A Journey to the Center of the World: A Guide to the

A Journey to the Center of the World: A Guide to
the Department of English
Welcome to English
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Introduction to this second Handbook
Welcome to the Department of English! And thank you for showing up for your
Orientation Week. We (your tutors) have been eager to meet you for several
weeks now. This little handbook focuses on what happens after the Orientation
Week and we hope you are looking forward to this part too! If you are on BAMinor (Tilvalg) or International Communication in English (ICE) you probably know
most of the stuff already, but you might find it useful to flick through the pages
about the tutors, the teachers, list of courses and the organisations at the
Department of English. We really hope that you will all find this handbook
informative and interesting to read. Should you at any time feel confused or
annoyed, be aware that you can always contact a tutor and talk to them about
it. We wish you a happy time as a student at the Department of English at Aarhus
University!
Lots of love from
Your tutors
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List of Contents
Tips on getting of to a good start............................................................................ 4
Mythbusting – English style ...................................................................................... 6
A helping hand ......................................................................................................... 8
Introduction to your new courses............................................................................. 9
Your tutors in their own modest words ..................................................................12
Your teachers in their own modest words ..............................................................18
Organisations at the Department of English...........................................................29
AU Career ..............................................................................................................34
Event Calender .......................................................................................................35
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Tips on making a good start
When you first arrive at the University it might be difficult to establish exactly
what is expected from you, so we have created this list of tips in order to give
you an idea.
1.! Read Studieordningen and our guide to your courses
By reading studieordningen and our guide to your courses (which is
included in this guide) it becomes easier for you to understand what exams
are going to be like, how the courses are structured and what you are
meant to get out of them. This might help you create a focus when
studying for your courses.
2.! Buy your books early
Buying your books early can be an advantage because you will have more
time to study your new subjects and they can easily be obtained through
‘Stakbogladen’, which is our campus bookshop.
3.! Attend all your classes and as many social events as possible
Attending all of your classes is obviously a no-brainer: the more you
participate, the more you will get out of your education. By joining social
events you will also make new friends, which will be a help to you
throughout your time at University. Recent research has shown that many
University students feel lonely, and we definitely do not want you to
become a part of that boring survey, so join us!
4.! Make sure you don’t have to work a lot during the first semester
Having a job is naturally a lovely thing, but try not to work too much during
your first semester. You will probably need time to get used to the amount
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of studying, participation in campus activities and getting to know people
so take it easy during your first semester.
5.! Get engaged in a student organisation
It can’t be said often enough, get engaged in a student organisation! It’s
fun, you get to know lots of people, you get to influence your department
and it’s a good thing to write on your CV!
6.! Participate in your seminars and in your study group
By participating we mean speaking up during your seminars. The teachers
want you to ask questions, come with suggestions and offer your point of
view. Also take advantage of your study group in order to get some work
done in a much more fun way than sitting on your own in a reading hall.
7.! Structure your reading
At University you will have lots of texts to read. Therefore it’s good to
have a certain approach to reading that you can use. Perhaps you find it
easier to read your phonetics texts in the morning and your literature texts
in the evening in bed. Find out what works for you and structure your
reading accordingly.
8.! Embrace studying English, even though it perhaps wasn’t your priority
number 1
For those very few of you who didn’t get in to your dream department
everything may seem tough, but make the most of it and engage in the life
at the English department and I’m sure you’ll soon forget you ever wanted
to study anything else but English.
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Mythbusting, English style
Myth #1:
Studying at the university means ‘bye-bye social life’ and a calendar filled
with an enormous workload!
Fact:
It is true that the amount of required studying may seem overwhelming (see
picture for information on your studying activities) at first, but that does
not mean that your social life will be a thing of the past. On the contrary the
English Department offers tons of social and academic clubs for you to join
as well as parties for you to attend. Some of these offers will be included in
this guide
Tips:
Structure your time with a calendar! Make use of the University facilities,
such as the study rooms, libraries etc. if you find it difficult to get any work
done at home. Also use the student counselors and attend their workshops.
Myth #2:
In order to be able to afford all the books I have to buy for my courses, I will
need to take a student loan or sell a kidney!
Fact:
It is true that during the first semester you will have to spend quite a lot of
money on books, but do not despair. A lot of the books that you buy for
your first semester (e.g. The Norton Anthologies) will be used the other
semesters as well.
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Tips:
If you want to save some money you can either try to bundle up your
purchases, maybe with others, on Amazon, Saxo etc. or buy your books
second hand from your tutors or older students. Facebook is a useful tool to
find people who are willing to sell their old books.
Myth #3:
The tutors are only here to party and we can’t get any useful information or
help from them.
Fact:
The tutors are here to give you the best introduction possible. That means
that we will not only introduce you to all the social aspects of being a
student at the university, but also what it means to be an actual student.
Myth #4:
The Orientation week will be filled with humiliating escapades and I will be
forced to make a fool of myself to complete strangers.
Fact:
You have probably heard about some of the terrible things people from
other faculties than ours have been forced to do during their Orientation
weeks, but don’t worry! The English Department has a clear no-alcohol
policy, which you can read more about in the ruspjece and you will never be
asked to do something that you feel uncomfortable with.
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A Helping Hand
Beginning your studies at university can be tough enough with all the new
people and all the new information being crammed into your head. So, to
make the transition easier this section will try to give you an overview of
some of the most important sites and people to go to if you experience
problems of any kind.
Studieordningen:
Studieordningen is a student’s bread and butter as it will inform you of the
official guidelines for the courses you will be taking, along with information on
the exam requirements. Studieordningen can be found by following this link:
http://studerende.au.dk/studier/fagportaler/arts/studieordninger/
-!
Click on the link and write Engelsk or International Communication in English in the
search box to find studieordningen for 2015.
Student counselors:
The Student counselors’ main task is to help you if you have any trouble on
either a personal level or with your studies. Here is a link to see when they
are available:
http://studerende.au.dk/studier/fagportaler/arts/kontakt/studievejledere/sl
k/
Going on Exchange
As an English student at Aarhus University, you have the amazing opportunity to
go on exchange on your 4th semester, which is the Spring semester of 2017. We
know that you have only just begun your studies, but it is not too early to start
thinking about where to go, because the deadline for applying is already on your 1st
semester!
The English Department at AU has its own agreements with a list of universities
around the world and the department divides these slots among the applicants from
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English (if you don’t get a spot this way, you can always apply to go on exchange
through International Center). There are two types of exchange programs here at
AU: Either you can go on the Erasmus program, which enables you to go to places
within Europe, or you can go overseas. No matter which you choose you can also
apply for a grant, to pay some of the travelling and housing expenses while you are
living abroad. The process of planning your exchange is long, and you have to brace
yourself for some form filling, but, as former exchange students will agree, it is one
of the best things you can do for yourself personally and for your studies here at
Aarhus University.
Don’t be afraid to ask the tutors who have been abroad – they will love to tell you
about it!
http://studerende.au.dk/studier/fagportaler/arts/undervisning/udlandsophold/aft
aler/engelsk
Introduction to your courses
Who is Who – and What is What?
A lecture is a session held by a lecturer in front of a large number of students in a
lecture hall. At a lecture the students are usually not meant to take part in the
discussion but are instead meant to listen to the lecturer for 45 minutes. As a
result, any questions to the lecturer should be written down and asked to the
seminar teacher instead.
A seminar is closer to what most people consider a ‘normal class’. Approximately
30 students discuss the topics of the week (introduced in the most recent lecture
in most cases) with their seminar teacher in a classroom. The students are
encouraged to ask questions, answer and to participate as much as possible.
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Instructor sessions are taught by senior students. These sessions provide the
students with a place to focus on particular areas of a course. To give more room
for each student to practice individually, these sessions are only attended by
groups of approximately 15 students.
Books are required for most courses at the university, and buying books for the
first semester is particularly expensive as each student will have none of the
required books beforehand, unlike in the following semesters where books used in
the first semester are reused. Make sure that the ISBN numbers are consistent
with the course guide for a specific course.
Introduction to Courses
English Linguistics 1: Phonology, Morphology, Semantics and Syntax
Phonetics and morphology
This course provides the students with basic knowledge of the tools and skills
required to work with the phonetic, phonological and morphological aspects of the
English language. While morphology is the study of the structure of words,
phonetics and phonology deal with the different types of sound systems in the
main variants of English. Students also learn to make phonetic transcriptions.
Semantics and Syntax
The aim of the course is to give students tools and skills required to work within
the syntactic, semantic and pragmatic aspects of the English language. Focusing
especially on the structure and creation of sentences in the English language, the
course provides fundamental knowledge on various aspects of grammar, such as
constituency, syntactic categories and phrases within a sentence.
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History, Society and Culture 1: Media and Culture
The aim of the course is to give students a broad understanding of various types
of media throughout the English speaking world. The students develop tools to
analyse media from many different perspectives. The course focuses especially on
movies, and these will be categorised under genres, time periods and directors, all
the while being discussed on a more technical level.
2-hour lectures and 3-hour seminars weekly. In preparation for these classes
students read a relevant chapter (or two) in the textbook. Given that Media and
Culture Studies focuses on movies, watching a feature film is usually a part of the
homework, too. Only one book is required for this course, created specifically by
teachers from the university. It will be available for purchase in digital form. The
students are not required to purchase the different movies from the course guide,
as long as they have a way of accessing the movie (dvd, Internet etc).
Literatures in English 1: Form and Genre
The course introduces literature as an overall broad concept. As it focuses on key
genres in English literatures, this course introduces the students to texts in as
diverse genres as poetry, drama, short stories, novels and graphic novels. In
addition, students are introduced to important issues within literary history as well
as practical literary analysis.
5 hours weekly in lectures and seminars. The lectures will concern the text(s)
representing a specific genre. The genre will be further discussed during the
seminars, in which the students have a chance to discuss their own interpretations
of the respective texts. For this course three Norton anthologies must be
purchased and these are very expensive. However, they are also useful in future
semesters and even as entertainment for pleasure. Furthermore, books on literary
theory and novels not included in the anthologies must be purchased. All of these
books can be found many places, both in Stakbogladen and on the Internet.
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Your tutors in their own modest words
Anne Sophie Meyer Larsen (5th semester)
Cats, cats, Cats<3
I chose a globe because it symbolizes the unlimited power I
think I have as a head tutor #whoruntheworld? #me!
However, if that’s too strange, we can just say I chose the
globe because I like to travel! Cause I do indeed looove to
travel :)
Marie Pedersen (3rd semester)
Winter is coming
I’m the typical English student who enjoys books, tv-series
and music, but at the same time I’m of the quite rare
species who loves sports – especially football! So go
ahead and find me in Esperanto and I’ll challenge you to a
game of football – table football of course! We do study
English after all.
Martin Ehlers (9th semester)
In iambic pentameter
On Meeting a Freshman on a Brisk September Day:
“Whereto?” the freshman’s lips did tremble forth
“Please, sir, what do I do, where do I start?”
“Fear not,” I told the poor thing, “there’s your seat.
And many coming friends for you to meet.”
Per Rahbek (3rd semester)
Embracing Inner Child
Born just outside Aarhus old dude of 23. Worked in a nursery
because I could not let my inner child go, this has led me to
buying the Superman T, playing PS as study break and overall
loving everything I am too old for. I know a little about
everything.
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Ebru Caglar (3rd semester)
How You Doin’?
Hi lovely creatures! I’m a happy girl who loves people with bad
humor! I
drink an extremely unhealthy amount of both tea and Coca-Cola
and I’m also a big fan of liquorice and HORROR MOVIES! Oh and
books and cute pandas <3 Come and have a chat I’m a bit of a
small-talker!
Daniel Anthony Slater (7th semester)
Whisky Sour, Simple
I’m a chap who enjoys a tad of amusement now and again.
This inclination permits a slight corruption of one’s morals by
entertaining a slight imbalance between the workload of
studying and the joys of student life, naturally in favour of
the latter.
Alice Sahinkuye (9th semester)
Eat, play, dance
Some of my favorite things in the world are cake, games,
dancing. Luckily all three things are readily available here at
your new home :D They also may or may not be the main
reasons why I'm part of Anglia and Esperanto.
Rebecca Østvand Matthiesen (5th
semester)
Enjoy the ride!
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22! Everything’s
gonna be alright if you keep me next to yooou. I’ll crack
you up making an ass of myself. I have a thing for maps,
lists, postcards, ‘Mean Girls’ quotes, bloopers, bad jokes,
brunch and coffee.
Christine Mader (5th semester)
Unicorns are real!
Talk to me about: Doctor Who. Unicorns and their level of
fluffiness. Supernatural. Food. Esperanto, Anglia, EWS or the
UFU. The fact that drinking will lead to twerking. Your name,
‘cause I cannot remember names – sry. Or whatever you like.
Promise not to bite!
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Jeanne Bastrup Steenberg (3rd semester)
Winter is coming!
Hi Guys! My name is Jeanne and I’m starting my 3rd semester here
at AU. As the photo indicates, I’m a big Queen fan, so if you are
too, I’m sure we’ll hit it off! I’m from a small town named Kjellerup
in Midtjylland, and I’m a keen sports and Fridaybar fan.
Peter Milo Self (7th semester)
“Flip Cup Anyone?”
Hi! I am to be one of your 5 (yes 5) head tutors in the
English fresher’s week. My primary interests of study are
fiction, culture and history. So don’t be shy, I’m always
happy to chat, and not that old that I don’t remember how
it is to be new.
Ellen Christiansen (5th semester)
I am sarcastic
Hello, I am sarcastic, ironic, a small person, bossy, loud,
European, sassy, stubborn, a fake brunette, sadly a real
blond. But I am also: friendly, talkative, open-minded,
understanding, worldly, dynamic, funny and a really cool English major,
Jesper Johannsen (5th semester)
I’m Beyoncé always
I’m 23 years old, from Aarhus and I love movies. My interest for
English comes mostly from a year abroad and vast amounts of
time spent watching sports, TV-shows and movies of course.
I’m not really much of a Beyoncé fan I just quite like the quote.
Astrid Harboe Odgaard (5th semester)
Pink Fluffy Unicorns!
I’m a big believer in silliness and eating! Melted cheese is
the best thing ever (the word orgasmic comes to mind)! I
love books, books, BOOKS. Everything literature related. If
my room were on fire I would save all my books – or
probably die trying. Lastly: you can never have too much pants in your life.
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Iben Lillelund (3rd semester)
Hear me roar !
Yes, I’m a fan of Game of Thrones. I’m also very sarcastic and
love any kind of pun, whether intended or not. If you don’t find
me with a beer in hand, there’s definitely a piece of cake in it
instead. And books are an essential part of my life, no books =
no life.
Rasmus Wilki Møldrup (5th semester)
One Man Band
In West Philadelphia born and raised, on the playground...
Nah, I´m no Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, however much I might
want to be (oh how I want to be). I´m just a regular bloke
from Herning, which doesn´t sound nearly as cool I guess.
Stay hydrated!!
Niels Peter Rather (3rd semester)
Zed's dead, baby
In case you're wondering that is a quote from Pulp Fiction,
everything Quentin Tarantino touches should be considered
holy. Oh, and I'm Niels! I love people, so come talk to me! I
know lots of random facts and will always find a topic to talk
about!
Nathalie Keighley Kristensen (5th semester)
Professional bookstore hunter
If you need to know where I am for a longer period of time, place
me in a bookstore. I love rainy days with a cup of tea and a book.
I’m addicted to our lovely Friday bar and Bailey’s. Good friends
and good food. Wine on summer (and winter) nights. And Harry
Potter, obviously!
Laura Horn Davies (3rd semester)
Curiouser and curiouser!
I grew up in the shadow land Falster, meaning the first 19
years of my life was pretty much deprived of anything
social. In an attempt to make up for the lost time I spent as
much time as allowed in our amazing Friday Bar, so please
come join me, you will most likely find me in a corner blushing furiously over
“Cards Against Humanity”.
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Astrid Okholm Larsen (5th semester)
Hiking is Healing
A wise man once said ‘Nature is a language, can’t you
read?’ I set out to do just that. After having spent equal
amounts of time in books and in nature, I now speak Fluent
Forest and am learning Mountain. So if you love reading in
the sun - come hike with me!
Mikkel Kragh Andreasen (5th semester)
Team English, go!
This 5th semester guy is so excited to meet all of you, and to
introduce you to the fun world of the English department! My
favorite part of the degree has been all the friendships that I
have formed during my stay here, and I’m sure that I will soon
form many more.
Helene Boe Lorenz (7th semester)
Culture, Politics, English Department <3
…So excited for you to come and join the English
department! As a current 7th semester student I’m
dividing my time between my minor in History and English.
Also, I’m the President of Anglia; Engelsk Fest- og
Fagudvalg (and please sign up and join the fun!). At the
English department I’ve found friendships and fellow movie
nerds – just like I’m sure you will too.
Birthe Nielsen (3rd semester)
Fantastic! Allons-y! Geronimo!
I’m not the tallest tutor you’ll meet… Or the oldest… What
I’m lacking in size and age I make up for with my huge
passion for books and movies and my deep love for bad
music and expensive nights out! I love meeting new people,
so come say hi!
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Frederik Lippert (3rd semester)
Kiss my Dickens
I am an out-going kind of person who is always excited to
meet new people and share experiences with them. I
know it is a bit of a cliché, and that in this case, “outgoing kind of person” it could just means that I am a
people-person who drinks. But I’m a reasonable person… I
swear… Seriously.
Clara Ulrich Eggers (5th semester)
['ɪŋ(g)lɪʃ əz ˈˈfʌn]
Post-modern mortal with delusions of grandeur. I value creativity,
sunshine, social media, and people who make an effort. “It is our
choices … that show what we truly are, far more than our
abilities.”Welcome to the English department, dearies!
Cecilie Bülow Andersen (5 th semester)
Fanatic Monkey Lover
I'm so excited to meet y'all! But to be fair, I'm excited about
everything: from syntax to flip cup. So find this blond energy
bomb and I'll show you why English is my favorite place in the world! Also,
don't even get me started on monkeys…
Silas Lauritsen (5th semester)
The Shots Shooter
Hello y’all, this is Silas the firefighter speaking. All of you
will get to know me as the fun tutor who spreads joy
wherever he goes, or at least does his best to do so. I love
meeting new people, so come have a chat, and I’m sure
we’ll hit it off!
Mathilde (3rd Semester)
Valar morghulis, bitches!
My name is Mathilde Noer, and I’m a 3rd semester student.
I’m a self-proclaimed coffeeholic, anglophile, and bookworm –
though I do love binge-watching TV-shows. If you believe you
know more about Game of Thrones than me, I WILL challenge
you to a dance-off!
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Isabella Roed (3rd semester)
Treat yo’ self
I’m a ginger, but years of practice have made me quite
levelheaded, so I’m actually very friendly. I am a bit of a
nocturnal creature and most nights I stay up to watch TV
shows or read books. If I’m not doing that, I like to go out
and have a drink with my friends.
Elisabeth (3rd semester)
Stop making sense
Sup! Elisabeth here. I love English dialects/accents but
literature and history too. Also big passion for music and
film and I also really enjoy the theatre. My favourite animal
is a pig (yaas) and I dig dancing (a lot). Sure do like me
some fried chicken and Sherlock Holmes. Peace.
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Your teachers in their own modest words
Jody Pennington
As you read this, you will have noticed from my accent
that I come from Georgia, in the USA but have lived in
Aarhus since 1987. I’ve been at English since I moved
here, first as a student, now as a teacher. I return to my
Southern roots most summers, which are spent in south
Florida. You will be able to locate my office by following
the sound of music, which plays pretty much non-stop
wherever I am, except the classroom. I’ve taught at
English since 1994, and this fall, I will be giving some of the lectures in the firstsemester course, History, Society and Culture 1: Media and Culture. My research
interests include representations in a variety of media and contexts, ranging from
tourism in the state of Florida from the beginning of the twentieth century until
today to American film and popular music. My interest in the representation of
aspects of life in film is grounded in an effort to bridge the gap between our reallife experiences and the mediated versions of those experiences. I also work with
contemporary American culture and society more broadly. I teach the MA course
Cultural Industries and co-teach the MA course Interdisciplinary Analysis. I also
teach electives in US media, advertising, and public relations; contemporary US
politics and media; and US film courses. In my research, I have published articles
and presented papers on the interconnections between race, business, and
American society in the rise and decline of rock’n’roll music in the 1950s; theater
and film critics’ interpretations of the representation of marriage, privacy, and
concealment in the play and film adaptation of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as
well as the role of judicial review and the Constitution in shaping American
national identity. I have also published The History of Sex in American Cinema
(Praeger, 2007) and co-edited with Dr. Sharon Packer, the two-volume A History
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of Evil in Popular Culture: What Hannibal Lecter, Stephen King, and Vampires
Reveal about America (Praeger, 2014).
Dale Carter
English has a tradition of protecting its most vulnerable
students from its most venerable (that is, outdated or
obsolete) teachers. Since I have the dubious honour of
being English’s longest-serving staff member, therefore,
1st year BA English major and BA English tilvalg students
won’t see much of me in the classroom, at least in their
first semester; the same goes for new ICE recruits (who
may escape my attentions altogether). Good things
don’t last forever, though: in the spring of 2016 1st year BA English major and
tilvalg students will surely have to endure American History and Society in my
company. No justice!
My current research deals with obscure corners of American popular music history.
My ongoing administrative responsibilities include being a member of the
departmental fagnævn, teaching team leader for History, Society and Culture, and
Director of the American Studies Center Aarhus (ASCA). My non work-related
activities focus on being an Englishman abroad, drinking tea, forming queues, and
seeking new members for the Departmental Cricket Lovers’ Think Tank.
Inger Hunnerup Dalsgaard
I am one of the resident “Americanists”, having done a PhD
in American Studies at King’s College, London, and M.I.T. I
didn’t know I was going to be interested in American
literature and culture above all else until I started doing my
degree in English at this very department decades ago, but
some very engaging teachers changed my mind!
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I hope to get a chance to show what is so great about studying the US. During
your first year you’ll see me doing various American-themed lectures for the
Literatures in English course (and one woman-themed one for the General Studies
course). I also do electives on First Ladies in the USA and on Historical Romance
in novels and films: you know, where pride, prejudice and even zombies occur.
It is great to be able to turn some of my research interest (hobbies even) into
courses but sadly there are many things I research which rarely get an airing in
the classroom (space technology and the author Thomas Pynchon e.g.). On the
other hand, there are some who interject themselves perhaps too much. My little
girl Marie, for instance, has a way of introducing herself into my work. When I’m
not prepping for or in class with you the rest of my time is taken up by research
and her. In the name of efficiency I’ve considered making bedtime stories a
research project but I’ll try to minimize the leakage to the classroom. Stop me if
I try to spoon-feed you!
Mathias Clasen
Stories shape human lives. We imagine ourselves as
protagonists in our life-stories, we spend hours upon hours
every day submerged in fictional universes, we daydream,
play computer games, read novels, watch TV. When the
lights go out, the body goes limp but the brain goes into
hyperdrive storytelling mode. Why are stories so powerful?
And why are so many stories scary ones (from worst-case
hypothetical thinking via survival horror computer games to
horror films and nightmares)? Those are the kinds of questions that fuel my
teaching and research. I teach a bunch of things, mainly in literature and media
studies. I’ve been teaching university-level courses since 2008, when I got my
MA. I did a PhD on horror stories (2009-2012), and I’m now employed as an
assistant professor in literature and media. And I really love my job! Teaching as
well as research can be incredibly difficult and frustrating, but also extremely
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rewarding. It’s a great privilege, being able to study and teach what you really
care about – as it is the case for most everybody else in this business, my
professional interests grow out of a love for the subject, a desire to get a deeper
understanding of the stuff that fascinates me. Well, in my case, maybe it’s more
of a love-hate-thing. I actually don’t like watching horror movies alone, and I
haven’t yet completed Amnesia: The Dark Descent (hell, I haven’t been able to
find more than two pages in Slender), but please don’t tell people. So, every once
in a while, remind yourself that it’s a great privilege to be able to study the stuff
that you find fascinating. Don’t get lost in worries over exams and difficult jargon
and thick novels and object position and the intricacies of a historical political
document, but remember what brought you to this Department in the first place.
In return, we’ll do our best to help you get that deeper understanding which is
one of the greatest payoffs of a university education. Achieving that
understanding will even be, at times, good fun – and, if you end up in one of my
horror classes, pretty scary.
Peter Mortensen
I’ve been around the AU English department studying and
teaching since the glory days of the late 1980s, interrupted
by a five-year stint as doctoral student at The Johns Hopkins
University in Baltimore, Maryland. I come from a family of
voracious readers, many of whom also happen to be
teachers, so I guess that my interests run in the family.
Academically speaking I specialize in British and American
literature and culture of the 19th and 20th centuries, with
special emphasis on romanticism and modernism. These days I especially work
within “the environmental humanities,” which means that I try to connect the
22
study of literature, film and other cultural discourses to larger questions and
concerns about environmental crisis, sustainability and climate change. Some of
you will encounter me, willy-nilly, in your first- and second-semester LE1 and LE2
courses.
My favorite part of teaching is when things come together in the classroom and
there’s a mutual breakthrough in understanding a tricky text or problem. My least
favorite part of my job is days and days on end with oral exams, especially in the
summer when everyone is worn out after a long academic year. Examination in
general is a pretty dirty job, and I suppose that someone has to do it – but why
does it have to be me?
I pride myself on being a fairly approachable sort of person, keen to help young
people try to understand the many changes taking place right now in global
politics, economics and (especially) environment. Don’t assume, I generally tell
them, that the kind of life we’ve grown accustomed to over the last decades will
continue indefinitely. Acquiring some practical skills along with your academic
education, I also argue, might turn out to be a good idea.
When away from academics I hang out with my family and (heeding Voltaire’s
advice) cultivate my garden in the pastoral suburbs of Risskov. In addition, I’m an
avid cyclist and a fiercely competitive table tennis player, with a killer backhand
and a rating currently hovering around 2100.
Teaching English at AU is mostly stimulating in a good way, but there are also
moments of embarrassment. A low point in my career occurred about ten years
ago, when I once wore an electronic microphone in a lecture but forgot to switch
it off when going to the bathroom during the break. As it turned out this was a
pretty bad idea, for those things carry their signal over long distances…
23
Stephen Joyce
I’m the relative newcomer to the department having started at
AU only last year. Prior to that, I was living in Vietnam and
Australia, so moving to Aarhus required me to invest in coats,
hats,
gloves,
jumpers,
jackets,
mittens,
and
scarves.
Underneath all those layers of clothes is someone who became
a teacher because of the long hours, the stress, the whisky
bottles stashed around the office… it’s like Mad Men in a non-smoking environment.
If Don Draper were a 21st century man, he’d be working at a university, too. I had
been teaching in Asia for a few years, but I got tired of getting up in the middle of
the night to look at the Champion’s League and decided to move back to Europe.
I’ve previously worked at the University of Bielefeld in Germany, where I got my PhD,
and also had my funniest lecturing experience when a well-known local nudist
suddenly entered and sat in the front row. Looking at a nude German man in his
fifties solemnly taking notes on Greek tragedy, I for some reason thought I needed
to run away to Denmark and now work at AU, where I teach media, communications,
and cultural studies. I love film and the best new TV dramas, so I really enjoy
teaching their aesthetics, historical development, and industrial basis. Cinema, as
the first of the great electronic mass media, provides a great way to understand
the connections between art, business, and mass culture.
In terms of research, I’m currently focused on concepts of society in the history
of ideas but previously I’ve written comparative studies of tragedy in East and
West and engaged with topics such as postcolonialism and trauma theory. If that
last sentence sounds depressing, then you’ll be glad to know I don’t teach any of
that!
My favourite thing about teaching is when students respond appreciatively to
films/books/cultural products they admit they would never have watched or read
of their own accord. My least favourite thing is when someone says they can’t
relate to anything that happened in human history before the invention of the
24
smartphone; if we apply that principle to music, then the greatest singer of all
time is Justin Bieber. You can imagine the consequences for every other art form.
When I’m not at work, I spend time at the beach or playing soccer or travelling,
or combining all three somewhere in East Asia after the Champion’s League is
over for the year. During the long Aarhus winter, I mix it up a bit by going to
some of the excellent music venues around town. There’s a time and place for
beach soccer, and Aarhus in December isn’t it.
Tabish Khair
Born and educated in India, I did a PhD from Copenhagen
University (2001) and a DPhil from Aarhus University
(2010). I have been teaching at Aarhus since 2007 or so.
My books include the poetry collections, Where Parallel
Lines
Meet
(HarperCollins,
(Penguin,
2010),
2000)
the
and
studies,
Man
Babu
of
Glass
Fictions:
Alienation in Indian English Novels (Oxford University Press,
2001) and The Gothic, Postcolonialism and Otherness
(Palgrave, 2010) and the novels, The Bus Stopped (Picador, 2004), Filming
(Picador, 2007), The Thing About Thugs (Harpercollins, 2010; Houghton Mifflin,
2012) and How to Fight Islamist Terror from the Missionary Position (Interlink
and Corsair 2014). I have also edited a number of academic anthologies, such as
Other Routes, an anthology of pre-modern travel texts by Africans and Asians,
published by Signal Books and Indiana University Press in 2005 and 2006, and
Transnational and Postcolonial Vampires (Palgrave, 2013). Apart from academic
papers, I write regularly as a reviewer and a journalist, and my articles have
appeared in Indian (Hindu, Times of India, Biblio: A Review of Books, Indian Book
Review, Economic Times, PEN, DNA, Telegraph, Outlook etc), British (Guardian,
Financial Times, New Left Review, Wasafiri, Third Text, Independent, New
Statesman, First Post, London Magazine, P.N. Review, Salt, Metre, Thumbscrew,
Stand etc), Danish (Information, Politiken, Weekendavisen etc), American,
25
German, Italian, South African, Chinese and other publications. I see my teaching
as connected to my research, and my activities as a writer and a
thinking/caring/involved human being. I strongly believe that a good teacher does
not provide easy answers but encourages the student to ask difficult questions.
Ken Ramshøj Christensen
I moved to Aarhus in 1993 to play the bass in a death
metal band. I started my academic career in 1996 when I
– more or less by coincidence – started studying
linguistics at AU. In 1998, Sten Vikner (who was then
employed in Stuttgart, Germany) was a visiting professor
at linguistics. He introduced me to Steven Pinker’s book
The Language Instinct and to the wonders of generative
grammar, and since then I’ve had a keen interest in syntax
and the human mind and brain. I've been at the English department since 2002.
My research revolves around the structure of language (syntax) and how it is
interpreted or misinterpreted in our brains. To do so, I conduct various
experiments using computers and brain scanners. Furthermore, I do research
into how language interacts and influences the way we think, and into the
evolutionary processes that gave rise to the unique capacity for language in the
human species.
As a teacher I aim to be dedicated, patient and creative as well as structured and
organised. I find it particularly rewarding when my own enthusiasm rubs off on
the students, and the ‘aha moments’ when students suddenly understand that
what I’m teaching actually makes sense.
You may encounter me in SSP1 and SSP2 and perhaps later in courses such as
Language and Cognition, Evaluating Evidence, or elective courses on language
and the brain.
26
Dominic Rainsford
Like a lot of people, I’m interested in the world and my
place in it. I like the scientific process of discovering facts
(I originally planned to do chemistry at university), but I’m
even more interested in the meaning and consequences of
different ways of existing and perceiving - which means, for
me, that literature and philosophy are the fundamental
subjects. I got myself a job as a university lecturer so that
I could have the opportunity to think about these things
full time; to read books; and to write them. Sometimes you make most progress
by thinking by yourself; at other times, it’s best to discuss ideas with other
people. Teaching is part of that. If both the teacher and the student are
interested and actively involved in what’s going on, both can learn.
We’re not teachers in the way that your schoolteachers were: the university is a
place where knowledge is made, not just disseminated. Similarly, you’re not
students in the same way you were at gymnasium: what you learn, and what you
do with it, is now much more up to you. The Danish university system is pretty
easy-going; it lets you carry on being a kid until you’re in your late twenties, if
that’s what you want (followed by a few years of harsh reality and then
retirement). On the other hand, you can take advantage of the situation, ask
questions, form opinions, stuff your brain with knowledge, and equip yourself for
an effective, useful, and (maybe) happy life. So, keep asking yourself why you’re
here. If you find that you’re drifting onto Facebook regularly during lectures and
seminars, it would almost certainly be best for you, us, and your fellow students
if you found something else to do, while your brain and body are still in working
order. But if you think that the university is the right place, but isn’t giving you
what you need, you should tell us.
All sorts of extremely ridiculous and utterly mortifying things have almost
certainly happened during my teaching, over the last quarter century. I find,
however, that the only way to carry on with the job (or live, at all) is to repress
27
the memory of such events completely ... a process that I have no intention of
even beginning to mess with now.
Ocke-Schwen Bohn
Some time ago in the last millennium, I started to study
English and Geography to become a high school teacher. I
had no idea whether I actually could stand in front of a class
without shaking, trembling, and making a complete fool of
myself, but a one-year stint as a Foreign Language
Assistant at an English grammar school convinced me that
I could survive as a teacher. After my MA (at Kiel
University), I was offered a position which allowed me to
work on my PhD whenever a fairly heavy teaching allowed me to do that.
Since me PhD student time, I have taught all kind of courses in English Linguistics.
For reasons that are completely obvious for me (but not necessarily everyone
else), I found it most interesting and rewarding to teach and do research on how
language is represented in our minds, how language develops over time, how we
learn our first and second languages, and on the sounds of language.
The most favorite aspects of my job are to conduct research and to teach in just
these fields, primarily in psycholinguistics, language learning, bilingualism, and
phonetics. The best part about teaching is when I can convince students that it
is worthwhile to keep their brains busy with all the truly exciting findings and
questions regarding language and the mind, how language gets into the mind,
how two (or more) language coexist in the mind, and with the sounds of language.
– The least favorite aspect of my job: No comment, my view is just like the
Andrew Sisters’: Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative!
My word of wisdom for all students (not just for students): Being an ethnic Frisian,
I am very fond of our motto Rüm hart, klaar kiming. Look it up if you can, it has
something to do with open-mindedness.
28
My funniest teaching experience? Quite a few funny ones, some of them actually
somewhat embarrassing. The most embarrassing ones I will only tell if bribed with
a bottle of excellent beer. Here’s a mildly amusing one: At the start of the
semester, I entered a classroom, started rambling for more than 10 minutes in
front of some deviously grinning students, when the “real” teacher came in and I
had to realize I had been preaching to the wrong choir.
Joseph Sterrett
My first teaching experience was in September 1991,
teaching a class of laid-off coalminers in Southwest,
Virginia. They were a remarkable group. Largely selfeducated, they were highly motivated to improve their
skills during a downturn in the local coal economy. They
were bright and keen to find out what this twentysomething college grad with far less life experience
could teach them. One of the most outstanding things
I remember about them was their respect. They were respectful not only of me
but of each other. Years of working in close, confined spaces under hazardous
conditions had taught them to hold together as a team. They joked and teased,
and unfailingly brought things to the level they deserved, but underlying
everything they did was a support for each other that I have rarely seen before
or since. This first class taught me my first lesson in teaching: teaching is learning.
To design a class is to design a set of questions to explore. The material—in my
case, the literature—is the means through which we might be able to find some
answers. Since then I have taught in Japan, the UK and now in Denmark. Before
coming to Aarhus, I taught at Cardiff University in Wales, before that in Lancaster
University in the north of England, and before that I taught sixth-form for seven
years, the British equivalent of gymnasium. Moving from the secondary to the
university sector was important to my teaching because it coincides with the
29
moment I really became a student. I’m a pretty difficult student. I’m impatient,
irreverent of authority and the usual list of truculent behaviours. Working on my
PhD was the moment I finally realized that being a student depended upon me. I
was responsible for the questions I was pursuing. I collaborated with everyone I
could, fellow students, other teachers and scholars at my university and further
afield. They all had something to teach me. But, I was finding the answers because
no one had asked these questions before, or asked them in quite the same way.
My teachers were amazing, but it all came down to me. It was daunting,
frustrating, bewildering, and in the end the most fantastic thing I have ever done.
So, for me, teaching at Aarhus University is a chance to bring those experiences
together. My research guides the questions I explore with my students. My
teaching is an invitation for them to explore with me and I structure my classes
to encourage the kind of mutual cooperation I saw back in 1991. It is a pleasure
and privilege to learn with you. Come learn with me.
Sten Vikner
I came to AU in February 2001, after 10 years at the
University of Stuttgart, and before that I was at the
University of Geneva for 6 years. I have a BA and an MA
in English from the University of Copenhagen, and an MA
in Linguistics from University College London.
I teach English linguistics, in particular syntax (= the
structure of sentences), and all first year students have
to spend a fair amount of time in my company, as I am
the one giving the lectures in "Syntax, semantics and
pragmatics".
My research is about how and why word order can vary so much (or sometimes
so little) between English and e.g. Danish, or German, or Faroese, other Germanic
or Romance languages or dialects. It therefore also happens that my teaching
touches on these other languages.
30
In my opinion, studying languages and the differences between them is very
interesting, not just because speaking different languages is great and incredibly
convenient (do you remember the feeling the first time you were able to connect
with people through a foreign language?), but also because it is an excellent way
to learn more about the human brain and what it can and cannot do. As a
researcher and a teacher, the moments I like best most are when I or my
colleagues or students are able to make new connections between facts we
already knew but had not connected before.
31
Organisations at the Department of English
UFU – uddannelsesfagudvalg
Current student members: Astrid Harboe Odgaard, Christine Mader, Martin
Ehlers and Anna Klein
VIP: Johanna Wood, Jody Pennington, Dale Carter and Peter Mortensen
The UFU at English is what gives us students a voice in the decision-making
process at the Department of English. It’s a body consisting of four students,
four VIPs, those are your teachers (videnskabeligt personale), and some TAPs
(teknisk-administrativt personale). We meet once a month to discuss, well,
practically anything relating to the educational side of the work at English.
This can mean talking about both what comes to us from above, such as
implementing the newest bright idea from the dean or the ministry in a way
that makes sense to our department, but also what may have come from
below – that means from you. The student members of the UFU are here for
you to bring any issue to the attention of the decision-makers. So if you have
a problem with a specific teacher, with a horrible exam form, or the content
of a specific course, let us know. To become a member of the UFU, you need
to run at the university elections taking place each year in November. At
English, we have a tradition of fredsvalg, meaning we usually coordinate our
candidates through Anglia without much campaigning or the like. So while it
might sound scary with an election, it really isn’t that dramatic, and I strongly
recommend anyone interested in student politics to run.
ELS – English Lecture Society
Current president: Nanna Smith Vinther and Alice Sahinkuye
English Lecture society is a Student run organisation, which is connected to
the Department of English at Aarhus University. The organisation is frequently
referred to as ELS so do not fret if you suddenly hear or read that shortening.
32
ELS consists of around 5 members and a president who meet up once a month
and organise either free or very cheap lectures for all the students studying
English. The lecturers may be professors from the Department of English,
professors at other programmes of AU or perhaps professors from foreign
universities. ELS thereby functions both as a way for students to keep up to
date with what their own professors are currently researching and as a way
to find out what is happening in the wide world of research. The themes and
approaches vary according to the professor giving the lecture, but we try our
best to make sure that all the ‘legs’ at the Department of English are
represented meaning: linguistics, literature and Media/Culture/History. The
events are very low key, relaxed and good fun. You can buy cake and coffee
in the break and talk casually to the lecturer. If you want to become a member
of ELS and help us organise lectures please feel free to contact the president
or keep your eyes open on Black Board or join us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ELS.AarhusUni?fref=ts
The Penguin Book Club
Current president: Mette Hviid-Vyff
The Penguin Book Club is, as the name suggests a book club created and run
by students. The book club meets 5 times during the semester and discusses
a book which the members have voted for and decided to read the previous
semester. As all members get the opportunity to suggest a book the books
vary a great deal from early British romanticist to postmodern American
novels. At the meetings we usually drink coffee and tea and occasionally
someone brings cake. We go through study questions and end the sessions
by having a free discussion of the book and other university related topics/we
socialise and have fun. Occasionally one of our teachers will join our meetings
in order to shed light on a particular topic. As we all force each other to speak
33
English at our meetings, joining the book club is a great opportunity to
improve your oral English skills and your ability to read, analyse and interpret
literature and get to know students who are not necessarily studying the same
semester as you. You can become a member of the book club simply by
turning up at our meetings, which will be announced on both Facebook and
Black Board. It is also worth mentioning that you should not feel obligated to
attend all the meetings each semester. Feel free to join us on our Facebook
page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/136857826435201/
Esperanto – The Friday Bar
Current president: Astrid Harboe Odgaard
Esperanto is a place you will likely come to love. A place to play games, laugh
and perhaps drink a few beers. It is the Friday bar of your dreams. The perfect
place to chill out with your friends after a busy university week - or at least
we think so! We represent the university’s different language faculties so
meeting new friends from other places is quite possible too! And becoming a
member of the bar committee is easy. Just turn up to our weekly meeting to
see what we are all about and if you feel up for it, you can have a go at being
behind the bar. Being a member is a great way to make friends across the
year groups at English but also across the different faculties. We are open
almost every Friday and we are famously known for our many and inventive
themed bars. Plus, we make a killer White Russian.
Anglia – Fest- og fagudvalg
Current President: Helene Boe Lorenz
Anglia is the Department of English “Fest- og Fagudvalg” which basically
means that we’re the best of both worlds. It’s for all English students, no
matter how long you’ve studied. Anglia is the voice of the students and you
34
can contact us if there’s anything in your student life which hasn’t met your
expectations or something you disagree with. You can discuss anything with
Anglia and if we’re not able to change it ourselves we’ll forward it to someone
who
can.
Besides that! Anglia is also the party committee, which means that we’re the
ones throwing the parties that are not Friday bars, such as a semester-startparty on the 4th of October, the Christmas party on the 28th of November
and “hyggeaftener” during the week. We’re always up for trying some new
things, and if YOU have suggestions then don’t hesitate to contact us, in fact
drop everything you’ve got and let us help you to make it happen. Meetings
are held once every month and will be announced on Black Board and on
Facebook, and they always include plenty of coffee and delicious cake. It’s
always great fun and an amazing opportunity to put your touch on the
fabulous life here at the faculty of English!
Studienævnet
Current student representative: Astrid Harboe Odgaard
The
board
of
studies
(studienævn)
represents
the
nine
UFUs
(uddannelsesfagudvalg) of the department of Aesthetics and Communication
(our Department). There is one student and one teacher from each UFU. The
head of the board is Jody Pennington from the Department of English. The
board discusses various issues that are relevant on both university level,
department level and UFU level. We discuss very diverse topics and make
decisions on such things as exams, academic regulations, teaching etc. The
board also discusses student dispensation cases. The board of studies meets
once a month, usually on Wednesdays the week after the UFU meetings. The
student representatives meet an hour before the meeting to discuss the
issues. A meeting usually takes three hours. A student representative is a
member for a year (February – January). If you want to know more about the
35
board
of
studies,
please
contact
Anna
Klein
(our
current
student
representative) on Black Baord.
English Writing Society
Current president: Martin Ehlers
The English Writing Society is the Department of English’s very
own monthly magazine. We're run exclusively by students, with
funding from Esperanto and Anglia (if those names mean nothing to you as of yet,
don't worry, they will soon), which has recently allowed us to expand from being
solely internet based to also having a print edition. We're a broad publication,
covering reviews, articles, opinion pieces, short stories, poems, interviews – if it's
in English, we want it. And that's one way you can contribute to The Dolphin: just
writing. You can even do it anonymously or use a pseudonym. Another way is to
become part of the actual organization, and help edit, upload, or maybe do layout
for the print edition.
Humbug
Humbug is the team who represent the students from ARTS in the annual
Kapsejlads which takes place every year during the spring. Humbug consists of
students from both English, Spanish and other departments. Being a part of the
team means that you will get close to people from other departments than your
own and is a great way of socializing! The people from Humbug’s skills consist of
fast rowing and even faster beer drinking - so if you know how to row a boat and
chug a beer, this might be just the community for you!
English Travel Society
Current president: Ida Birch Kofoed
The English Travel Society is a newly founded society which plans travels to
different countries. During these trips there will be time for both educational
field trips as well as plenty visits to pubs. As a member of the Travel Society
36
you help arrange these trips from scratch along with the team: you decide on
where to go, how to get there and make sure to find interesting things to do
while visiting the country. Sometime during the beginning of the autumn
semester the travel society will host a meeting where the details of the next
travel will be announced! Participating in one of the travels by the English
Travel Society is a great way of bonding with people from different semesters
than your own, and the locations are always related to the study of English.
We can’t wait to meet you all!!
37
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38
Calendar for social events!
September 2015
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
30
31
1 Teaching
begins
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
RUSreceptionen
10
11 Største
Fredagsbar
12
Anglia
presents
Semesterst
artsfesten
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
October 2015
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2 Friday
Bar
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 Hyttetur
10 Hyttetur
11
Hyttetur
12 Autumn
Break
13 Autumn
Break
14 Autumn
Break
15 Autumn
Break
16 Autumn
Break
17 Autumn
Break
18 Autumn
Break
19
20
21
Pubcrawl
22
23 Friday
Bar
24
25
26
27
28
29
30 Friday
Bar
31
Apart from that there will obviously be many more: ELS gatherings, Anglia
meetings, English Writing Society meetings and bar meetings. Keep an eye on
Blackboard for more information.
39