Call for Papers:

Special Issue of Early Modern Culture Online (EMCO): “Shakespeare in/and Education”

 Mention Shakespeare to a group of primary or secondary students, and you will get an equal measure of excitement and fear: excitement over his iconic status and his universal presence in popular culture, and fear over his “difficult” language. This is particularly true for the second language classroom. However, Shakespeare is mentioned by name on national curriculums for English across Europe. For example, the Norwegian National Curriculum once stated: «Engelskspråklig litteratur, fra barnerim til Shakespeare, kan gi leseglede for livet og en dypere forståelse for andre og seg selv. » [English Literature, from nursery rhymes to Shakespeare, can offer a life-long joy of reading and a deeper understanding of others and oneself].

This special issue of Early Modern Culture Online invites interdisciplinary articles that consider the innovative ways educators use Shakespeare as a resource for learning language and culture, and in particular, that interrogate the ways in which Shakespeare remains a valuable resource in the second language classroom at all education, skill and age levels. We will consider the topic from an interdisciplinary perspective and so encourage educators, theatre practitioners, and literary critics to submit articles theoretically grounded in classroom practice, performance, or textual analysis. Articles may consider aspects of teaching and classroom methodology, the efficacy of educational resources, curriculum experiences, and the use of translations, adaptations, and performance. Questions and themes may also include:

 Fear Factor: Confronting resistance to Shakespeare’s language in teachers and students.

• Shakespeare in Adaptation (using film, graphic novels, and translations).
• Education through Performance: Live Theatre (or Student Performance) vs. Digital Theatre (i.e. The Globe Theatre’s “Globe on Screen” program broadcasting Globe performances in cinemas worldwide).
• Teaching Shakespeare in the Multicultural and Multilingual classroom.
• Shakespeare Modernized or Simplified: Shakespeare rewritten for younger, or less-skilled, readers (i.e. No-Fear Shakespeare, Simply Shakespeare, The Orchard Books of Shakespeare Stories, or Shakespeare Can Be Fun!)
• Shakespearean Influences: Introducing Shakespeare through references in contemporary popular culture, i.e. young adult novels and films, or TV series.
• Unspoken Shakespeare: Shakespeare through silent film, music, dance.

Because Early Modern Culture Online is an online, open-access journal, we welcome articles that include multi-media elements, with appropriate copyrights. Please submit a 300-400 word abstract to delilah.brataas@ntnu.no by December 15 2018. Selected articles will be due by March 1 2019 and should be between 5000-8000 words. EMCO is a peer-reviewed journal; the special issue’s guest editors and anonymous readers will review all submissions before acceptance.