Integrating Subjectivity Through Feminist Pedagogy: Transforming Literary Analysis in the College Classroom

• In Event: AERA Research in Progress Roundtable Session Two
  In Invited Roundtable: Research-in-Progress RT064 (Thursday)

Abstract

This study seeks to disrupt the objective paradigm that dominates literary analysis instruction in postsecondary English Language Arts. While the literary analysis is often used to teach interpretation and academic writing, it often distances students from their lived experiences and emotional engagement. This study draws on four feminist principles—that reading and writing are personal, reflexive, relational, and embodied. Findings indicate that a subjective approach can increase engagement and perspectives. Experiences varied regarding students' relationship to vulnerability and personal disclosure, highlighting vulnerability as a central pedagogical practice. Some students produced exemplary essays that balanced subjective reflection with analytical rigor, while others relied on superficial first-person, suggesting a need for more discussion around point of view and professional modeling.

Author

• Charity Leigh Bancroft, Coastal Alabama Community College and University of Maryland Global Campus