A New English Class Awaits

Next semester, PVCC will offer a new literature class, English 225 Reading Literature: Culture and Ideas. The class is being taught by the Professor of English Dr. Nicole Oechslin. 

“This is an updated version of my all-time favorite literature course,” she said. “There is a specific theme. It focuses on non-western cultures and postcolonial ideas from contemporary literature from Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, and the Middle East.” The readings will include novels, stories, and poems about identity, nationalism, language, oppression, resistance, and liberation.

Oechslin also explained why students should take the course. “Students will feel like they have traveled around the world once this class is done,” she said. 

She shared a little bit about her background of why she is excited to teach the class. She is from the Virgin Islands, which has experienced colonial rule under seven different flags including Spain, France, England, Holland, the Knights of Malta, Denmark, and the United States of America, and that gives her some meaningful insight for the author’s portrayal of post-colonial themes.

The class is an online anytime class and is worth 3 credits. It also meets the Writing Intensive and Non-Western Perspective requirements.