Some people read from the back of the room. Most, from the front. A few just stood where they were sitting. Some used the microphone; some said, “Can everyone hear me without the mic?” (We could, always.) People read from books, from print-outs, from phones. In another context, all these particulars might not have mattered. … Continue reading Today We Fight
For my M.A. thesis, I'm writing a novella, a political thriller set in Kansas, which is a goofy idea. Not because political threat isn’t real in Kansas, but because no one ever writes political thrillers set in Kansas! It follows a guy named Hollis—the assistant campaign manager to a congressman who is running for governor. … Continue reading Grad Student Spotlight: Peter Williams
Okay, okay, we know it's called the spring semester and all, but here we are trekking back to class today when the high in Manhattan, Kansas, is supposed to be 13 degrees and the low is supposed to be -1. Maybe it's best if we think about this through a Mark Twain quote: "Eat a … Continue reading Welcome back! Sorry about the weather!
On December 9, 2017, Kevin Rabas (M.A. '98) provided the commencement address for the College of Arts and Sciences at Kansas State University. Below is the text of his speech. Many thanks to Kevin for allowing us to share it here. (You can view his presentation through the university's archived video as of 22:40.) … Continue reading Return to the Arts
As a holiday gift for you, we asked members of the Kansas State English Department to name their favorite "literary" song, and, well, at least a couple of them couldn't pick just one, so maybe you've been extra good this year? Here are the results—the department's literary playlist, via Spotify, that ranges from Coltrane to … Continue reading On Keats and Beats: The Kansas State English Department Literary Playlist
Trevin Garcia presenting his work at the McNair Heartland Conference, September 2017. Latinx English in the Heartland: An Analysis of /l/ Variation in Liberal, Kansas. I'm a senior in English Literature and a post-research scholar of the McNair Scholars program. This summer, I conducted research with Dr. Mary Kohn on linguistic changes in Liberal, … Continue reading Undergrad Student Spotlight: Trevin Garcia
Below is an open letter of support from 31 faculty members in the Department of English at Kansas State University. For more information about the events prompting this letter, see the reporting provided by Inside Higher Ed and the Chronicle of Higher Education. December 1, 2017 To the Members of the Nebraska Board of … Continue reading In Support of Academic Freedom at the University of Nebraska Lincoln
“Words are weapons, sharper than knives.” – INXS Recently, there has been much in the news about Russian interference during the last presidential election. Of particular interest to both the intelligence community and Congress is the way in which Russia purchased advertising and conducted hundreds of millions of interactions with Americans on social media platforms. … Continue reading Weapon of Choice
On March 11, 1818, Mary Shelley published Frankenstein, and the English Department's Graduate Track in British and American Literature decided to dedicate the 2017-18 academic year to celebrating this singular accomplishment. Often credited with inventing the genre of science fiction, Shelley’s novel is both of its time and timeless, a representative example of romantic literature … Continue reading Happy Birthday, Dear Frankenstein
When students come to my office, they often scan my bookshelves while I read through their drafts. I wonder what impression they’re forming from the titles they read? What words repeat? Gender. Feminist. Rhetoric. Language. Teaching. Composition. Body and Bodies. Students in my “Advanced Expository Writing for Prospective Teachers” classes would recognize the books on … Continue reading Shelfie Thursday: Abby Knoblauch
K-State English 