Elizabeth Renker

Elizabeth Renker is a Professor of English at The Ohio State University, specializing in American literature to 1900, with particular focus on Reconstruction, the Gilded Age, and the history of literary disciplines. She holds a PhD from Johns Hopkins University (1991) and has taught extensively, earning numerous teaching awards including the 2014 Ratner Distinguished Teaching Award and recognition as one of the Princeton Review's 'Best 300 Professors' (2012).

Her research explores 19th-century American poetry and poetics, the disciplinary history of English studies, and the cultural life of literature. Notable projects include digital recoveries of Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt’s work and a podcast (Discovering Sarah) advocating for Piatt’s canonical inclusion. She has authored influential books like Realist Poetics in American Culture, 1866-1900 (2018) and edited Poems: A Concise Anthology (2016).

Renker’s publications analyze Reconstruction literature, women’s poetry, and Melville’s poetry, often bridging historical and theoretical approaches. Her work emphasizes marginalized voices and institutional legacies, including studies on the formation of American literature as a discipline and the 'genteel tradition' critique. She is currently completing a biography of Sarah Piatt, supported by an ACLS fellowship.

Award-winning educator, Renker’s mentorship spans undergraduate and graduate students, with accolades from Sigma Tau Delta and the English Department. Her scholarly activism extends to public-facing projects like the Sarah Piatt Recovery Project, blending digital humanities with community engagement.