The Purloined Letter is a reading group, founded in 2015 by dr. Roel van den Oever and currently organized by Anne Verhoef. Its members are students, alumni, and staff of the English literature department at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. We read… Continue Reading
On Tuesday, 10 January 2017, I received the Faculty Teaching Award 2016-2017 from the Faculty of Humanities at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, for “most enthusiastic, inspiring, and committed teacher of the year.” Many thanks to all the students who nominated me… Continue Reading
We imagine that grappling with challenging theoretical texts and insights is comparable to Alice falling down the rabbit-hole – there is no clear trajectory, no end in sight, yet the experience of falling is not only anxiety-inducing but also strangely… Continue Reading
From April 5-7, 2017, the interdisciplinary Research Institute for the Humanities CLUE+ at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam organises a three-day international conference on resonances of the work of the critical theorist and philosopher Judith Butler. Critical Theory in the Humanities: Resonances… Continue Reading
For the academic year 2016/2017, book club The Purloined Letter will read the work of Henry James a.k.a. The Master. We will have five meetings, each examining one particular theme or approach regarding James’ literary output. All are welcome, in… Continue Reading
Three historically-specific definitions of the term “gay male literature” can be given. They are: (1) the portrayal of male-male desire in all of literature; (2) literature relating to the discursive category of homosexuality from 1869 onwards; and (3) literature relating… Continue Reading