Category Archives: learning

The Secret History by Donna Tartt – an investigation into a novel about studying the humanities (and murder!)

Posted on April 27, 2015 by

Recently I read Tartt’s “The Secret History and was impressed by the handling of a bunch of pretentious teenagers studying Julian Morrow’s exclusive (and doubtless uppity) Greek Classics class. The Guardian well summarises the reasons that you should read this book … Continue reading →

Posted in academic, art, beauty, book, campus novel, greek, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, humanities, julian morrow, learning, life, murder, novel, popular culture, representation, Secret History, student, Tartt, university, value | Leave a comment

Jeffrey Williams: The Rise of the Academic Novel – A graphic guide / map

Posted on March 5, 2015 by

This post features a diagram I made using ‘Inspiration 9’ to describe the ways in which Jeffrey Williams divides and subdivides the Campus Novel and the Academic Novel. I read ‘ The Rise of the Academic Novel’ in American Literary … Continue reading →

Posted in academic novel, campus, campus novel, critical theory, data, educating rita, education, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, humanities, interpretations, language, learning, novel, novels, PhD, review | Leave a comment

Conference Paper from ‘Theorising the Popular’ Conference at Liverpool Hope

Posted on September 24, 2013 by

 This post is a copy of a paper which I gave at my very first conference this summer. It was part of the fourth international Theorizing the Popular Conference held at Liverpool Hope University(details here). I am pleased to have … Continue reading →

Posted in blog, college, conference, critic, critical theory, culture, educating rita, Film, fresh meat, higher ed, hope, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, humanities, language, learning, liverpool, PhD, popular culture, university, value | Leave a comment

Scholar Gipsy : Matthew Arnold

Posted on May 25, 2013 by

I’ve been reading up on Matthew Arnold’s work as a school inspector, and came across some of his poetic works. Having only thought of Arnold as a cultural critic, I was surprised to find his poetry to be so highly … Continue reading →

Posted in Arnold, college, Collini, critic, education, higher ed, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, learning, Leavis, modern life, Oxford, poetry, rooms, Scholar, school, university, verse, victorian | Leave a comment

Nussbaum’s remarks at Colgate University

Posted on May 21, 2013 by

Thanks to Andy Daddio for this brilliant photo. Truly the Daddio of Scholarly Photography! When it comes to a defence of the liberal arts in Higher Education, Martha Nussbaum is a matriarch. While some have criticised her universalism, and tendency towards vague aspiration, she nonetheless … Continue reading →

Posted in america, arts, commencement, critical theory, criticism, culture, education, higher ed, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, humanities, learning, liberal, lifepeople, literature, nussbaum, philosophy, university, world | Leave a comment

Rousseau’s Emile: on Infancy

Posted on May 11, 2013 by

I made this quote bank of the first chapter of Rousseau’s Emile : “Infancy”. Feel free to use this wherever and whenever you want.  The first drafts of Emile did not include infancy, but as William Boyd observes in Emile … Continue reading →

Posted in beginning, child, childhood, education, emile, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, infancy, infant, learning, literature, meaning, nature, quotes, rousseau, school, theme, tutor, victorian, word | Leave a comment