In profile: Professor Emma Smith
Emma Smith is Professor of Shakespeare Studies in the Faculty of English Language and Literature, and the host of a successful podcast in which she interviews writers about their work.
She recently spoke passionately about the importance of studying humanities in school – not just STEM subjects – in an in-depth interview for the Oxford University website.
She says: "It is a difficult time for the Humanities everywhere. But most people do not use the subject matter of their degree. We should be more bullish about the benefits of studying Humanities. It’s not just training for a job – it is amazingly rich."
Professor Smith also expresses concerned about the way English Literature is being examined in the curriculum, focusing on an almost scientific template set of answers.
"It’s very boring and it doesn’t encourage students to develop," she said. "And Shakespeare is ‘the only pre-20th century writer many people study at A level now. Everything else has pretty much gone."
But, she says, interest in English Literature has never been greater – and she regularly meets and speaks to enthusiastic groups outside the university.
"I’ve begun speaking all over the place," she says. "I probably do about 30-40 a year – lectures to schools, book clubs and literary societies. It’s become a significant part of the job. I’m trying to connect with all that interest."
You can read the full profile here.
Photograph by John Cairns.
