Laura Elizabeth Kolb

Laura Elizabeth Kolb is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of English at Baruch College's Weissman School of Arts and Sciences since 2014. Specializing in early modern literature, she teaches Shakespeare, Renaissance Drama, and courses on gender dynamics in literature. Her first monograph Fictions of Credit in the Age of Shakespeare (2021) explores economic rhetoric in theater, while her current research investigates trickery and gender performance in comedies.

• Ph.D., English, University of Chicago

Her publications in Renaissance Drama, Shakespeare Studies, and The Sidney Journal reflect her focus on economic metaphors, gender roles, and rhetorical strategies in early modern texts. Notable awards include the 2025 Shakespeare Association of America Innovative Article Award and the 2018 Folger Short-Term Fellowship.

Recent scholarship trends reveal consistent exploration of:

• Shakespearean character analysis
• Genders roles in Renaissance drama
• Economic and social metaphors
• Conduct literature connections
• Trickery as narrative device
• Material culture in plays

Her academic service includes book reviews for The Times Literary Supplement and presentations at major conferences like RSA and MLA.