spotlight
Major Jackson – Orion Magazine
Apr. 28, 2022—Gertrude Conaway Professor of English, Major Jackson, was featured in Orion Magazine. He was interviewed by Orion’s poetry editor Camille Dungy and they discussed various topics from literary stewardship to the connection of the natural world. Orion Magazine focuses on nature, culture, and addressing environmental and societal issues. You can read the interview here.
Embody and Catalyze: A Joyful Celebration of Hortense Spillers
Apr. 16, 2022—The English department at Vanderbilt University is happy to announce “Embody and Catalyze: A Joyful Celebration of Hortense Spillers”! The conference will honor the career and contributions of Hortense Spillers, the Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor and Distinguished Research Professor (Emerita) and will take place on Thursday May 19th and Friday May 20th, 2022. Registration required. Please...
“A Life’s Work” – See Profile of Kate Daniels in Vanderbilt Magazine
Apr. 15, 2022—Click here to see the wonderful profile in this month’s Vanderbilt Magazine of Kate Daniels, Edwin Mims Professor of English (Emerita), and the foundational work she’s done for the MFA in creative writing program during her tenure at Vanderbilt University.
Allison Schachter – Tablet Review on From the Jewish Provinces
Mar. 11, 2022—Associate Professor and Chair of Jewish Studies, Allison Schachter, had her stories that are featured in From the Jewish Provinces reviewed on Tablet. Tablet is a daily online magazine of Jewish news, ideas, and culture. They feature essays, news, podcasts, and opinions on art, pop culture, technology, and more. You can read more about the...
Research by Jay Clayton and Team Traces the Portrayal of Genetics in 100 Years of Television and Film
Mar. 1, 2022—Check out this post, featured on VU’s “Research News” page, detailing the findings of a team including Jay Clayton (director of the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of English, and faculty member of the Evolutionary Studies Initiative) and graduate research fellow Ethan Gibbons (M.A. ’17) on the...
Akshya Saxena – Vernacular English
Feb. 22, 2022—Akshya Saxena, Assistant Professor of English, will be releasing her new book Vernacular English: Reading the Anglophone in Postcolonial India on March 1, 2022. You can see more info and buy her book here.
Margaret Renkl – Southern Book Prize for Nonfiction
Feb. 16, 2022—Congratulations to MFA visiting writer Margaret Renkl on her winning of the Southern Book Prize for nonfiction. Her book Graceland, At Last was awarded “the best Southern book of the year” among 1,500 nominations. More info about the award can be found here.
POETRY CONTEST: Unity & Democracy
Feb. 9, 2022—Vanderbilt students are invited to express how they feel about unity and democracy through a new poetry contest. The Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy is holding the contest in partnership with the Department of English and Master of Fine Arts Creative Writing program. The theme is “what unity through American democracy means to...
Jay Clayton on Arts Engines Podcast
Feb. 8, 2022—Jay Clayton, Professor of English and Director of the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy, appeared on the Arts Engines podcast. Arts Engines highlights the perspectives of the thought leaders and game-changers who are creating significant impact in the field of the arts. You can listen and watch here.
(2/8/2022) Virtual Event with Destiny O. Birdsong
Feb. 1, 2022—MFA alum Destiny O. Birdsong will be doing a virtual event with Parnassus in conversation with Vanderbilt poetry alum Stephanie Pruitt Gaines. This event will celebrate Destiny’s new book Nobody’s Magic, which comes out February 8th. This virtual event will take place Tuesday, February 8 at 6:30 PM CT. More event details can be found here.