Ch. 9: Intersectionality, Inclusion, and the Shakespeare Survey Course
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Description
This chapter appears in the book, Inclusive Shakespeares: Identity, Pedagogy, Performance. Edited by Sonya Freeman Loftis, Mardy Philippian, and Justin P. Shaw.
Chapter abstract: This essay answers calls to diversify the Shakespeare curriculum by examining the impact of an intersectional approach on student engagement with Shakespeare. Drawing on Kimberle Crenshaw’s description of intersectionality, I consider the benefits of using multiple approaches, including those centered on gender, sexuality, race, and disability, to teach a selection of Shakespeare’s plays. I offer guidelines on how I introduce these perspectives and use them as frames of analysis for class discussion and written assignments. I also draw on the methodologies associated with the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) to demonstrate the advantages of this approach. More popular in the social sciences than the humanities, SoTL encourages instructors to use qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the effectiveness of their teaching. Keeping these principles in mind, I examine students’ written responses on discussion boards and surveys to gauge their interest in different approaches to reading Shakespeare and analyze possible reasons for their preferences. I use evidence of student investment in intersectional reading practices to suggest that small changes to curriculum design and assessment can produce a more inclusive environment for teaching and learning.
ISBN
978-3-031-26521-1
Publication Date
2023
Publisher
Springer Nature
City
Berlin
Keywords
Intersectionality, Shakespeare Pedagogy, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Intersectionality
Disciplines
Educational Methods | Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | Literature in English, British Isles | Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Recommended Citation
Mathur, Maya, "Ch. 9: Intersectionality, Inclusion, and the Shakespeare Survey Course" (2023). English & Linguistics Books. 14.
https://scholar.umw.edu/elc_books/14