Roundtable: Teaching Inclusivity through Early Modern English Literature

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Abstract

To many of our students, early modern literature might seem to be more the irrelevant creation of "dead white men" than a likely place to find the "relatable" texts that students often seek. Participants in this roundtable will insist upon the vital importance of understanding social dynamics of the past in order to enable students to engage thoughtfully in the present, making the case for how this is accomplished in the early modern literature classroom. The discussion will focus on issues of inclusivity, especially gender, disability, race, and class. Topics will include teaching Shakespeare to non-majors, teaching marginalized voices in early modern English literature, and connecting the close-reading of early literary texts to reading outside the classroom.

Sub Unit

• RSA Annual Meeting

Organizer

• Angela Heetderks, Oberlin College

Chair

• Heather Dubrow, Fordham University

Discussants

• Angela Heetderks, Oberlin College

• Amrita Dhar, University of Michigan

• Stephanie Pietros, College of Mount Saint Vincent

• Sarah Elizabeth Ranveig Linwick, University of Michigan

• Cordelia Zukerman, United States Military Academy