LSH Magazine Issue 4 (PDF) - University of Lincoln

lshISSUE 4The Magazine of theLincoln School of humanitiesCollege of ArtsLincoln School of HumanitiesDiscover your future...

ProfessorNorman CherryPro Vice ChancellorHead of the College of ArtsWelcome to this latest editionof lsh, the magazine of theLincoln School of Humanities.We are very proud of thework which we do here atthe University of Lincoln andthis publication is one ofthe ways in which we canshare at least some of ourachievements with you.The University of Lincoln is one ofthe most successful and dynamicHigher Education institutions in thecountry right now and the Schoolof Humanities is an important partof its success. One of six Schoolswithin the College of Arts, our strongcommitment to teaching which isinformed by research and scholarshipis a major reason for the popularityof our programmes of study.The School offers programmes atBachelors, Masters and PhD levelin History and English. Our studentsare taught by an experienced anddedicated team of lecturers someof whom were part of the originalgroup of academics which helpedto establish the University. Othershave joined more recently, attractedby our investment in staff and otherresources, drawn here, like ourstudents, by the atmosphere ofinnovation and adventure.History students are invited toexplore a range of periods from themedieval to the modern. English issimilarly broad in its scope, offeringengagement with a diversity of periodsand literary forms. Research in theSchool reflects this rich diversity: ouracademics are highly respected asteachers, but also in their fields ofstudy, contributing books, papers,and broadcasts on the national andinternational stages. In recent yearsthe School has also hosted a numberof major conferences, drawingrespected and well known scholarsto Lincoln from across the world.Our waterfront setting on the RomanHarbour known as Brayford Pool andthe towering presence of the city’smedieval Cathedral make Lincoln aunique place to study and to live.I very much hope that you will enjoyreading lsh and that it will give yousome insight into our varied activitiesand the opportunities which theUniversity provides for its studentsand staff.WHYCHOOSELSH?The Lincoln School of Humanities consists of English and History.These two subjects not only develop vital employment andprofessional skills but have also become an essential way of exploringour humanity – of questioning and debating our idea of who orwhat we are and how our values and attitudes have been formed.CONTENTS4 BA (Hons) English... 5 English Joint Degrees... 6 Conference Scene... 8 BA (Hons) History...9 History Joint Degrees...10 Meet the team... 12 MA Historical Studies...13 MA Medieval Studies...14 MA English Studies... 15 MA 21st Century Literature... 16 MA Creative Writing... 17 Trip to Newstead Abbey...18 Staff Publication... 19 Graduation Ceremonies...Lincoln, though situated in an ancientcity, is a young university. In the yearssince our courses were launched atthe university they have gone fromstrength to strength. We now havenearly 300 undergraduates a yearon our programmes and a strongand enthusiastic group of staff.Our members of staff areunquestionably our greatest asset.We in the Humanities subjects atLincoln have always prided ourselveson our attention, openness andcommitment to our students, andthat is a commitment that will notchange. This is confirmed by ourconsistently high National StudentSurvey results and by recent dramaticadvances up the university leaguetables. We have recently been joinedby new members of staff and planto appoint more in the coming year.Despite being a new university and arelatively small School we also havean increasingly strong research profile.History achieved an excellent resultin the last round of the government’sResearch Assessment Exercise; thissuccess has helped promote theestablishment of a rapidly-expandinggroup of medieval historians, withclose links to Lincoln’s city andmedieval Cathedral. English hashighly research active staff in areasas diverse as Shakespeare andhis contemporaries, environmentalliterature, 21st century fiction, traumatheory, life writing and utopian drama.One of the advantages of being anew university is the ability to adaptand innovate. The undergraduateprogrammes we run are all the resultof innovative thinking about oursubjects and combine academicrigour with an engaging and livelyapproach to contemporary study ofthe humanities. Our postgraduateprogrammes offer radically distinctiveintroductions to scholarship andresearch in our subjects. We havelong established MA programmesin English Studies, Creative Writingand in Historical Studies, and twonew ones in Medieval Studies and21st Century Literature. You canread about these on pages 12-16.All our courses are well knownsubjects that are recognized andrespected by employers. The skillswe develop - writing, communication,analysis, research, organization,group work – are more vital thanever in professional employment.2 3

BA (Hons)EnglishThe English syllabus at Lincoln islively and contemporary. It offersstudents the opportunity to engagewith the classics of English literature,but we also make space for the textsand ideas that are happening now.We have a research focus on 21stcentury literature and during theirtime here, English students can studypost-colonial writing, popular culture,American literature, contemporarydrama, ecocriticism, gothic literatureand film, life writing and critical theory.They even have a chance to becomeEnglish is a subject of big ideas, andthe English programme at Lincolndoesn’t shy away from askingchallenging questions about identity,gender, representation, difference,and the individual’s relationshipto the world. All these issues areraised by studying literary works thatcan be provocative, strange, andbeautiful - often all at the same time.part of the literary tradition themselvesby taking our creative writing modules.As for employment after graduation,all the evidence is that skills basedon writing are essential to most formsand all levels of professional work,and that this is often more importantthan narrow vocational training. Whenthey graduate, our students are ableto read closely and discriminately;to write concisely and convincingly;to present information in a confidentand organised manner; and to thinkdeeply and critically about anyissue they encounter. They go onto careers in fields as varied asteaching, publishing, journalism,advertising, and public relations.Lincoln is a great place to studyEnglish. English staff at Lincoln pridethemselves on their approachabilityand availability. But don’t just takeour word for it: come and talk toour students at an open day.Lincoln EnglishEnglish joint degreesEnglish can be combined in exciting andunexpected ways with a range of other subjects.At Lincoln students have theopportunity to study English withDrama, History and Journalism. Witha joint degree students have thefreedom to explore both subjects andexamine the relationship between thetwo. They will encounter a stimulatingvariety of texts and approachesin their English studies, includingliterature from the eighteenth centuryto the contemporary moment, postcolonialstudies and critical theory,and options in film and popularculture. By combining English withStaff profile:Dr Christopher MarlowProgramme LeaderBA (Hons) EnglishDrama, students can work creativelyand practically as well as critically.Choosing to study Journalism withEnglish allows students to developprofessional journalistic skills alongsidetheir literary studies, and historical andcultural questions can be exploredfrom a range of perspectives bystudying English with History. It is thisbreadth and flexibility that make a jointdegree an ideal choice for studentslooking for the best of both worlds.I was born and grew up in the WestMidlands, and did my undergraduatedegree at Royal Holloway, University ofLondon. After completing an MA andPhD at Cardiff University, I joined theUniversity of Lincoln in 2003. My PhDthesis was on the representation offriendship in Renaissance poetry anddrama, and I continue to be fascinatedby the literature and culture of thesixteenth and seventeenth centuries.For me, this is the most exciting period ofliterary endeavour in English, a time whennew forms and genres of writing werebeing called into existence with dizzyingspeed. In the first half of the seventeenthcentury alone writers of the calibre ofShakespeare, Jonson, Donne, Herbertand Milton were creating innovativeworks of literature that continue toinspire and challenge readers today.Most of my teaching is in the areaof seventeenth-century writing. I runan optional third-year module onShakespeare, and two optional secondyearmodules - Renaissance Literatureand Restoration Literature - that explorethe founding moments of literature inthe modern English language. I enjoyencouraging students to recognizeboth the familiarity and the strangenessapparent in the writing of the past. Manyof my publications deal with this issuetoo, including my most recent work onRenaissance student drama. I also havea research interest in representationsof the future, particularly the future asimagined by the television programmeDoctor Who.4Student view:Natasha O’BrienBA (Hons) EnglishStudying English at Lincoln has beena life changing experience. From theRenaissance to Twenty First Centuryliteratures, the course caters for allinterests and exposes you to areas ofliterary study that are not as mainstream.An aspect I enjoyed in the secondyear was a module called ‘PostcolonialLiterature’. Being able to read texts thatwere written back in the British Empirewas fascinating, as it showed howthe history of the Empire has helpedshape the face and voice of modernEnglish literature. The course also aidsand develops valuable skills such asorganisation and team working as themethods of study and assessmentare varied for each module. ModernDrama for instance gave me the chanceto do a small performance as part ofan assessment. Now that I am a thirdyear student, I can fully appreciate thehelp that the English tutors provide.Their support and knowledge is trulyinspirational and without their enthusiasm,the course would not be the same. I willbe very sad to leave Lincoln but it hasgiven me the best English foundationsto help further my career as a teacher.Who knows, I may one day be backfor a Masters. Thank you Universityof Lincoln English!Student view:Samuel WhewallBA (Hons) EnglishThe way the English course at Lincolnis structured has allowed me todevelop my own style of learning andresearch with the constant direction andencouragement of a dedicated team oftutors and staff. Starting a degree coursewas undoubtedly a daunting prospect,but the introductory lectures andmodules included in Level One madethe transition into Higher Education acomfortable one. The most appealingaspect of the course is the variety ofliterature that its students are introducedto during their three years; the diversityof the texts included has openedup my mind to a multitude of literaryforms and styles, allowing well informeddecision making when narrowing downmy area of study at Level Two andThree. Having secured a permanentrole with the University’s MarketingDept. upon completion of the course,I can confidently say that the Englishcourse at Lincoln has equipped mewith a widely transferable skill set andhas significantly improved the potentialI have as an employable graduate.5

InterrogatingMaggie GeeConferenceConference poster design by Anthony Levings6Trauma in theHumanitiesA unique and ground-breaking conferencewas hosted by a team of Humanities staffand English postgraduate studentsover four days last Summer.This innovative event - ‘InterrogatingTrauma in the Humanities’ - wasintended to critically evaluate the rapidlyevolving nature of literary and culturaltrauma studies and their conjunctionwith the new discipline of the MedicalHumanities. This exciting Internationaland Interdisciplinary event boughttogether contributors from academicand clinical backgrounds from as faraway as America and Belarus. Theorganising committee were delightedto welcome as keynote speakers threeof our foremost contemporary traumascholars, Professor Cathy Caruth (Frank.H.T Rhodes Professor of HumaneLetters, Cornell University), Dr. KaliTal (Research Institute for Social andPreventative Medicine, Bern), and Dr.Anne Whitehead, literary trauma theorist2nd International Conference, July 2012, University of Lincoln‘What Happens Now’, the 2ndInternational Conference on 21st centurywriting in English took place betweenthe 16-18 July 2012 at the University ofLincoln. Organised by Siân Adiseshiahand Rupert Hildyard from English in theSchool of Humanities, the conferencewas attended by some ninety delegatesfrom fourteen different countries, includingJapan, South Korea, China, India,Canada, USA, Turkey, Hungary, Italy,Germany and seven delegates came fromSpain (five of whom had come to the firstconference in 2010). Sixty two paperswere given at the conference, includingand Medical Humanist (Universityof Newcastle). The highlight ofthe conference was a RoundTable discussion in which allthree keynotes enthusiasticallyparticipated in a ‘QuestionTime’ style debate regardingthe future of this complexand diverse field in relation tointersections between science and thehumanities. Papers explored divergentareas such as drama, history, literature,film and clinical practice. Selectedpapers will appear in a forthcomingvolume, edited by Catherine and PhilipRedpath from the department of English,to be published by Cambridge ScholarsPress which, it is hoped, will be the firstHumanities based anthology of this kind.six from colleagues and postgraduatesin the School of Humanities, generatinglively debate about what is happeningnow in 21st century literature. Theguest speakers to the conference werethe Scottish poet and writer KathleenJamie, Tishani Doshi from Madras inIndia, and Geoff Dyer one of the mostinnovative prose writers in Britain today.Complementary plenary keynotes weregiven by Professor Peter Boxall of theUniversity of Sussex and Dr Rachel Carrollof Teeside University, the former a wideranging discussion of the future of thenovel in the wake of postmodernism,Trauma delegates at theBishops’ PalaceWhat Happens Now:21st Century Writing in EnglishTishani Doshi giving a reading atthe What Happens Now conferenceand the latter a close study of JulianBarnes’ Booker-winning The Sense ofan Ending focussing on disability asan issue in 21st century literature. Theconference confirmed the vitality of 21stcentury literature and the leading roletaken by Lincoln in research and debateabout this growing area of literary studies.A selection of papers based on theconference presentations will appear in aspecial issue of the journal C21 Literaturein September 2013. A third conferencewill take place in 2014.In August 2012 Dr Caroline Edwards, Lecturer inEnglish, co-organised the two-day international‘Maggie Gee Conference’ with Dr Sarah Dillon at theUniversity of St Andrews. Dedicated to the criticallyacclaimedBritish novelist Maggie Gee, the conferencefeatured keynote papers by Professor Susan AliceFischer from the City University of New York and DrJohn Sears from Manchester Metropolitan University,Weird CouncilAn International Conference on theWriting of China MiévilleThe School of Humanities was also actively involvedin another conference outside of Lincoln in the lastyear. In September 2012, Lincoln co-sponsored‘Weird Council: An International Conference on theWriting of China Miéville’ at Senate House in London.This prestigious two-day international conferenceattracted some of the most significant academics inscience fiction and fantasy scholarship from aroundthe world, including Professor Sherryl Vint (Universityof California, Riverside), Professor Neil Easterbook(Texas Christian University), Professor John Rieder(University of Hawai’i at Manoa), Dr Paul March-Russell (University of Kent), and Dr Joe Sutliff Sanders(Kansas State University), as well as Miéville himself.Delegates discussed the fiction and academicliterature of the multi-award-winning cult British writerChina Miéville, who has been described as ‘one ofthe most influential writers [working] in any genrein the UK.’ Co-organised by Dr Caroline Edwardsand Dr Tony Venezia from Birkbeck, the conferenceBuilding on this influential event in science fictionand fantasy scholarship, the School hosted a similarconference on British science fiction author AdamRoberts in April 2013, titled ‘New Genre Army: AnInternational Conference on the Writing of AdamRoberts.’ Co-organised by PhD student ChristosCallow Jr and Dr Caroline Edwards, New GenreArmy welcomed some of the leading scholars inscience fiction to Lincoln, including Professor FarahMendelsohn (Anglia Ruskin University), Dr Andrewas well as a reading by Gee herself who was presentthroughout all of the academic papers delivered overthe two days. The discussions addressed questionsof genre in Gee’s work, her political and environmentalactivism, gender politics, ethnic identity, and intergenerationalconflict, and a selection of the paperswill be published in 2014 in the edited collectionMaggie Gee: Critical Essays (Gylphi).was a great success andattracted significant onlineattention. In his Guardianarticle dedicated to theevent, Damien Waltersuggested that “WeirdCouncil was remarkablefor many reasons,” arguingthat the conference “offered anexcellent start” in rethinking the literary movementof the “weird” – a movement that Miéville has beeninstrumental in extending in recent years in his crossgenreand fantasy novels. An edited collection ofselected papers from the conference, China Miéville:Critical Essays (Gylphi) co-edited by Dr Edwardsand Dr Venezia, is forthcoming in 2014 and willbe the first scholarly collection on Miéville’s work.Image: ‘Skulltopus’ by China Miéville, used with kind permission.New Genre ArmyAn International Conference onthe Writing of Adam RobertsM. Butler (Canterbury Christ Church University),Professor Edward James (University of Dublin),Niall Harrison (Editor of the leading journal StrangeHorizons), and Damien Walter (the Guardian). Theconference has already been cited in the media as asignificant event and an edited collection of selectedpapers delivered at the conference will be publishedas Adam Roberts: Critical Essays (Gylphi), co-editedby Dr Edwards and Christos Callow Jr.7

BA (Hons)HistoryHistory jointdegreesHere at Lincoln we offer a History programme which is popularand wide-ranging. The degree covers subjects ranging from themedieval period to the contemporary and from the local to theUS and China, reflecting the broad research interests of staff.We think it is important that youdevelop your own interests and thatyou can choose options which exciteyou. After a shared first year, youcan partly build your own pathwaysthrough a range of option choicesand start to develop a specialismthrough the Independent Study inyour third year. We have built in theopportunity for you to experience avariety of approaches to History, usinga range of investigative techniques, forexample oral history and quantitativeand qualitative methods.Our aim is to produce graduateswho are skilled historians with acritical approach to their subject butalso highly employable individuals,with skills in independent thought,the ability to summarise andanalyse critically complex bodies ofinformation, to communicate clearlyand concisely in both written and oralformats, and to work under pressureto deadlines either on their own or ingroups. While we try and develop skillsthrough the subject content, we alsomake space for students to preparefor the world of work ahead; there is adedicated module for career planningin the second year and a workplacement option to be undertakenbetween the second and third years.Lincoln is an ideal location inwhich to study History, and in theprogramme we use its resources fully.Modules include visits to the castleand cathedral, and students areencouraged to use the documentsheld by Lincolnshire Archives andthe Cathedral Library.Staff profile:Dr Anna Marie RoosSenior Lecturer in HistoryIf you would prefer to study a morebroadly-based programme, one ofthe History joint honours degrees maybe for you. English and History is themost popular of these, with manystudents choosing to combine the twohumanities subjects; especially thoseconsidering teaching as a career. Youcan also study History with Politics.In each of these programmes youwill find that your two subjects helpBefore I came to Lincoln, I was theLister Research Fellow at the Universityof Oxford, and taught at the Universityof Minnesota. My husband Ian is a‘yellowbelly’, growing up in Bardney, sowe are coming home. Initially trainingas a biologist, I am a historian ofscience and medicine, specialising inthe early modern period, and teachingmodules about conceptions of body anddisease, visual culture, and Renaissancehistoriography. Early scientists wereinterested in everything to do withthe natural world, and so am I. I havewritten one book about how the sunand moon were perceived in earlymodern England, and another aboutearly modern scientific beliefs about salt,called appropriately enough: The Saltof the Earth. My most recent book is anintellectual biography about the virtuosicyou understand issues from a widerperspective, both historical andcontemporary. We have ensured thatyou will still get a chance to studyas broad a range of topics, periodsand places as the single honoursprogramme, and you will also developthe same skills. You can take yourdissertation in whichever of yoursubjects you prefer, so specialisationis equally possible.Dr Martin Lister (1639-1712). Lister wasa royal physician, vice-president of theRoyal Society, Lincolnshire man, andthe first ‘spider man’ or professionalarachnologist. He also wrote a bestselling travel guide to Paris, edited aRoman cookbook, and was a friendof Robert Hooke, John Flamsteed,and Samuel Pepys.I greatly enjoy making history accessibleand interesting not only for my students,but also for the general public. I havehad the privilege of hosting a televisionprogramme for National Geographicabout Newtonian alchemy, having mywork featured by the journal Nature,and being interviewed on radio andtelevision by the BBC. I am also a Fellowof the Linnean Society and the HonorarySecretary of the Society for the Historyof Alchemy and Chemistry.Student view:Harriet HornBA (Hons) HistorySince joining the University of Lincolnin September 2011, the History coursehas exceeded my expectations. Notonly is the degree fun and engaging,the lecturers are friendly, dedicatedand approachable making it a lovelyplace to study. The undergraduatecourse here at Lincoln gives you theoption of a wide range of modulesallowing you to advance your existingknowledge and experience somethingnew. I’ve been lucky enough to learnabout a range of areas from Americanto Medieval history, areas that I hadbeen oblivious to prior to highereducation. This course not onlyboosted my academic knowledge,it’s greatly improved my confidence,social life and general career outlookas I have been given great opportunitiesand made friendships that will last alifetime. All of these things combinedmeans studying History at Lincoln wasthe greatest decision I’ve ever madeand I’ve had the best experience ofmy life so far.Antonella completed her first degree inEuropean Languages and Cultures atthe University of Catania (Italy), beforeundertaking her doctoral researchon Medieval Iberian History, Law andCultural Studies at the University ofExeter. She worked at the Universityof Exeter and Queen Mary, Universityof London, before joining the Universityof Lincoln in 2013.She is interested in the cultural andpolitical history of the medieval WesternMediterranean, and in particular inthirteenth-century Iberia. Her mainareas of research include the history ofemotions, social and moral implicationsof interfaith collaborations and politicalagreements, as well as theconnections between friendship andgender relationships, among others.She also worked on the idea andrepresentation of power in MedievalCastile and Leon between the eleventhand the thirteenth centuries.She is actively involved in thedevelopment of e-learning projectsaimed at enhancing the students’learning experience in medieval studiesat both undergraduate and postgraduatelevels.Staff profile:Dr Antonella Liuzzo ScorpoLecturer in History8 9

MEET THE TEAMWant to know who you’ll be taught by when you start at Lincoln?Take a look at our gallery of people that will be helping you get themost from your time within LSH.We’re all happy to answer any questions you may have about the course so get in touch! You can find outmore about us and our areas of interest by clicking on the staff link on the website at www.lincoln.ac.uk/lshDr Ian PackerActing Head of SchoolE ipacker@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 837360Professor Krista CowmanProfessor of HistoryDirector of ResearchCollege of ArtsE kcowman@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886093Dr Siân AdiseshiahReader in English Literatureand DramaProgramme LeaderMA English Studies andMA 21st Century LiteratureE sadiseshiah@lincoln.ac.ukDr Philippa HoskinReader in Medieval HistoryProgramme LeaderMA Medieval StudiesE phoskin@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886021Dr Phil RedpathSenior Lecturer in EnglishProgramme LeaderMA Creative WritingE predpath@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886185Dr Christopher MarlowSenior Lecturer in EnglishProgramme LeaderBA (Hons) EnglishE cmarlow@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 837358Dr Amy CulleySenior Lecturer in EnglishE aculley@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886048Sue BestwickSenior Lecturer in HistoryE sbestwick@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 837425Dr Joanna HuntingtonSenior Lecturer in HistoryE jhuntington@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886942Michael BlackburnLecturer in EnglishE mblackburn@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 837109Dr Cairo HickmanSenior Lecturer in HistoryProgramme LeaderBA (Hons) HistoryE chickman@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886796Dr Kate HillPrincipal Lecturer in HistoryProgramme LeaderMA Historical StudiesE khill@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886125Dr Pietro DipaolaSenior Lecturer in HistoryE pdipaola@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886682Crystal WalkerSenior Lecturer in HistoryE cwalker@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 837064Dr Antonella Liuzzo ScorpoLecturer in HistoryE aliuzzoscorpo@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886340Dr Erin BellSenior Lecturer in HistoryE ebell@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886941Dr Rupert HildyardPrincipal Lecturer in EnglishE rhildyard@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886070Dr Jamie WoodLecturer in HistoryE jwood@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 837389Dr Agnes WoolleyLecturer in EnglishE awoolley@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886340Catherine RedpathSenior Lecturer in EnglishE credpath@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886813Dr Anna Marie RoosSenior Lecturer in HistoryE aroos@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886340Dr Finn PollardSenior Lecturer in Historyand American StudiesE fpollard@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886692Dr Rebecca StylerSenior Lecturer in EnglishE rstyler@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886340Harry ZieglerSenior Lecturer in HistoryE hziegler@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886208Alex Anthony-LewczukSenior LecturerE alewczuk@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 886245Dr Peter ShinnerSenior Lecturer in HistoryE pshinner@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 837367Dr Martin EveLecturer in EnglishE meve@lincoln.ac.ukT 01522 8861741011

MAMAHistorical StudiesThe MA in Historical Studies introduces students to a range of newand exciting approaches to studying the past that have emerged inrecent years.Students study core modules onResearch Methods and Approachesto Historical Inquiry. A range of optionalchoices then allows students todevelop their own specialised interestsacross a range of historical themes,including medieval, early modernand modern British, European andAmerican history. The course alsohelps students develop a variety ofskills that enable them to undertaketheir own research projects, leadingto a 15-20,000 word dissertationon a topic of their own choice. TheUniversity of Lincoln is ideally placedfor students’ research interests, witheasy access to a wide range of archivalsources at Lincolnshire Archives,Lincoln Cathedral Library andLincoln Central Library.Medieval StudiesThe MA in Medieval Studies encourages students to explore the depthand breadth of resources available in the medieval city of Lincoln –home to one of the few surviving original copies of the Magna Cartaand to one of the greatest medieval cathedrals in the country.Historical archives, literary manuscriptsand the built environment are all usedto introduce students to advancedstudy of the Middle Ages. The coursealso makes use of the remarkablerange of medieval archives in Lincoln,to teach skills such as palaeographyand to explore the economic, socialand religious history of England.The wealth of literary manuscriptsat Lincoln Cathedral, including oneof only fifty full manuscripts of theCanterbury Tales and the ThorntonRomances containing the earliestknown account of King Arthur’sdeath, supports modules in medievalliterature and Arthurian studies.Historical modules consider Englishecclesiastical history with a localfocus on Lincoln, the largest medievaldiocese, medieval concepts of timeand space and how these developed,and theories of gender, particularlymedieval concepts of masculinity.Cultural studies forms an importantand unique part of this programme:students can consider the enduringlegend of King Arthur, deconstructinghis image as ideal ruler andreconsidering him in his social context,or the beginnings of medievalism inthe Renaissance in their considerationof medieval literature. They will havethe opportunity to pursue their ownparticular interests through theirfinal dissertation.Reproduced by kind permission of the Dean and Chapter of Herefordand the Hereford Mappa Mundi Trustees www.herefordcathedral.orgStudent view:Darren CookeBA (Hons) History 2009-12MA Historical Studies2012-13To come to Lincoln University to studyHistory was a logical decision; the cityitself has a fascinating history, with thecastle and cathedral at the top of thehill providing a consistently impressivevisual reminder of the past. Alongsidethis, the facilities and staff present atthe University offer a flexible and alwaysinteresting experience of learning aboutthe past - in particular, I found thefriendly and enthusiastic nature of mytutors made the transition from A-Levelto higher education effortless. Outsideof my course, the vibrant social life thatthe city offers meant I made long-lastingfriendships and had a fantastic timedoing so.I enjoyed the three years as anundergraduate so much that I continuedonto the MA to further develop my skillsin a more critical learning environment.In the process, I have discoverednew avenues of historical interest thatI aim to pursue further in the next fewyears, and gained the confidence andqualifications needed to progress inan extremely competitive field of study.Student view:Jayne McMathMA Medieval StudiesMy decision to enrol on the MedievalStudies course was influenced bythe wealth of resources available inthe Cathedral Library and the CountyArchives of Lincoln, as well as thebeautiful historical setting of the city itself.It is a great asset to be able to study parttime over two years which fits in well withwork and family commitments. I havefound the compulsory modules, HistoricalResearch and Palaeography a real aidto research. There are a wide rangeof modules to choose from, coveringthe entire Medieval period, which to acertain extent can be chosen to suityour preferred method of assessment,ie assignment; exam or presentation.Palaeography and Latin seminarsprovide a great basis for the decipheringof medieval documents and there isscope to pursue areas of personalinterest within the assignments,projects and especially the dissertation.As well as the weekly seminarsthere is the chance to attend extracurricular lectures and workshops,which provide additional interest andawareness of research opportunities.Every module, whether compulsoryor personal choice, is backed upby expert support and guidance.Kate has worked at the University ofLincoln since 1995, and specialises inBritish social and cultural history of thenineteenth century. She is particularlyinterested in the history of museumsand how that illuminates both thecultural issues of the Victorian period,and the issues facing museums today.Her books include Culture and Classin English Public Museums 1850-1914(2005) and Museums and Biographies(2012). She is Chair of the Museums andGalleries History Group and a founder ofthe Midlands Interdisciplinary VictorianStudies Seminar. On the HistoricalStudies MA she co-ordinates the coreResearch Methods module and alsooffers the popular option, History andthe Public. She has supervised a numberof MA dissertations on cultural history,and is also currently supervising threePhD students.Staff profile:I’m a historian of late antiqueand early medieval Spain and theMediterranean. My research focuseson the transmission of knowledgeand identity from the ancient to themedieval world via two processes:history-writing and education. I’vedone a lot of work on Isidore of Seville,a Spanish bishop (and the patronsaint of the Internet) who wrote abook called the Etymologies, a sort ofWikipedia for the early middle ages. Atthe moment I’m developing a projectthat explores the role of violence inthe schools and monasteries of thelater Roman Empire. I’ve previouslytaught in History, Classics and AncientHistory, and Religions and Theologyat the Universities of Manchester,Liverpool, Warwick and Sheffield, andhave done a lot of research into theuse of innovative methods for teachingHumanities subjects. I’m really lookingforward to leading new modules nextsemester called The Rise of Islam andThe Goths: Barbarians through time.Staff profile:Dr Kate HillDr Jamie WoodProgramme LeaderLecturer in History12 MA Historical Studies1312th century paintings in the royal pantheon of San Isidoro in Leon, Spain

MAMAEnglish Studies21st Century LiteratureThe MA in English Studies is anestablished Master’s programme thathas been running since 2007. It is aflexible course, providing the freedomto develop your own academic interestsby specialising simultaneously in severalareas of English Studies or developinga more sustained focus on a particularperiod, genre or theme.Several English lecturers are expertsin contemporary literature, which isreflected in the ‘English Now’ coremodules on fiction, poetry, dramaand life writing produced since2000. But there is also expertise inRenaissance literature, the eighteenthcentury and Victorian literature, whichis demonstrated in the historicaloptions offered on this programme.Students choose two modules froma list of options, which currently includeRenaissance poetry; late eighteenth andnineteenth century life writing; poetryin the nineteenth century; visual andmaterial culture in the nineteenth century;literature of the Thatcher era; utopianand dystopian writing; contemporaryAmerican fiction; and ecocriticism.The final element of the programmeis a 15,000-word dissertation on atopic of the student’s choice, writtenduring the summer and supported bya dissertation supervisor.The MA can be studied full or part-time,and all teaching is scheduled on oneday per week– Wednesday – makingthe degree ideal for those with work orfamily commitments. After graduation,many of our MA students stay with usto study at PhD level.This ground-breaking new MA in 21stcentury literature is the first master’sprogramme in the UK and probably theworld, entirely focussed on literaturepublished since 2000. A great deal oflively, troubling and engaging writinghas already been produced in the 21stcentury, and studying literature thatis genuinely contemporary raisesfascinating and important challenges.The ‘English Now’ modules, sharedwith the MA in English Studies, exploresome of the writing produced inthe first decade of the new millennium.This includes poetry by John Burnside,Daljit Nagra and Kathleen Jamie, dramaby Martin McDonagh, Caryl Churchill,Alecky Blythe and Mark Ravenhill, fictionby David Peace, Ali Smith andNadeem Aslam, and life writing byAlexander Masters, Lorna Sage,and Colm Toibin. The option modulescover an exciting range of topics andgenres from 21st century literary theory,contemporary literary representations ofLondon, 21st century women’s writing,postmillennial short stories, the neo-Victorian novel, contemporary Americanfiction, utopian and dystopian writing,literature and Thatcherism, ecocriticism,and reading trauma in the 21st century.Students are required to write their15,000 word dissertation on 21stcentury texts or topics.Students can choose to study this MA fullor part-time and all teaching takes placeon one day per week – Wednesday -which makes this programme particularlyattractive to those with employmentor family commitments.MA students will join a vibrant 21stcenturyresearch culture, which includesthe hosting by Lincoln of the ‘InterrogatingTrauma in the Humanities’ and thefirst two ‘What Happens Now: 21stCentury Writing in English’ Internationalconferences; Lincoln’s ‘21st CenturyResearch Group’; the involvement ofLincoln English staff in new academicjournal, C21 Literature: A Journal of 21stcenturyWritings; and Siân Adiseshiahand Rupert Hildyard’s editorship of newbook, Twenty-First Century Fiction: WhatHappens Now, Palgrave, 2013.Interested applicants for both the MA English Studies and MA 21st Century Literatureare invited to contact Dr Siân Adiseshiah, via sadiseshiah@lincoln.ac.ukFor more information, have a look at our blog: http://maenglish.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk.Lincoln EnglishStudent view:Carolyn EmeryMA English StudiesI chose to take the MA in Englishstudies with the expectation of readinga wide range of novels and learninghow to understand more aboutmodern literature and its wider context.The course succeeded fully on bothcounts. As well as studying novels,the course included poetry and plays,all of which were unfamiliar to me. Iparticularly enjoyed the process ofwriting a dissertation which gave me theopportunity to get my teeth thoroughlystuck into a subject of my choice.The focus of the course was seminar ledwith the benefit of discussing the set textand hearing what other students thought,led by our tutors. It was hard work (the21st century literary theory moduleespecially so!) but as with so much inlife, the more you put into somethingthe more you get out of it and Ithoroughly enjoyed the experience.Staff PublicationTwenty-First Century FictionWe are delighted to announce thepublication of Twenty-First Century Fiction– the very first book on the 21st centurynovel. 21st-century literary studies is arapidly growing field, in which Lincoln isleading the way. The book is a collectionof exciting critical essays on some of themost interesting and innovative writers ofthe new century, such as David Peace, AliSmith, John Burnside, Glen Duncan andMargaret Atwood. It is edited bytwo English lecturers from within LSH,Dr Siân Adiseshiah and Dr RupertHildyard, the former of whom is theprogramme leader of the MA in 21stCentury Literature and the MA inEnglish Studies. The book includesessays by another English academic,Dr Phil Redpath, as well as a colleaguefrom Media, Dr Dean Lockwood.14Booker Reading GroupCarolyn Emery and Tricia StuartWe enjoyed the process of readingand then discussing modern literatureso much that we didn’t want it to endafter the course! So we are running a21st century literature reading group(supported by the school of Humanities)in Room 102 of the University Library,5 30pm on the second Wednesday ofeach month. So far we’ve read throughthe 2012 Booker prize shortlist andconcluded that Mantel was a worthy –if safe – winner. The group is aimed for‘lay’ readers (English students shouldhave enough to read!) so that we canall find more in the texts by sharing ourviews. Literary theory does creep in, butwe are not trying to be overtly academic,rather to have a good discussionabout what succeeds – or fails – withthe chosen text. Please email us atbookerreadinggroup@hotmail.co.ukto find out what we’re reading now.I have always enjoyed reading, andthought the course on 21st Centuryliterature at the University of Lincolnwould offer the opportunity to read anddiscuss books with like-minded people.The course covered contemporarynovels, poetry and plays and introducedme to authors I already knew as well asones I did not, encouraging me to readnew authors and genres, which was verystimulating. I had not studied formally forover 20 years so the thought of writingessays was a bit daunting, after somesupport for the first assignment,I seemed to get the idea.The course also involved deliveringa paper to fellow students at twosymposiums during the year. Thispresented the challenge of organisingthoughts, ideas and arguments ina very different way from writing anassignment. It also provided the chanceto hear the ideas and thoughts of others.I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects ofthe course.Student view:Tricia ReidMA 21st Century Literature15

MACreative WritingThe MA in Creative Writing is a taught postgraduate programmefor students who are already experienced in writing and isspecifically designed to link theory to practice at several levels.Not only will students have theopportunity to practice differentgenres of creative writing as theycompile a portfolio of their own work,they will also be required to producea pamphlet which will be electronicallypublished with copyright and ISBN.Complementing these creative units,students will study two ‘English Now’modules which will focus on fiction,life writing, drama and poetry writtenin the UK and Ireland since 2000.Assessments here are designed tohone students’ skills at editing,creating character and dialogue,constructing perspective andwriting within genre.The final piece of assessment will be a20000 word piece(s) of creative writing.This will take the form of a dissertationand will provide students with theopportunity to work on an extensivepiece(s) of writing open to the choiceof the student. Unlike the portfolio,students will be expected here towork within one genre of writing.TRIP TONewsteadAbbey16Staff profile:Phil Redpath is an academic as well as acreative writer. He is currently completing histhird novel and has recently published his firstcollection of poetry.His academic interests inform hiscreative practices which are largelyinvolved with teaching and researchinginto twentieth and twenty-first centuryliterature. Phil teaches creativewriting at level two and three on theundergraduate English degree, and alsoteaches postgraduate creative writing onthe MA and is supervising several PhDsin creative writing. He set up creativewriting at undergraduate level eighteenyears ago and has been involved in allthe developments in creative writing atthe University since. Phil remains activelyengaged in academic research andhis work is currently being publishedin Britain, Europe and America.In May a group of English studentsand staff visited Newstead Abbey,former home of the Romantic poetLord Byron, on a trip funded bythe School of Humanities.The group toured the historic Abbey and explored its Gothicarchitecture and beautiful gardens as part of a third-yearmodule on Romantic and Gothic literature. We were able toview a collection of materials relating to Byron’s life and writing,which informed our discussion of poems such as ‘Darkness’and ‘Don Juan’ studied as part of the module, and the dayended with a literary quiz. It was an enjoyable and informativetrip and a great way for third-year students to mark the finalterm of the degree. We’ll be off to Newstead again next spring.Dr Phil RedpathProgramme LeaderMA Creative Writing 17

Staff PublicationPerforming Masculinityin English UniversityDrama, 1598-1636Christopher Marlow’s first book, published on5th April 2013, looks at a forgotten area of earlymodern literature: drama written and performedby sixteenth- and seventeenth-century studentsat the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.GRADUATION CEREMONIESReferencing early modern English playtexts alongside contemporary records,accounts, and statutes, the bookoffers an overdue assessment of therelationship between the dramatic effortsof the universities and early modern maleidentity. Taking into account the nearsingle-sex constitution of early modernuniversities, the book argues thatperformances of university plays,and student responses to them,were key ways of exploring andshaping early modern masculinity.Staff profile:Dr Amy CulleySenior Lecturer in EnglishChristopher shows how the plays dealtwith their academic and social contexts,and analyses their responses tocompeting versions of masculinity.He also considers the implicationsof university authority and royalpatronage for scholarly performancesof masculinity; the effect of theliterary traditions of classical friendshipand platonic love on academicrepresentations of male behaviour;and the relationship between universityDr Amy Culley began lecturing atLincoln in 2007, after completing herundergraduate degree at the Universityof Oxford and her postgraduatestudies at the University of London.Her research interests are in theliterature of the eighteenth century andRomantic period, primarily women’swriting and life writing. She is coeditorof an essay collection Women’sLife Writing, 1700-1850: Gender,Genre and Authorship and is currentlyfinishing her book British Women’s LifeWriting 1760-1840 that considers howwomen use autobiography to exploretheir relationships to religious, familial,social, and political communities. Herrecent work has also focussed onthe relationship between history andliterature in the eighteenth centurydrama and masculine initiation rituals.Including discussion of the Parnassustrilogy, Club Law and works by ThomasRandolph, William Cartwright, JohnMilton and others, this study shines newlight on long neglected aspects of thegolden age of English drama.Dr Christopher Marlow is the ProgrammeLeader for BA (Hons) English at theUniversity of Lincoln.and particularly how life writingchallenges conventional historicalnarratives and practices. Theseinterests inform Amy’s teaching ona range of undergraduate modules,including Georgian Literature, VictorianLiterature, Women’s Writing and FeministTheory, and Life Writing. She also enjoysteaching across disciplinary boundarieson both the MA in English Studies andMA in Historical Studies in moduleson Nineteenth-Century Life Writingand Poetry. She is looking forwardto contributing to a new undergraduatemodule next year on the Literatureof Childhood.Although a relatively new University established in 2001, you wouldbe forgiven for thinking that we are as old as Oxford, Cambridge orDurham when you attend our Graduation ceremonies.Each of the nine ceremonies takes placeover four days at Lincoln Cathedral,one of the most spectacular graduationvenues in the country. Steeped inhistory, the Cathedral provides the mostincredible backdrop for the culminationof our students’ hard work. Full oftradition, ceremony and reverence, thiswonderful occasion is the pinnacle ofthree years study for each and everygraduate who attends, watched onproudly by family and friends alike.Prior to graduation, our LSH Graduandsbegin the day in the grounds of LincolnCastle where gowns are collectedand mortar boards donned, and theyreturn to the castle grounds afterthe graduation ceremony where thecelebrations can start in earnest inthe hospitality marquees.It is also an occasion to mark theachievements of notable persons whohave made a major contribution to theirchosen field at national or internationallevel by the awarding of an honorarydoctorate. Recent honorands from theHumanities include Inspector Morseauthor Colin Dexter OBE, BritishHistorian Professor Paul Langford andArcheologist and writer Michael J. Jones.After graduation, the LSH alsomakes some awards of its own tograduands who have excelled duringtheir time at Lincoln at a specialceremony in the Bishops’ Palacesituated opposite the Cathedral.The awards are presented by theHead of School and family and friendsof the award winners are also invited.1819

College of ArtsUniversity of LincolnBrayford PoolLincoln LN6 7TSTelephone +44 (0)1522 886644Fax +44 (0)1522 886880Email enquiries@lincoln.ac.ukwww.lincoln.ac.uk/lsh@LincolnEnglish@ULHistoryUniversity of Lincoln (UK) official pagePhotography: Phil Crow www.philcrow.com,Electric Egg, Andy Weekes.Design: optimadesign.co.ukAll information correct at time of print.For the latest information, please visitour website.