Mai-Linh K. Hong, JD, PhD

I believe literature is fundamentally about how we know and imagine the world, ourselves, and each other. Reading and interpretation, therefore, are social and ethical endeavors. My interdisciplinary courses emphasize the experiences of the structurally vulnerable, including BIPOC communities, refugees and immigrants, sexual minorities, and other “others.” When teaching literature, my aim is for students to learn that they--as readers, critics, and citizens––are part of the dynamic meaning-making processes that produce our common cultures. Over time, I have developed my pedagogy around principles of inquiry-based learning, inclusivity and accessibility, and social justice. I believe I am successful if students leave my classroom more curious and wise about the world, and more engaged with its ethical complexities, than they were before we met.