Welcome to the WKU Department of English!

We stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement

The WKU English Department stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and those who seek to do meaningful and transformative antiracist work. African American and Black diasporic writers have long turned to literature to tell their stories and draw together their communities, testify to the brutality of systemic racism and white supremacy in the United States and the former colonies, and galvanize social change. At a time when we are called upon to deepen our understanding of the complex workings of racism and white supremacy, literature by Black writers is a critical tool in the anti-racist toolbox. It also provides powerful narratives of love, hope, and resilience in the face of great adversity – narratives that are necessary for the long struggle for racial justice that lies ahead of us.  

 

But reading is not enough. WKU English commits to turning all the tools at our disposal—reading, writing, teaching, communication, and thinking through the study of language, literature, and culture from diverse voices and perspectives—to the work of building a WKU community more inclusive of our BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students, faculty, and staff and to the fight for social and racial justice.

English Department News and Events

Visiting Writer Christine Ristaino Shares Memoir "All the Silent Spaces"

Mar 1st, 2021

The WKU English Department hosted the semester's first event in the Visting Writers series! Christine Ristaino read excerpts from her memoir "All the Silent Spaces" for students...

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Filmmaker Shalini Kantayya Discusses "Coded Bias" with Students

Feb 23rd, 2021

Critically acclaimed filmmaker Shalini Kantayya joins WKU students for post-screening discussion of "Coded Bias." The documentary explores the uses and shortcomings of facial...

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English Student Advisory Team Discusses Changes with Faculty

Feb 16th, 2021

WKU English faculty seeks feedback from WKU English Student Advisory Team (ESAT). English faculty value ESAT's contributions now more than ever during these unprecedented times....

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Featured Profiles

Student Profile

Meet Adrianna Waters!

Faculty Profile

Meet Dr. Nancy Dinan!

Alumni Profile

Meet Craig Dezern!

From Left to Right, Top to Bottom: Dr. Elizabeth Winkler, Professor Rick Thompson, Kimberly Nessler, Mary Johnson, Dr. Alex Poole, Professor Jessica Folk, Dr. Dawn Winters, Dr. Trini Stickle, Professor Megan Miller, Dr. Merrall Price, Dr. Sandra Hughes, Dr. Kelly Reames, Dr. Wes Berry, Dr. Niko Endres, Dr. David Bell, Dr. Alison Langdon, Professor Tim Brotherton, Dr. Angela Jones, Dr. Tom Hunley, Dr. Gillian Knoll, Dr. Cheryl Hopson, Dr. Marla Zubel, Dr. Alison Youngblood, Dr. David LeNoir, Professor Terry Elliott, Dr. Deborah Logan, Dr. John Conley, Dr. Ted Hovet, Professor Marya Turley, Dr. Daniel Liddle, Professor Debra Hays, Professor Felicia Stinson, Dr. Rob Hale, Professor Trish Jaggers, Dr. Jane Fife, Dr. Dawn Hall, Dr. Judith Szerdahelyi, Professor Fabian Alvarez, Dr. Jane Olmsted, Dr. Dale Rigby.