Craig Franson, Ph.D.

I teach courses in British literature, drama, and writing, focusing on the legacy of British Romanticism (1789-present). Since that tradition established the genres and types that define most popular culture, and since I’ve studied and worked at various times in television, film, and theater, I bring all kinds of “texts” into most of my classes—everything from Wordsworth to Watchmen can make an appearance. Courses in 19th- and 20th-Century British literature are my regular assignments, and thanks to my theater work, I’m also on the rotation for Shakespeare and playwriting. My role as the Coordinator of La Salle’s Writing Program keeps me teaching writing at all levels, and my interest in critical theory, ethics, and political rhetoric informs much of this work. My most recent advanced literature courses have included Dawn of the (Un)dead, Romantic Agony, Literary Criticism and Theory, and Hobbits and Wizards,. My writing classes, meanwhile, have explored representations of violence, election rhetoric, and the “culture wars.” My forthcoming publications treat Romantic-era representations of suffering and (separately) J. R. R. Tolkien’s critical aesthetic. A number of related research projects are currently in the works.

Education

• B.A., College of Idaho
• M.A., Ph.D., University of Oregon