Notes from the Field and the Archive: Building Classroom Communities in the Humanities

The English Department and the Department Development Committee are happy to announce a discussion series for 2021, “Notes from the Field and the Archive: Building Classroom Communities in the Humanities.” With the help of authors of recent important works on the practice of English studies, we hope to spark a conversation about how we all--faculty, graduate students, and staff--might better address issues of power and privilege in our classrooms and build a more equitable and inclusive community in the Department.

Our first event features Matthew Salesses, who will be interviewed by Laura Van den Berg. Salesses is the author of the newly published Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping. The traditional writing workshop was established with white male writers in mind; what we call craft is informed by their cultural values. In this bold and original examination of elements of writing—including plot, character, conflict, structure, and believability—and aspects of workshop—including the silenced writer and the imagined reader—Salesses asks questions to invigorate these familiar concepts. 

This event is open to the Harvard community. 

Registration required. You can register for the event here.