North Dakota State University

Each year the Department invites a nationally recognized scholar to teach an intensive course in his or her area of expertise. Dr. Paul Prior of University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign is scheduled to lead the 2013 Summer Scholars course titled, "Writing, Disciplinarity, and English: A Global Perspective." The week-long intensive course is slated for June 10-14,  and runs from 9am - 4pm daily.

Globally, English—as language and discipline—has been playing increasingly central roles across a wide range of fields, although some trends suggest the dominance of English in many disciplinary forums is also being challenged. Writing remains central to all aspects of disciplinarity, serving key roles in individuals' trajectories of learning, in institutional assessments of competence and value, and in disciplinary communication. This course examines theory and research on the connections among writing, disciplinarity, and English in global contexts.

Paul Prior is Professor of English and Professor and Director of the Center for Writing Studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. In a series of situated studies that draw on theoretical frameworks from cultural-historical activity theory and dialogic semiotics, Paul has explored connections among writing, reading, talk, learning, and disciplinarity. Prior’s current projects study the writing process as dispersed, embodied, and situated literate activity and research that traces the remediation of an interactive online art object. Prior has taught English in Saudi Arabia, directed the first-year writing course at Illinois, and led Writing-Across-the-Curriculum workshops over 700 faculty and 1200 teaching assistants at Illinois.

Dr. Verena Theile, Assistant Professor of English, publishes New Formalisms and Literary Theory. The book examines the political motivations of a return to formalism. The collection challenges the conception of New Formalism as an extension of contextual readings and as a 'mere' return to aesthetic readings. The essays instead encourage reflection upon New Formalism's points of intersection with other theoretical approaches and demand a reinstatement of form as the critic's central focus, form, that is, as it reflects a culture's creative imagination and historicizes itself within and against a politically charged background. The collection is forthcoming with Palgrave Macmillan (May 2013). Theile authored the introduction and co-edited the volume with Dr. Linda Tredennick (Gonzaga University). 

The March installment of Pen & Ink: Notes from the NDSU Department of English kicks off our third year of publication. It's amazing how time flies by.

Highlighting our spring issue, we have fliers promoting some upcoming events. Don't miss the 2nd David Martinson Broadside presentation at the Spirit Room and the Stephen Frech poetry reading on campus, both taking place in March. The Red River Graduate Student Conference celebrates its 10th year and is slated for the first weekend in April.

Your comments are always welcome and you can help in our attempt to keep track of our alumni by letting us know how you've been and where you are. Please send your stories, article ideas, and comments to Tina Young.

As the weather warms up, be on the lookout for our summer issue due out in early June 2013. The latest and all archived issues can be found at the newsletter page on the Department of English website.

Happy spring and happy reading!

May 1: Spring Awards Luncheon, 11:30am-1:30pm, Arikara Room, Memorial Union

May 3: Last Day of Spring Semester Classes

May 3: First Year Writing Assessment, 8:30am-12:30pm, Rose Room, Memorial Union

May 3: External Advisory Board Annual Meeting, 12-4pm, Peace Garden Room, Memorial Union

May 6-10: Finals Week

May 11: Spring Commencement

June 10-14: ENGL 758, Summer Scholars Course with Dr. Paul Prior, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign

See our wiki for a list of additional local events and national conferences.

English Department
NDSU - Dept. 2320
P.O. Box 6050
Fargo, ND  58108-6050
Office Location: Morrill Hall 219
Office Phone: 701-231-7143