English and Theatre Department
Contact Us:
- Susan Méndez, Ph.D., Chair
- English & Theatre
- McDade Center for Literary & Performing Arts
- Scranton, PA 18510
- The University of Scranton
- Phone: 570-941-4317
- susan.mendez@scranton.edu
Dr. Stephen Whittaker
Professor
B.A., M.A., Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Whittaker joined the University of Scranton's Department of English and Theatre in 1983. He earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Texas. In addition to his teaching and research, Dr. Whittaker serves as moderator for the Esprit, the University's journal of arts and letter.
Dr. Stephen Whittaker currently teaches the following courses:
BLDR 460 Eloquentia Negotialis
3 CR.
This Business Leadership course engages modes of public discourse about economics, politics, and business. Taking the weekly issue of The Economist--arguable the most influential magazine in this subjuect area--as its text, the class will analyze the news, editorial, and advertisement content. Drawing from their diverse backgrounds in University course work and from their common background in BLDR courses, students will examine individual pieces for cutting edge technical content, for an understanding of ethical analysis through both written reports and oral presentations to the class. On a weekly basis, students will practice critical thinking at the intersection of reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
ENLT 121 Intro. to Poetry
3 cr. (CL)
An exploration of the nature of poetry, its value, aims, and techniques. The emphasis will be critical rather tahn historical. The range of poems and the specific selections may vary with the individual instructor.
ENLT 141X Intro. to Irish Culture
3 cr. (FYW, CL)
This seminar will explore Irish culture by means of the island's major works of mythology, history, religion, art, folk story, fairy tale, music, song, verse, drama, fiction, and film (all readings in English). Participants will, read, discuss, teach, argue, research and explore the rich literature of Ireland.
ENLT 143X Writing Science in Literature
3 cr.
For students interested in science and literature, this seminar surveys works in the Western tradition which engage the natural world; from Biblical and Classical, through Medieval, Renaissance, Enlightenment, nineteenth century, modern, and contemporary. Texts include scripture, philosophy, illuminated manuscripts, science, poetry, drama, verse, fiction, essays, and film.
ENLT 225 Writing Women
3 cr. (CL, W, Theory Intensive)
Organized around issues raised in Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own and Carolyn Heibrun's Writing a Woman's Life, and informed by the ideas of British Marxist, French Psychoanalytic, and American traditional feminism, this course examines poetry and fiction from Sappho and Mary Shelley to Jean Rhys and Adrienne Rich.
ENLT 244 Modern British Literature
3 cr. (Area B-3, Theory Intensive)
Selected of a select group of major American authors from the Civil War to the present. Included are Twain, Crane, Fitzgerald and Vonneut. The historical and cultural milieu and the development of major American themes and attitudes are reviewed.
ENLT 323J Classics of Western Literature I
3 cr. (CL)
This SJLA course surveys a tradition concerned with the individual, family and society from classical Greece (Homer, Aeschylus, Plato) to Shakespeare and thence to the Post-Colonial (Joyce, Woolf, Morrison). Readings explore the culmination of epic and dramatic modes in modern fiction. The emphasis is inductive, within cultural and theoretical contexts.
ENLT 362 Literature and Philosophy
3 cr. (Theory Intensive)
This course explores the Platonic insight that on the highest level literature and philosophy converge. We begin with a few of Plato's dialogues which develop this idea. Then we examine several "literary" works in English which embody it. Our approach is analytical, inductive and historical.
ENLT 490-491 Senior Seminar
3 cr. (W)
The topics of these writing-intensive seminars vary from semester to semester. Based largely on student writing, presentations, and discussion, this capstone course is required in the major and culminates in the student's development of a seminar paper. May be repeated for credit. Enrollment limited to 15 students per section.