Pedagogic Criticism: Reconfiguring University English Studies PDF
Preview Pedagogic Criticism: Reconfiguring University English Studies
Pedagogic Criticism BenKnights Pedagogic Criticism fi Recon guring University English Studies BenKnights TeessideUniversity Middlesbrough,UnitedKingdom ISBN978-1-137-27812-8 ISBN978-1-137-27813-5(eBook) DOI10.1057/978-1-137-27813-5 LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2017930414 ©TheEditor(s)(ifapplicable)andTheAuthor(s)2017 Theauthor(s)has/haveassertedtheirright(s)tobeidentifiedastheauthor(s)ofthisworkin accordancewiththeCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988. This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher,whetherthewholeorpartofthematerialisconcerned,specificallytherightsof translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilarmethodology nowknownorhereafterdeveloped. Theuseofgeneraldescriptivenames,registerednames,trademarks,servicemarks,etc.inthis publicationdoesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesare exemptfromtherelevantprotectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse. Thepublisher,theauthorsandtheeditorsaresafetoassumethattheadviceandinformation in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publishernortheauthorsortheeditorsgiveawarranty,expressorimplied,withrespectto thematerialcontainedhereinorforanyerrorsoromissionsthatmayhavebeenmade.The publisherremainsneutralwithregardtojurisdictionalclaimsinpublishedmapsandinstitu- tionalaffiliations. Coverillustration:photonic1/AlamyStockPhoto Printedonacid-freepaper ThisPalgraveMacmillanimprintispublishedbySpringerNature TheregisteredcompanyisMacmillanPublishersLtd. Theregisteredcompanyaddressis:TheCampus,4CrinanStreet,London,N19XW, UnitedKingdom Infond and loving memoryof myfather, Lionel (L.C.)Knights 1906–97 Teacher and literarycritic A CKNOWLEDGEMENTS Grounded in a teaching career of some forty years, this book has run up innumerable debts of gratitude to colleagues and students alike. If it were not for the rich environments they sustained, for their support, and for countless discussions and negotiations, this book would not exist. I count myself fortunate to have spent the earlier phases of my career in largely collaborative environments,and beforetheculturalrevolutionofcompeti- tive league tables, jealously guarded intellectual property, and REF-able outputs extended its grisly hold on British higher education. If I concen- tratehereonmorerecentacknowledgements,thatdoesnotimplyanylesser degree of gratitude to colleagues and students in the Durham University Department of Adult and Continuing Education, or to colleagues across thecontinuingeducationnetworks.ButTimBond,RichardSmith,andBill Williamson have remained staunch supporters and I am deeply grateful to them. As will be seen, the Development of University English Teaching Project has played a formative role in my understanding of teaching, of organisations, and of subject, and here I shall simply pick out to mention and thank by name Jon Cook, Aniela Korzeniowska, Nano McCaughan, and David Punter; Colin Evans, Sue Habeshaw, and Barry Palmer are still sorely missed.Of colleagues and students at Teesside University I particu- larlywanttonameandthankJanHewitt(whoserecentanduntimelydeath leaves so many bereaved), David Boothroyd, Robert Burden, Rachel Carroll, Mark Dooley, Gary Hall, Tony Nicholson, Su Reid, Chris Thurgar-Dawson, and Cris Yelland. To them must be added the ‘Spatial Practices’ research group: as well asTeesside colleagues above, let me also thank Stephan Kohl,SylviaMergenthal, and Merle Tönnies.The award in vii viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2001 of a National Teaching Fellowship proved a turning point. Sally Brown must behonoured asthefirst directorofthe NTFS, and her eraat theInstituteforLearningandTeaching(coincidingwiththeFundforthe Development of Teaching and Learning and subsequently the Centres for ExcellenceinTeachingandLearning)mustbeseeninretrospectasahigh pointofcoherentsupportforHEteachingintheUK. To be given the opportunity to work as director of the Higher Education Academy English Subject Centre was a huge privilege, and I was blessed with wonderful colleagues both in the Centre and across the widerSubjectNetwork–itslivelyinterdisciplinarityacorestrengthofthe organisation. The post gave an unrivalled opportunity to work across the spectrum of English departments in UK higher education. At the Centre anditsAdvisoryBoard,andfromournestinRoyalHollowayUniversityof London, I want to thank Janet Beer, Christie Carson, Bob Eaglestone, JaneGawthrope,JonathanGibson,RobertHampson,NicoleKing,Brett Lucas, Andrew Maunder, Philip Martin, Bethan Marshall, Jenny Neville, LynPykett,AdamRoberts,KiernanRyan,RickRylance,ElaineShowalter, Judy Simons, Ann Thompson, Anne Varty, and Shȃn Wareing. Simon Dentith’s recent death deprives the English profession of a colleague we couldillaffordtolose.Thesethanksareutterlyinadequate,asarethoseto colleagues and advocates across the wider subject community; but let me here also mention by name: David Amigoni, Linda Anderson, Adrian Barlow, Susan Bruce, Ron Carter, Martin Coyle, Philip Davis, Dave Ellis, Alice Ferrebe, Regenia Gagnier, Elspeth Graham, Andrew Green, Graeme Harper, Tracey Hill, John Hodgson, Chris Hopkins, Lee Horsley, Peter Howarth, Allan Ingram, Lis Jay, Jan Jedrzejewski, Ros King, Peter Kitson, Daniel Lamont, Philip Martin, Steve May, Peter Middleton, Tim Middleton, Rosie Miles, Sally Mitchell, Rob Pope, Mark Rawlinson, Stephen Regan, Jenny Richards, Chris Ringrose, David Roberts, Mick Short, Gary Snapper, Richard Steadman-Jones, Ashley Tauchert, Duco Van Oostrum, Sue Vice, Greg Walker, Marcus Walsh, Gweno Williams, Nigel Wood, Heather Worthington, Marion Wynne- Davies,andSueZlosnik.Thankyouall.Thankyou,too,toUScolleagues RachelBuurma,JenniferHolberg,LauraHeffernan,andMarcyTaylorfor transfusionsofenergyandencouragement.Iamenormouslygrateful,too, to colleagues at the UCL Institute of Education, especially Richard Andrews, Andrew Burn, Miriam David, and John Hardcastle; indebted, as well, to Barbara Bleiman at the peerless London English and Media Centre, and to Ellie Chambers and Jan Parker whose imaginative and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix tireless work as editors of Arts and Humanities in Higher Education has beenofsuchsignalimportancetoallthoseengagedinhumanitieseduca- tion. Paul Munden at the National Association of Writers in Education was a voice of sanity in the last years of the Subject Centre. I would also liketonamethosewhohaveinonewayoranotherinvitedmetoengage withcolleaguesandstudentsattheirinstitutionsbothbeforeandafterthe Subject Centre period: John Brannigan, Aidan Byrne, Liz Hoult, Celia Hunt, Richard Jacobs, Simon Kovesi, Daniel Lamont, Andy Mousley, Deb Philips, Fred and Anne Price, and the late Peter Widdowson. Working with early-career academics was always a heartening and enrich- ing experience, and a special mention goes to the energetic ‘Arts of English’ team at Queen Mary – Helena Goodwyn, Megan Kitching, Ben Poore,HelenTyson, andtheirfriends. Bob Eaglestone must have a very special thank you for his unstinting support, for reading drafts when he had a thousand better things to do, and for inventing and then sustaining over three years the luminous London Pedagogic Criticism Seminar. Paula Kennedy, Ben Doyle, and theirteamsatPalgraveMacmillanhavegenerouslysupportedmethrough a protracted process – not least by holding onto and performing their belief inthe project. Pam Knights’ sensitive intelligence, tolerance, and support cannot be measured. Istill can’t believe myluck. C ONTENTS 1 Introduction 1 Notes 15 2 Heroic Reading 19 Shadow Lines 21 The Terrorsof Literacy 23 Ambassadors ofPoetry 25 A Series ofShocks to the Reader’sPreconceptions 33 Gerty MacDowell 43 Notes 50 3 Turning the Screwof Criticism 53 Proper Interpretation 57 The Lesson ofthe Master 65 A Fountainof Gloom andaPortent ofWoe 72 Notes 80 4 Imaginary Burglars: EnglishStudiesand theHinterlands of Thought 83 The KnowledgeofOur BuriedLife 85 Outof theGroove 92 MindsRich inInsight 95 Notes 104 xi xii CONTENTS 5 The Hidden Aestheticof EnglishTeaching 107 UnheardMelodies 107 The RealWorkBefore theTeacher 114 Imagined English 118 Notes 127 6 Pilgrims andProgression 131 Mourning the Nation 131 Narratives ofLearning 138 Digressive Walking 144 Notes 154 7 Fragments andRuins:Teaching in the Shadow of Catastrophe 157 SomeLatter-Day Stranger 157 Englishin Adult Education: The1980s 158 Downin the Dumps 166 Theory’s Childhood 170 Mr Punchand theConnexion Man 176 Notes 181 8 Getting Close: Masculinitiesin Literary Pedagogy 185 Bad Dirt 185 It Aint NoWay fora Manto Be:AnxiousMasculinities 191 CuttingFence 199 The Tentandthe Classroom 202 Notes 208 9 Writing asTeachers 211 Literary Practice 211 Writing asPedagogicKnowledge 216 Translationin Context:Kazimierz Dolny, April2008 220 Notes 231 10 Afterword 235 Notes 244 Booksand ArticlesConsulted 245 Index 259
The list of books you might like
