Dr. Scott Morgan Straker

Biography

Professor Straker taught at the College of the Holy Cross and Harvard University before joining Queen's University in 2000. His main expertise is in English literature of the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, particularly focusing on the followers of Chaucer, romance literature, and medieval historical writing. His scholarly work is primarily historicist, emphasizing the fascinating intersections between historical periods and literary texts. Additionally, he is intrigued by a wide array of theoretical approaches to premodern literature, with a particular focus on constructions of gender and subjectivity. Professor Straker teaches introductory survey courses and emphasizes the evolution of historical periods in pedagogy, especially regarding the effects of online learning on student engagement and the methodologies of teaching writing. His research interests include Middle English literature, particularly the fifteenth-century followers of Chaucer like Lydgate and Hoccleve, romance and historiography, and theoretical approaches to medieval culture as well as early modern literature.

Research Interests