Cultivating Vocation in Literary Studies

An important resource for educators seeking to connect literary studies with vocational exploration and purpose Bridges the established discipline of literary studies with the emerging scholarship of vocation through literary criticism, pedagogical methods, and theory Argues for the significance of literary studies for engaging students and faculty in understanding individual purpose and civic concerns Examines how genres such as the novel, poetry and drama shape vocational questions and commitments differently Brings various approaches to literature, such as gender studies, queer theory, trauma studies, and immigration and race studies, to bear on vocational identities and concerns Presents specific pedagogies for archival work, community engagement, and writing that promote vocational discovery The concept of 'vocation' has garnered significant attention as a means of speaking about purposeful living and the multiple responsibilities of civic life, which converge with the broader goals of liberal education. This volume addresses the important role that literary studies can and should play in that conversation. With attention to the forms, voices and praxis of the discipline, and informed by the public humanities, these thirteen chapters address critical questions for cultivating vocation in students: How might the varied fields within literary studies invite students to consider meaning and purpose? How might our pedagogies and theories of interpretation inform the direction of their lives? The chapters offer readers a new language and framework for reinvigorating literary studies as a productive means to answer life's most significant questions, while also modelling how vocational exploration can be incorporated into multiple disciplines and contexts. The volume as a whole positions literary studies as vital to the conversation about value, civic engagement, and purpose as it shapes not only the lives of students but also the future of higher education.