معرفی
Penelope Geng is an Associate Professor of English at Macalester College specializing in early modern literature, Shakespeare, law and literature, religion, and disability studies. Her academic work bridges literary analysis with legal and disability theory, with a focus on the Renaissance period.
Areas of Expertise:
- Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama
- British Literature c.1500-1700
- Law and Literature
- Religion and Literature
- Affect and Emotions
- Disability Studies
- History of Medicine
- Race and Property Law
Professor Geng's research explores the intersections of literature, law, and disability in early modern England. Her first book, 'Communal Justice in Shakespeare's England: Drama, Law, and Emotion' (2021), argues for the vital work of drama in preserving a culture of participatory justice, communal care, and lay magistracy during the professionalization of law. Her current project, 'Disabled by Law,' traces the legacy of seventeenth-century property law on modern notions of able-bodied citizenship.
Her recent publications reveal a growing focus on the intersections of race, disability, and literature, with particular attention to Shakespeare's works and their contemporary relevance. Professor Geng's scholarship demonstrates how literary imagination has historically contested and continues to challenge legal frameworks that define citizenship and ability.
Scientific Awards and Fellowships:
- Louise Ritchie Fellowship from The Huntington Library (2025)
- ACMRS RaceB4Race Second Book Institute (2023, 2025)
- Racial Justice Project Fund for 'Uncommon Bodies' Symposium (2023-24)
- Paul O. Kristeller Fellowship from Renaissance Society of America (2022)
- Research Workshop Grant for 'Uncommon Bodies' from UMN Center for Premodern Studies (2019-present)
Professor Geng co-founded 'Uncommon Bodies,' a Twin Cities-based research workshop devoted to sharing knowledge about disability theory, aesthetics, and pedagogy. She teaches courses including 'Shakespeare,' 'Once upon a Crime' (an introduction to law and literature), 'Major British Authors,' 'Disability in the English Renaissance,' and 'Demonology.' She will be on leave for the Academic Year 2025-2026.
