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 »
Catherine Ward, '18, Judicial Law Clerk, United States Court of Appeals, has not slowed down since her undergraduate days when she was a very active and involved member of the Duke Community. Ward was part of the first cohort of Duke English Ambassadors. She participated in Duke Engage Dublin and Bass Connections Citizenship Lab, and she was accepted into the Kenan Purpose Program during her junior year at Duke. She was the winner of the English Department’s Critical Essay award in 2018. "… read more about Catherine Ward, ’18, Judicial Law Clerk, United States Court of Appeals »
American playwright, actor, and philanthropist Jeremy O. Harris met with a group of English creative writing students in conjunction with his visit to Duke University, sponsored by Duke Arts, to screen Zola his co-writing film debut. Due to travel delays, Harris' workshop had to be rescheduled from Friday to Saturday morning, yet 20 students eagerly participated. The opportunity to have Harris visit Duke came about as part of Duke Arts' efforts to host more literary arts events. Duke English Professor Mesha Maren… read more about Playwright Jeremy O. Harris’ Visited with Duke English Creative Writing Students »
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 »
Duke English Ph.D. candidate Hunter Augeri was recently interviewed by Jeanne-Marie Musto of the New York Public Library as part of the NYPL’s Researcher Spotlight section. read more about NYPL Researcher Spotlight: Hunter Augeri »
Associate Professor of English Christopher Ouma joins the Duke faculty this year. (John West/Trinity Communications) For Christopher Ouma, Pan-African thinking is second nature. Newly arrived at Duke from a professorship at the University of Cape Town, Ouma grew up in Kenya, leaving his home country in East Africa after earning his bachelor’s degree to pursue graduate studies in South Africa. His Ph.D. thesis, “Childhood in Contemporary Nigerian Fiction,” led him into the world of… read more about Christopher Ouma Explores Pan-African Imagination »
As part of the United States Military Academy at West Point’s (USMA) annual Civil Rights Staff Ride program, cadets from West Point and the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) embarked on a transformative journey through Durham, which played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement. The cadets, accompanied by faculty members, immersed themselves in an interdisciplinary exploration of American history, social activism, and leadership during their visit to Durham and Duke University, respectively. At the heart of their… read more about Ph.D. Candidate, Lieutenant Colonel Trivius Caldwell’s Lecture to Military Service Academy Cadets »
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 »
Article by English alum Christopher Kuo, ’23, Reporting Fellow for the New York Times: A Fan Made a Spider-Man Film. The Fallout Has Been Unexpected. read more about A Fan Made a Spider-Man Film. The Fallout Has Been Unexpected. »
Abstract: Toni Morrison represents the improvisations of life in the 1920s and posits her novel Jazz as a work that negotiates sound as a distinguishing characteristic of her writing genre. Many critics have described Morrison’s approach as a Jazzthetic strategy and as such, her rhetorical move enables a renovation of traditional aspects of the novel to render life as complex as a jazz composition itself. This article analyzes Morison’s methods and posits the use of jazz strategies to mimic the displacement… read more about Jazzthetic Technique: Oralizing Fiction and Jazz Strategies in Toni Morrison’s Jazz »
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 »
In the Fall of 2023, Professor Chris Ouma will join the Duke English faculty. Recently Prof. Ouma sat down, via Zoom, with sophomore English major Trisha Santanam to discuss the course he will be teaching this Fall, "Small Magazines & African Literary Modernity." His course is one of English's 101S - "Art of Reading" gateway courses taught this Fall. English major Trisha Santanam interviews Professor Chris Ouma read more about Meet Professor Chris Ouma »
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 »
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. 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… read more about Hot Off the Press: Summer Reading From Duke Authors »
Duke English would like to share a review of our 2022-23 Academic Year with you. Please click here to access our annual e-newsletter. read more about 2023 Duke English e-Newsletter »
While fall registration has passed, there is still a need for an honored Recess tradition: the Arts, Literature and Performance (ALP) Class List which includes ENGLISH 286/GERMAN 275/MEDREN 315: The Legend of King Arthur in Literature and Film (CCI, ALP) and ENGLISH 386/ARTHIST 238: Science Fiction Film (CCI, EI, STS, ALP). read more about Six ALP Classes To Help Fill Your Fall 2023 Schedule »
Award encourages students to pursue careers in public service Five members of the Class of 2024 have been named to the third class of Nakayama Scholars. The Nakayama Public Service Scholars for the Class of 2024: Nhu Bui is from Houston, Texas, and double majoring in environmental science and policy and English. She is also a Rachel Carson Scholar and loves spending her time at Duke researching a diversity of topics from shrimp biomechanics to sustainability practices… read more about Duke Names Third Class of Nakayama Scholars »
The first day of the inaugural Duke Climate and Sustainability Teaching Fellows’ weeklong workshop series is wrapping up when Alex Glass assigns homework to the assembled faculty participants: “Before tomorrow, I challenge you to come up with a topic from your course that you think doesn’t relate to climate change at all. Tomorrow we’ll discuss ways it does.” The Climate and Sustainability Teaching Fellows Program may be new, but for its three faculty co-leads — Charlotte Clark, Associate Professor of the Practice of… read more about For the Climate and Sustainability Teaching Fellows, the Connections are Myriad »
English majors Tyler King, Sacha Seinfeld, Ruby Wang, and minor Sibani Ram were 2022-23 participants in the StudioDuke program. Two years ago, Recess covered StudioDuke, an application-based, year-long arts program where students work on a creative project with the help of a Duke alumni serving as their mentor. This year, twelve students participated in the program, several of whom presented their projects at the annual showcase. Here, in honor of several successful 2023 graduates and an incredible year for the… read more about Studio Duke: A Year in Review 2022-23 »
Five members of the Class of 2024 have been named to the third class of Nakayama Scholars. The Nakayama Public Service Scholarship bolsters the university’s efforts to encourage students to use their Duke experience to engage with significant challenges facing communities around the world. The students represent multiple disciplines across Duke’s academic departments as well as a variety of future careers pursuits. Juniors Nhu Bui, Grace Endrud, Jacob Hervey, Chloe Nguyen and Ronit Sethi were chosen for their… read more about Duke Names Third Class of Nakayama Scholars »
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 »
Congratulations to Amber Manning, the winner of the 2023 Stephen Horne Award for Excellence in Teaching. The English Department at Duke University is excited to award Manning with this well-deserved honor. She was nominated by six students in her Fall 2022 English 208S.01 course, "Criticism and the Arts: No End in Sight." One student wrote in their nomination: Amber Manning is one of the best professors I've had at Duke. Her class was extremely engaging, and she cared so deeply for her students.… read more about Amber Manning, Ph.D. Candidate, 2023 Stephen Horne Excellence in Teaching Award Winner »