It’s Alive

Frankenstein+AI (FuturePrint) Today we share the third of six pieces of public writing selected for publication from an assignment in ENGL 801 “Graduate Studies in English”: a piece of public scholarship (700-1,000 words) which tailors an academic paper and its scholarly intervention of 10-12 pages for a general-interest audience. Read more about the assignment and … Continue reading It’s Alive

Journaling on Mars: The Pen is Mightier Than the Planet

“An astronaut in a space suit writing in his journal on Mars” (Adobe Express) Today we share the second of six pieces of public writing selected for publication from an assignment in ENGL 801 “Graduate Studies in English”: a piece of public scholarship (700-1,000 words) which tailors an academic paper and its scholarly intervention of … Continue reading Journaling on Mars: The Pen is Mightier Than the Planet

Men, Monsters, and Maidens: Gender in Dracula

"Dracula + Jonathan Harker" by ofbeautsandbeasts In ENGL 801 "Graduate Studies in English," a required course for incoming M.A. students, we have always asked our graduate students to develop an original contribution to a current scholarly conversation about a literary or cultural text. Starting in 2020, we added a final writing assignment: we asked our … Continue reading Men, Monsters, and Maidens: Gender in Dracula

October 2024 Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

Mark Crosby's archival discovery of poet and artist William Blake's earliest engravings was featured in a number of international news venues, including The Times of London. Each month during the academic year, we assemble a newsletter of the department's recent publications, presentations, announcements, and awards. We're happy to recognize the recent successes in research, scholarship, … Continue reading October 2024 Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

Children’s Lit Field Trip

Faculty and students from K-State English at The Rabbit hOle (8 Nov 2024) Last Friday November 8, faculty and graduate students took a field trip to explore children's literature in action. While the catalyst for the excursion was the launch of Phil Nel's next book, How to Draw the World: Harold and the Purple Crayon … Continue reading Children’s Lit Field Trip

September 2024 Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

Traci Brimhall poses with her contribution to the collection of poems "Poetry Harvest: Poems for the Kansas State Fair" (2024) Each month during the academic year, we assemble a newsletter of the department's recent publications, presentations, announcements, and awards. We're happy to recognize the recent successes in research, scholarship, and creative activity outlined below.  Want … Continue reading September 2024 Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

What Makes a Great Book? Answers in Infographic Arguments

ENGL 287 "Great Books" (Spring 2024) The Spring ‘24 in-person section of English 287 “Great Books” asked the question, “What Makes a Great Book?” We read novels, a short story, a graphic memoir, and a collection of poetry, and students wrote final papers addressed to a specific audience that explained what made one of those … Continue reading What Makes a Great Book? Answers in Infographic Arguments

Alumni Spotlight: Andi Schubert

Andi Schubert (MA '16) at Cambridge One or Two Things I Learned for Sure at the KSU English Department (After Dorothy Allison’s Two or Three Things I Know for Sure)   There’s one or two things I learnt for sure at KSU, and one of them is that I can cry. It’s not something I … Continue reading Alumni Spotlight: Andi Schubert

Faculty Spotlight: Anne Longmuir

Cover for Anne Longmuir’s John Ruskin and the Victorian Woman Writer (Routledge, 2025) Art galleries are not just great places for first dates, they’re also great places to observe other people on first dates. It’s November 2021 and the Omicron variant is racing through Britain, like much of the rest of the world. I’m on … Continue reading Faculty Spotlight: Anne Longmuir

Recognizing Banned Books Week 2024 at K-State

Banned Books Week 2024 (Artwork courtesy of the American Library Association) As I feel the nostalgic and contemplative air of Fall take affect on me, I reach for my well-loved copy of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. Vuong’s introspective and evocative prose transcends me into a world of understanding oneself through the … Continue reading Recognizing Banned Books Week 2024 at K-State