotte Sussman and The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries by Professor Aarthi Vadde. read more about Spring Books by Duke Authors: Meditations, Baseball, Rebels and Stomach Pains »
Spring’s crop of books from Duke authors includes a history of grievance in the United States, an up-close look at the camaraderie at Durham Bulls games, and a guide on understanding sex and gender. Below is a roundup of some of the most recent and upcoming published titles. Many of the books, including new editions of previous titles, can be found on the “Duke Authors” display shelves near the circulation desk in Perkins Library. Some are available as e-books for quick download. Most can also be purchased through the… read more about Spring Books in Duke Authors: Meditations, Baseball, Rebels and Stomach Pains »
On March 25th, several Duke English faculty and more than 20 undergraduates met to discuss “Sex, Money, Death (and PIZZA): Why you should be a Creative Writing Minor.” Each semester, the Duke English Department hosts an Open House for students to learn about the craft of creative writing from faculty members whose areas of expertise include poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Faculty share their writing experiences, what attracted them to a particular genre, how they approach writing, what courses they teach, and a… read more about Spring ’24 Creative Writing Open House »
Musical collisions, living monuments, immersive choreography and celebrations of tradition are all part of the performance experience at Duke. The arts and humanities faculty in Trinity College of Arts & Sciences are gifted creatives, as well as respected educators and researchers. This month, several of them have joined with Duke Arts Presents to present four performances across multiple art forms.Aaron Shackelford, the director of programming for Duke Arts says, “Duke Arts Presents brings world-class… read more about Duke Arts Presents Collaborates with Trinity Faculty for Four Performances in April »
Congratulations to Professor Christopher Ouma for receiving one of the 2024-25 Research Seed Grants in Documentary Studies from the Duke Center for Documentary Studies for his collaboration with Professor Khwezi Mkhize of the African & African American Studies for their "Black Archival Imagination: The Hugh Exton Photographic Museum." read more about Documentary Studies Grants Awarded to Faculty for Research and Course Development »
The Caribbean Philosophical Association is pleased to announce that Nathaniel Mackey is one of the 2024 recipients of the Nicolás Cristóbal Guillén Batista Lifetime Achievement Award. The selection of recommended recipients is made annually by the Caribbean Philosophical Association’s Awards Committee, which consists of all prior recipients of the Frantz Fanon, the Nicolás Guillén, and the Stuart Hall Awards, two appointed senior scholars, and two appointed junior scholars. For more information, please consult:… read more about The Caribbean Philosophical Association’s 2024 Nicolás Cristóbal Guillén Batista Lifetime Achievement Award Goes to Nathaniel Mackey »
Congratulations to Professors Chris Ouma, Associate Professor of English, and Julianne Werlin, Bacca Foundation Associate Professor of Rhetoric, Culture, and Society, on achieving the rank of tenure during the '22-23 tenure review period. read more about Tenure Awarded to Faculty in Various Disciplines Across Campus »
Congratulations to Professor Julianne Werlin on being one of the Office for Research & Innovation and Office of the Vice Provost Interdisciplinary Studies's 2023 inaugural Explore Seed Grant recipients. read more about Explore 2023 Recipients »
When we think of style, we usually think about the clothes a person wears, how they act, how they choose to present themselves to the world. In his new book "Style: A Queer Cosmology," Taylor Black, assistant professor of English, looks at icons of American culture who figured out how to express style in what he calls a “non-typical way.” The book is divided in three parts. Part One, “The Mystery of Personality: Queerness as Style” revolves around Quentin Crisp and Flannery O’Connor. Part Two, “The Arrow of Time… read more about Style: A Queer Cosmology — Redefining Expression and Identity »
The Palgrave Handbook of European Migration in Literature and Culture, edited by Professors Corina Stan and Charlotte Sussman, was released in November 2023."The Palgrave Handbook of European Migration in Literature and Culture engages with migration to, within, and from Europe, foregrounding migration through the lenses of historical migratory movement and flows associated with colonialism and postcolonialism. With essays on literature, film, drama, graphic novels, and more, the book… read more about "The Palgrave Handbook of European Migration in Literature and Culture” Edited by Stan and Sussman »
Has your class discussed "Like a Prayer" by Madonna this semester? If not, you have missed out and are not enrolled in Professor Tom Ferraro's "Madonna Trouble.” Last year, during one of his graduate-level lectures, Ferraro mentioned that he taught a "Madonna unit" in his Italian-American arts and multimedia courses, and his students responded with, "You gotta teach a course on Madonna!" "Truth is, I can't imagine education in the 20th Century transnational U.S. expressive culture without Madonna (as I can't imagine… read more about “Madonna Trouble” Taught by Professor Tom Ferraro »
In January 2023, Ranjana Khanna was reappointed as FHI Director for a second 5-year term. In this wide-ranging interview with FHI's Assistant Director of Communications Michaela Dwyer, Khanna discusses the return of in-person programming and modes of collaboration in the humanities. Highlighting the launch of the Entanglement Project, she considers how the humanities might help us make sense of the world in the shadow of the pandemic. read more about Making Sense of the World We Live In: A Conversation with FHI Director Ranjana Khanna »
Brown University Professor Tim Bewes presented "Lukács and Baldwin: A Conversation Between Novel Theory and Black Studies" for the inaugural Len Tennenhouse Lecture. A capacity crowd joined Bewes for his lecture focused on the first of a projected three essay study of "Race and the Novel."Students, faculty, Duke community members, and literary arts supporters were eager to hear Bewes discuss his work. Bewes began his lecture by thanking the department for the honor of being selected for the inaugural Len Tennenhouse Lecture… read more about Inaugural Tennenhouse Lecture »
A group of students recently joined the Duke English Creative Writing faculty for an Open House. The Open House allowed students to chat with faculty informally about creative writing from all facets, ranging from course offerings to advice on how creative writing can continue beyond the classroom. Among the students in attendance was a local high school senior who has applied to Duke and is interested in majoring in English and minoring in Creative Writing. “I thought it was a super great opportunity to meet creative… read more about Fall ’23 Creative Writing Open House »
New reads from Duke authors include a take on what it takes to be successful in the job market today (hint: it’s a lot of luck), a history of racial identity among Latinos in the South and the science behind being a good neighbor. read more about Good Reads for the Fall: New Books from Duke Authors »
A packed crowd joined Duke English for a reading and an opportunity to meet and chat with poet Toby Martinez de las Rivas, the 2023-24 Blackburn Distinguished Artist in Residence. Martinez de las Rivas joined the department for the 2023-24 academic year and is teaching two sections of an “Introduction to Creative Writing” this semester, a multi-genre course designed to allow students to experience imaginative literary texts. The "Read & Greet" allowed the Duke community to hear Professor Martinez de las Rivas… read more about "Read & Greet" With Poet Toby Martinez de las Rivas, Blackburn Distinguished Artist in Residence »
Six Duke faculty members will join scholars from 12 peer institutions in leadership fellowships. They will learn how to use their influence on equity and other issues to strengthen their departments and advance excellence in learning. Includes Professor R. Darren Gobert read more about Six Duke Faculty Hone Skills as Academic Leaders »
The psychological impact of discrimination, the economics of marrying your cousin, fossil fuel economies in South Asia and the Mississippi Delta, quantum algorithms, how Black intellectuals shared ideas through the British empire, the organization of political parties and more. "Our new faculty are not only among the world's brightest minds, but they are individuals driven by a passion for enriching the lives of our students," says Dean Gary G. Bennett. Meet Trinity's newest scholars and educators. Christopher Ouma… read more about Meet the Newest Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Faculty »
Julianne Werlin, Duke English, Bacca Foundation Associate Professor, has been named one of this academic year's five Landford Lectureship Award Recipients. The Office of the Provost established the Langford Lecture series in 2000 as a tribute to Thomas Langford, former Divinity School faculty member, Dean, and Provost. read more about Prof. Werlin, Thomas Langford Lectureship Award Recipient »
The Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics hosts a bi-weekly conversation “On Humane Tech,” highlighting relevant news in a conversational format with our team. Each week the topic changes, but one thing stays the same — we want to hear from you. Respond to our conversation below. read more about On Humane Tech: The Written Word in a Digital World with Dr. Aarthi Vadde »
Poem by Professor Tsitsi Jaji published in the Atlantic Magazine read more about “Disaster" »
The Zimbabwe Poets Society's just concluded poetry reading and poet's workshop, coordinated by poet and literary activist Batsirai Chigama, provides the personal engagement with poetry that local poets appear to have always desired to be consistently associated with. read more about Jaji Hosts Inspiring Poetry Workshop »
Poet Toby Martinez de las Rivas will join the Duke English Department this Fall as the 2023-24 Blackburn Artist in Residence. He recently joined sophomore English major Trisha Santanam via Zoom to discuss the course he is teaching this Fall, English 290S.4.01: "Word & Image." English major Trisha Santanam interviews Poet Toby Martinez de las Riva, 2023-24 Blackburn Artist in Residence read more about Meet Poet Toby Martinez de las Rivas, Blackburn Artist in Residence »
Summer is a great time to catch up on reading. Books from more than a dozen Duke authors offer insight on a range of topics – from gratitude for everyday life to the antislavery writings of Henry David Thoreau. Below is a roundup of some of the most recently published and soon-to-be-out titles. read more about Hot Off the Press: Summer Reading From Duke Authors »
On Tuesday, May 16, 2023, a panel of Joe Ashby Porter's former colleagues and students came together via a webinar to remember the life and work of Joe Ashby Porter. Professor Porter taught in the English and Theater Studies departments for nearly four decades. Porter passed on December 14, 2019; the COVID-19 pandemic delayed our event to honor his legacy. read more about RECORDING: Joe Ashby Porter Virtual Celebration »
Most semesters, Duke English offers single-author courses that provide students with the opportunity to study a featured author in depth. During the Spring ’23 semester, “Zora Neale Hurston: Race, Gender, Region, Diaspora,” taught by Professor Jarvis McInnis, was one of these offerings. This course examines the life and work of Zora Neale Hurston, one of the preeminent writers of twentieth-century African American literature. Though best known as a novelist of the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston was also a formally trained… read more about Professor McInnis’ “Zora Neale Hurston” Course »
Duke English is delighted to announce that Toby Martinez de las Rivas, a highly accomplished poet with an international profile, will be our Blackburn Artist in Residence for the 2023-24 academic year. He will teach two creative writing courses each semester, beginning with English 110s and a special topics course on “Word and Image” English 290s-4 in the fall. Martinez de las Rivas’ publications include two full collections. Black Sun (2018) was shortlisted for the Forward… read more about 2023-24 Blackburn Artist In Residence - Toby Martinez de las Rivas »
Duke English recently hosted its Spring "Fiction Open House," focused on Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programs. A panel consisting of members of the department's creative writing sector: Professors Amin Ahmad, JP Gritton, Mesha Maren, Akhil Sharma, and English Ph.D. candidate Anya Lewis-Meeks, provided insight into MFA programs, writing paths without an MFA and fielded questions from the students in attendance. This "Fiction Open House" event offered undergrad writers in the Duke community a chance to ask about postgraduation… read more about Spring 2023 Fiction Open House »
Maren is the author of two novels and many more short stories and essays. Her experience growing up outside Alderson, West Virginia, has played a pivotal role in her work. read more about Q&A: Mesha Maren’s Small Town Roots Find a Home in Her Writing »