English Department faculty specialize in a range of historic periods, areas and genres. Learn what sets English faculty apart in their field and how their research and creative works inform their courses.
You could call this my last will and testament. I will begin with the testament, based on my institutional memory going back sixty years. After earning my PhD at Brown in 1962, I taught at the University of Vermont for four years and came to Duke in 1966 in search of a higher salary and warmer weather for my family. My new salary was $9500, a nice jump from the $7600 I got in Vermont, and I bought my first house, with two baths and nine rooms, including a full cellar and huge family room, for $22,000.… read more about Farewell Letter from Vic Strandberg »
On the third floor of the Allen Building, tucked into a corner room with a beautiful view of Abele Quad, you’ll find the office of Professor of English Victor Strandberg. Covering the walls of his office is an extensive, carefully curated collage of influential figures and moments from history, collected over his more than 90 years of life. read more about After 60 years of stories, English Professor Victor Strandberg closes out his chapter at Duke »
Congratulations to Professor Jarvis McInnis, winner of the 2026 Pauli Murray Book Prize for his work "Afterlives of the Plantation: Plotting Agrarian Futures in the Global Black South" (Columbia University Press, 2025). read more about 2026 Pauli Murray Book Prize Winner - Prof. Jarvis C. McInnis »
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” »
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 »
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 »
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 »
New summer reading from Duke authors include timely books on race, history and political polarization; useful books on finance, health and mentorship; and good reads of poetry and fiction. Plus: for the kids, there’s a primer on subatomic particles. Catch up on more than 20 new Duke books. read more about Summer Reading: Duke Authors’ Hot New Books »
To Priscilla Wald, all literature is political. This doesn’t mean that all works are written with a goal in mind, but rather that “all art registers its moment in some way.” They bear an imprint of the beliefs of a certain point in time, serving as a window into the zeitgeist of any given point in history. That is the focus of her work: taking a look into literature, science, law, and analyzing what that says about humanity. “What I’m really interested in is two things,” Wald said. “How do people… read more about “The Power of Analyzing a Story:” Priscilla Wald on Literature, Science, and the Making of Collective Belief »
The Duke English Department is privileged to have Professor Victor Strandberg as part of its faculty. His dedication is evident in his 59-year tenure, during which he has educated and inspired thousands of individuals. His impact extends beyond the classroom, influencing students' implicit learning and shaping their contributions to the world.Through the decades, he has taught countless courses on poetry, American literature, and specific authors, including his favorite American author, William Faulkner. During sabbaticals… read more about 59 Years with the Duke English Department »
Toby Martinez, '23-24 Distinguished Blackburn Artist-in-Residence, thank you speech and reflection on his time with the Duke English Department and community over the last year and a half. read more about Farewell Speech: Toby Martinez, '23-24 Distinguished Blackburn Artist-in-Residence »
I sat down for an interview with Dr. April Henry, Lecturer of German Studies and Director of the German Studies Language Program at the Duke University Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, and the most recent recipient of the Richard K. Lublin Award in the Humanities for outstanding achievement in undergraduate teaching. In addition to her scholarship in the field of German Studies, Dr. Henry has also created and taught a variety of courses in the study of literature, many of which have been cross listed as English… read more about An Interview with Dr. April Henry, Literary Scholar and Medievalist »
The 28 new books by Duke authors provide a variety of reading materials and includes work by English faculty members Mesha Maren and Kevin Hart. read more about New Books by Duke Authors: Exploring Politics, Theology, AI and Basketball »
We sat down for an interview with Kevin Hart, the newly appointed Jo Rae Wright University Distinguished Professor at Duke Divinity School, who also has a secondary appointment in the Department of English. We asked him about the layers of his scholarly work, his involvement with Catholic initiatives at secular universities, and the themes from his latest book. read more about An Interview With Kevin Hart, Theologian and Poet »
Professor Thomas Pfau was the keynote lecturer for the A.I. & Theology seminar. read more about Graduate Students Synthesize AI, Ethics, and Theology »
The author reads his story from the August 26, 2024, issue of the magazine. read more about Akhil Sharma Reads “The Narayans” »
Earlier this year, The Atlantic published its most recent list of "The Great American Novels." This list includes great American authors like James Baldwin, Judy Blume, and Ralph Ellison, well-known novels such as The Grapes of Wrath, The Catcher in the Rye, and Family Life written by Duke English's Akhil Sharma, Adele Schiff Professor of the Practice. The Atlantic's list places Sharma's Family Life in the company of literary giants like F… read more about The Atlantic Magazine's The Great American Novels List Includes Professor Akhil Sharma's "Family Life" »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
Congratulations to Chris Kuo, ’23 alum, for being selected as one of the George J. Mitchell Scholarship winners. He is among the 12 Americans chosen this weekend for the program, supporting a year of graduate study in Ireland. read more about Duke Senior, Alumnus Win Mitchell Scholarships »
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 »