Professor delivers seminar on Caribbean Gothic literature

English learners at Solihull Sixth Form College enjoyed a seminar on Caribbean Gothic literature from Dr Jimmy Packham of the University of Birmingham.

Dr Packham explored ideas around voodoo, zombies and Gothic folklore.

The seminar explored the origins of the religion of voodoo, a combination of Christianity and the West African Vodun religion, as well as how the concept of zombies began with black and white magic.

Learners were asked to consider how these beliefs represented slavery and the overthrowing of that repression by the Haitian Revolution in 1791-1804.

Extracts from 'Tell My Horse ' by Zora Neale Hurston and 'Skin Folk ' by Nalo Hopkinson were explored in particular.

This visiting speaker was one of nine seminars taking place this term for learners who have chosen the English Academy as their enrichment.

Other visiting speakers have been Dr Lucinda Rumsey from the University of Oxford, who delivered a seminar on Anglo-Saxon riddles, while Professor Richard Marggraf Turley and Dr Lucy Thompson from the University of Aberystwyth are delivering a seminar in late November about the literature of surveillance.

Other topics that seminars have focused on this term include detective fiction and Shakespeare.

Indeed, English Academy learners enjoyed a trip to Stratford to see the Royal Shakespeare Company production of 'All 's Well That Ends Well '.

These seminars will guide their Extended Project Qualifications later in the year. which will see learners picking a topic to research in greater depth.

Assistant curriculum leader for English and Modern Languages Andrew Jackson said: “We are grateful to Dr Jimmy Packham from the University of Birmingham for giving up his time to talk to our learners.

“His seminar was fascinating and got them thinking about an area of literature that many of them have not had much experience of.

“We are so lucky to be able to work with academics like Dr Packham, as well as Dr Rumsey from the University of Oxford and Professor Marggraf Turley and Dr Thompson from the University of Aberystwyth.

“Our learners get so much out of these visiting speakers, including an insight into what it is like to study English at Higher Education, which many of them are considering. ”