English Department
Video recording of Duke Department of English Graduation Ceremony on May 12, 2024. read more about Video of Graduation, May 12, 2024 »
Embark on an intellectual odyssey with Professor Christopher Ouma, our distinguished guest, who delivers a masterclass on African literature's profound role in crafting Pan-African identity. As a newly minted associate professor at Duke University, Christopher traces his journey from the vibrant heart of Kenya to the halls of academia, offering us a window into the soul of a continent through its stories. Together, we reminisce about the transformative power of education and the written word in shaping identity,… read more about Shaping Pan-African Imagination and Solidarity: A Conversation with Literary Critic and Professor Christopher Ouma »
Professor Chris Ouma, who joined the Duke English faculty this academic year, and Professor Khwezi Mkhize, Duke African & African American Studies, collaborated in Spring ’24 to co-teach English 590S, cross-listed as AAAS 590S, “Black Archival Imagination.” The central theme of this course addressed two questions: What do we mean when we invoke the idea of a Black Archive? What are the conditions, genres, and modes of expression through which Black life, imagination, and desire become legible? Professors Ouma and… read more about Spring 2024 Black Archival Imagination Seminar Series »
Congratulations to our 2024 graduations! read more about 2024 Graduation Ceremony Photo Gallery »
The following is a partial list of national, university, school and departmental awards presented to the members of the Class of 2024. In some awards where there are multiple winners, only members of the Class of 2024 are included. read more about Honors and Laurels Earned by the Class of 2024 »
This Spring, "poetry" has been the central theme for Duke English and the featured genre for events and courses. The department's course offerings included poetry-centric classes ranging from the traditional "Milton" course taught by Professor David Aers to "Poetry Beyond the Pages" taught by Blackburn Distinguished Artist in Residence, poet Toby Martinez de las Rivas. Throughout the semester, I had the opportunity to observe poetry-centric classes taught in the department which allowed me to experience what students are… read more about Spring 2024 Poetry-Centric Duke English Courses »
Five Trinity students made their way to South Bend, Indiana for the 18th annual ACC Meeting of the Minds conference in April. Thang Lian, Sasha Bacot, Julia Davis, Abby Cortez and Trisha Santanam were selected to represent Duke and Trinity College of Arts & Sciences in the annual research conference celebrating undergraduate research and creative inquiry. Hosted this year by the University of Notre Dame, the Meeting of the Minds invites students from the 15 Atlantic Coast Conference member schools to participate by… read more about Trinity Students Head to the ACC Meeting of the Minds Conference »
What do you think is the most relevant part of your English degree to your medical training? My English degree focused on narrative writing. I loaded my credit hours with creative and expository writing classes from Reynolds Price, Melissa Lentricchia, Lee Smith, Michael Moon, and Elizabeth Cox. In the field of medicine, effective communication of thoughts and themes is a cherished and somewhat rarefied skill among a peer group of left-brained scientists. While my Biomedical Engineering and premedical… read more about Duke HuMed Celebrations - Q&A with Dr. Daniel Saurborn »
Duke English congratulates Ruby Wang, ’24, English & Visual Arts, one of the fifteen recipients of a 2024 Benenson Award in the Arts. read more about Announcing the 2024 Benenson Award Winners »
This semester, Duke English hosted "Spring into Poetry," a series of poetry-themed events open to the Duke community and fellow poetry lovers. The series consisted of workshops, readings, and performances adapted from poetry. These events featured Duke English faculty, students, and invited poets, scholars of the genre, and performers. The Living Voice: Creating a Poem’s Unique Speaker” featuring Yerra Sugarman A workshop featuring Yerra Sugarman, co-… read more about REVIEW: “Spring into Poetry” Series »
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 »
Duke English would like to congratulate our Ph. D.s, to whom the Graduate School awarded fellowships to support their research and professional development. Will Brewbaker - Dissertation Research Travel Award (Domestic) James Draney - Graduate School Administrative Internship Julia Gordon - James B. Duke Fellowship Anya Lewis-Meeks - Dissertation Research Travel Award (Domestic) and Julian Price… read more about Ph.D. Fellowship Snapshots 2023-2024 »
To conclude the Spring ’24 semester, Professors Mesha Maren and Toby Martinez de las Rivas hosted a creative writing reading entitled “A Garden of Literary Delight” in Duke Gardens. They invited undergraduate students to read some of their creative writing pieces, written for a class or as part of their passion for writing. Many of Prof. Martinez’s students attended and shared poetry they wrote for his “Intro to Poetry” class. Most read at least one Haiku they wrote, and some shared other poetry originally written… read more about Reading: “A Garden of Literary Delights” - Creative Writing Students »
Duke English is delighted to share the 2024 Creative Writing Scholarships honorees. Each year, Duke English faculty members nominate undergraduate students for one of the Creative Writing Scholarships based on the exceptional work they submitted in one or more of their creative writing courses. The Creative Writing Committee selects the winners of the prestigious William M. Blackburn, Francis Pemberton, and Margaret Rose Knight Sanford Scholarships. Students nominated must be eligible for financial aid to receive these… read more about 2024 Duke English Creative Writing Scholarship Awards »
Duke English PhD candidate Trivius Caldwell, the host of the “Live Everything” podcast, recently sat down with Duke English major Trisha Santanam, ’26, during a recent episode to discuss the life of the mind and how sound influences memory and imagination. Join Trivius and Trisha in the podcast “Gen Z Rising: Navigating the Life of the Mind” as they explore their scholarly pursuits and the pivotal role of the Department of English and African and African American Studies in fostering a rich and expansive intellectual… read more about GEN Z Rising: Navigating the Life of the Mind with Duke Trinity Scholar Trisha Santanam - Live Everything »
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 »
The English Department at Duke University is honored to announce the winners of the 2024 Creative Writing Contests. Annually, the department administers creative writing contests to recognize fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry works by English majors and non-major undergraduates. The English Department is honored to announce the winners of its 2024 writing contests. The department administers writing contests to recognize fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and critical writing by English majors and non-major… read more about 2024 Creative Writing Award Winners »
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 »
"Amber Manning was born to be in a classroom. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of a teaching award." read more about 2024 Dean's Award: Amber Manning »
Creative Writing minor Tess Redman, ’24, used her Beneson Award in the Arts to fund the production of her play “Sugar at Four in the Morning,” which she also directed. Congratulations, Tess; we are proud of you! Tess Redman '24, a Psychology major with minors in Creative Writing and Spanish, always knew she wanted to produce and direct her play, Sugar at Four in the Morning. Last summer, Redman used her Beneson Award in the Arts funds to develop her play exploring the journey of a… read more about Bringing a Play to Life with the Benenson Award »
An English major can pursue any profession they dream of. Jake Fox, ’18 Duke alum, is a prime example. After graduation, Fox interned with the National Basketball Association’s Portland Trail Blazers as a summer post-grad Basketball Operations intern. Then he joined the University of Pittsburgh men’s basketball team as their Assistant Director of Basketball Operations before returning to the Blazers as a Basketball Operations Assistant, where he served for two seasons before being elevated to basketball administration… read more about Jake Fox '18 Personnel Analyst for Portland Trail Blazers »
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 »