The Gothic Lens
Before I asked questions about learning, I asked questions about haunted things. I still do. Horror, folklore, and the monstrous are some of the best teachers I know: they hold a culture's fears up to the lantern light, and they make students want to find out why.
In ENGL 1301, folklore and Texas monsters give students a doorway into research and writing: a legend becomes a how or why question, and the question becomes an inquiry. In ENGL 1302, literature does the same work, and the reading a student chooses becomes the primary source they question all semester. A good ghost story and a good research question have a lot in common. Both begin with one detail that won't let you go.
Speaking and storytelling
"We had a spooktacular time at Spooky Stories Night! Thanks to everyone who joined us, and special thanks to Caroline Davis for leading the event and captivating us with her spooky tales and fascinating research!" ~ Pecantown Books & Brew
Guest Speaker, Spooky Stories Night, Pecantown Books & Brew, October 22, 2023.
Storyteller, Worth Repeating, Texas Public Radio, October 17, 2023.
"A Comparative Analysis of Haunted Objects: Exploring Monstrous Dimensions." Popular Culture/American Culture Association in the South, New Orleans, September 29, 2023. Research on haunted objects in the film "Skeleton Key" and the series "Mayfair Witches."
"Monstrous Playthings: Intersecting Realms of Psychoanalysis, Film, and the Paranormal with the Annabelle Franchise." Popular Culture Association National Conference, Chicago, March 27, 2024.
Book in progress
I'm also writing a book on haunted objects in American popular culture.