The Department of English and Drama has invited three potential candidates to be considered for the position of professor, specializing in Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Global Anglophone Literatures.
The potential candidates are Hadji Bakara, who received his degree from the University of Chicago and specializes in human rights and refugee literature; Laurie Lambert, who received her Ph.D. from New York University and specializes in African Diaspora Literatures and Caribbean feminism; and Matthew Omelsky, who is currently a Ph.D. student at Duke University, specializing in African Diaspora Literature.
In an interview with The Medium, Alexandra Gillespie, the chair of the English and drama department, stated that hiring a specialist in global Anglophone literatures is the first step towards acknowledging the cultural diversity in literature.
Gillespie explained that the study of literature cannot be isolated to one region or one language, as literature was originally influenced by different cultures and languages. through various interactions
According to Gillespie, modern and contemporary Anglophone literatures address the concerns that come with the modern political formations of nation-state, such as colonial baggage.
The department has decided to host three talks for the three candidates to introduce them and their research projects, and to allow for dialogue and mutual learning between them and the students.
The first talk was held last Thursday, where English students were invited to attend and share their feedback with the department.
By allowing students to give feedback and provide their written responses of the talks, Gillespie said that the department becomes able to distinguish the kind of research that interests and excites students.
The two additional talks are scheduled to take place on January 19 and January 26.
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