As I make my way through my first year after having earned my M.A. in English, I’m finding myself with an increased need for communication with other early modernists. I am certainly keeping up my interests in the field through reading, research, and writing, and of course this blog — but I feel the need for a closer knit, more stable early modernist community. I suppose, being an adjunct, I’d like more communication with others who study the early modern and renaissance periods in their post-grad lives (post-Master’s, post-PhD) and wondered: is anyone out there? Quite simply, this is a proposal for a renaissance/early modern online reading group. I would, of course, be willing to play host here, and thought that we could incorporate reading, at a set interval that all members would agree on, both a piece of literature from the period as well as a current/recently published piece of critical work on some aspect of the period. A sample of how it might work: we read a literary work once a week/two weeks/month as a group, and each member reads and contributes a detailed review/analysis of a critical work (of their choice, of course) once a week/two weeks/month. And, of course, copious commenting, discussion, and analysis ensue. Additionally, skype or the like might be interesting, but would only work if we could agree on days/times that work for everyone — otherwise good old blogging would do just fine.
Does anyone else think this would be a nice way to keep current in the field, pursue interests, and share?
If you’re interested in something like this, please let me know — I’m looking to start this ASAP, and ensure that it runs regularly
November 18, 2010 at 9:08 am
Yes, I’m interested–busy, but interested!
November 19, 2010 at 3:27 am
Jennifer
Glad to hear from you — I know how you feel! On a completely unrelated note, I’ve just realized we are actually not terribly far from each other: I teach (and live) in NYC — I’m adjuncting at Pace University and the College of Staten Island CUNY. I think, if I’m correct, that we’re about two hours away from one another, at least based on the locations where we teach. Just a fun fact, I suppose.
I think, though, this is something we could both really benefit from. If you have anyone in mind who might be interested, please send them on over to me! I’d been meaning to create a profile on Academia.edu, so I think I may capitalize on the opportunity and also use the profile to try and recruit other members. I am also in the midst of prime PhD application season, but should have all of my difficult work in that area done by Thanksgiving. Otherwise, I will keep you posted on this, at the latest just after then.
November 21, 2010 at 1:14 am
Laurelai,
I had thought about our relative proximity before, but I think it takes a little longer to travel between my school and NYC than you’re estimating–maybe 3 hours? Or maybe I just take slow forms of transportation. (That could very possibly be it.) At any rate, I could imagine an occasion–Shakespeare in the Park, perhaps?–where we were in the same place at the same time.
I’ll be teaching a grad Shakespeare course next semester, and I’ll certainly mention this to them, but since most have full-time jobs and families, I wouldn’t expect a large influx of interested people. (The early modern period would not be where most of them want to focus, for another thing.)
My vote would be maybe to read one literary work and one critical piece once a month; I know that may not sound like a lot, but I think the conversation would be the key part, and rushing it wouldn’t be good (not to mention being more work than I could probably handle during the school year).
Good luck with your applications (both not going crazy as you complete them and with your actual success)!
Thanks for volunteering to organize this!
Jennifer
P.S. Do you follow any of the 18th-century blogs? Despite the fact that they’re a bit, you know, late, I really like the community they seem to have between The Long Eighteenth and Early Modern Online Bibliography–small, but with very high-quality discussions.