Department of English

Adélékè Adéẹ̀kọ́: Why Would Anybody Write an Ode to Palm Trees?

by

Dr. Adélékè Adéèkó, Humanities Distinguished Professor at The Ohio State University, discusses his book Arts of Being Yorùbá. Dr. Adéèkó delves into the cultural significance of Yorùbá proverbs, praise poetry, and fiction. He explains how these forms of expression define Yorùbá identity and addresses their use in modern forms like pictorial magazines. The conversation also touches on orature, a term coined to describe oral literature, and its impact on written texts. Dr. Adéèkó reveals his interest in 20th-century literary theory and how he integrates Derrida’s deconstruction into his work.

VoE_Adeleke-AdeekoDownload

Angus Fletcher: How to Hack the GRE and Get into Yale

by

Angus Fletcher, a professor in the Ohio State University Department of English, discusses his unconventional journey from studying neuroscience at the University of Michigan to obtaining a PhD in literature at Yale. He shares how his background in neurophysiology, which involved studying neuronal communication, informed his unique approach to literature. Listen in to hear about his experiments that measure the impacts of narrative elements on empathy and problem-solving.

XN628SLeg0V8jrvPHAlH

Elizabeth Hewitt on the Speculative Fiction of Alexander Hamilton

by

Elizabeth Hewitt, Professor of English, studies African-American literature, American literature before 1900, and economics in literature. Her most recent book, Speculative Fictions, examines the economy in the early United States with a focus on Alexander Hamilton and his attempts “to explain economic science in a way that didn’t just depend on empiricism.” 

Jared Gardner On How Comics Have Long Focused On the Environment

by

Jared Gardner, Joseph V. Denney Designated Professor of English and Director of Popular Culture Studies, has a wide set of interests, including finding “striking examples of 19th century comics and cartoons” describing how humans impact the environment.

Have You Been Reading Dickens All Wrong? Maybe, Says Robyn Warhol

by

Distinguished Professor of English Robyn Warhol researches a variety of subjects, from narrative theory to Regency and Victorian novels to feminist theory to television narrative. She sees great parallels between binge watching tv shows and reading Victorian novels straight through, something that contemporary readers couldn’t do.

Jim Phelan Describes the Power of Narrative

by

Distinguished University Professor and Arts and Humanities Distinguished Professor in the Department of English, Jim Phelan, also serves as Director of Medical Humanities and Director of Project Narrative. He joins David Staley to define narrative theory, identify the many audiences built into narratives, and discuss how “narrative competence enhances medical competence.”

Laughter and Disruption From Women Comedians with Prof. Linda Mizejewski

by

Linda Mizejewski, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, researches comedy and women comedians as well as women detectives in popular culture. She joins David Staley to discuss her research and suggests some great classic movies to watch.

Frederick Luis Aldama Takes Comics Seriously

by

David Staley and Frederick Luis Aldama discuss Aldama’s recent Eisner award for his book Latinx Superheroes in Mainstream Comics, Aldama’s formative years with comics, and why comics have become an area of scrutiny for academics.

Frederick-Luis-Aldama-Takes-Comics-Seriously-TranscriptDownload