The Postgraduate Department of English, Al Azhar College of Arts and Science presents a Five-day Lecture Series on English Literature and Theory. All students deserve access to an authentic, rich, and diverse text base and robust classroom learning. These virtual broadcasts address boosting student proficiency in critically analysing English Literature and would like to reverse the expected reading loss and face to face discussion of literary theories due to the COVID-19 shutdown of college campuses. These lectures by renowned scholars will give a new learning experience to students and make up to a great extent the loss of actual live lectures and discussions.

Day 1: Monday 12 Oct 2020
Resource Person: Dr Dona Elizabeth Sam
TOPIC: Gender Studies: Definitions, Narratives and Conflicts
Dr Dona Elizabeth Sam took MA in English Literature from Hyderabad Central University and PhD in Indian and World Literatures from The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. Her areas of interest are Gender Studies, South Asian Literature, Culture Studies

Day 2: Tuesday 13 Oct 2020
Resource Person: Dr Benet DE
TOPIC: Post Colonial Studies: An Overview
Vice Principal & Associate Professor at National College, Trichy. He has authored 12 books and published a host of research papers in National and International Research Journals. His areas of interest are: Literary Criticism, British Literature, Canadian Literature, and Australian Literature. An unmatched experience of thirty years at Postgraduate level brings in the required critical acumen and insight which makes Dr Benet a great teacher.

Day 3: Wednesday 14 Oct 2020
Resource Person: Prof. P Anilkumar
TOPIC: The Mythology of Power: The Novel as Political Narrative
Prof. P Anilkumar, Sree Narayana College, a well known Poet and Translator talks on the Theory of Novel and the works of Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and José Saramago

Day 4: Thursday 15 Oct 2020
Resource Person: Dr Sigma Satish
TOPIC: Indian English Poetry
Dr Sigma Satish, a widely published poet is Asst Professir of English at VTMNSS College, Trivandrum. Poetry, according to Dr. Sigma is a medium that encompasses many meanings to its metaphorical lyrics, and in turn, offers the reader and listener an opportunity to broaden their imagination. Her areas of research are Feminist studies, Poetry and Poetics. She gave the lead in introducing the idea of park poetry reading in Kerala.

Day 5: Friday 16 Oct 2020
Resource Person: Dr Bijimol Thomas
TOPIC: Fair is Fair and Foul is Black: Resistance and Representation in Afro American Women Writings
Dr Bijimol Thomas, Associate Professor of English at Newman College has been teaching English Literature for the last two decades. Her areas of interest are: Literary Criticism, Gender Studies and Postcolonial writings.