E. Mariah Spencer
Visiting Assistant Professor
Educator Licensure
Office: Reavis Hall 318
Email: espencer1@niu.edu
Educational Background
- Ph.D., English, The University of Iowa, May 2022
- M.A., Humanities and Social Thought, New York University, 2016
- M.A.T., Education, Drake University, 2010
- B.A., English (with Honors), The University of Iowa, 2004
Professional Interests
- Educator licensure
- Teaching English literature and composition
- History of educational reform
- Professional development
- British renaissance literature
- Women writers and diversifying the canon
- Gender and genre studies
- The long history of science fiction
Selected Publications
- "Grendel's Mother: Considering Sex and Female Monstrosity in Beowulf." Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Teaching. (Forthcoming, 2023/2024.) pp. 1-19.
- "'Mistress of a World': Margaret Cavendish, Gender, and SF in Early Modern England." The Routledge Companion to Gender and Science Fiction, edited by Sonja Fritzsche, Keren Omry, Wendy Pearson, and Lisa Yaszek. Routledge, 2023. pp. 373-379.
- "The Unnatural Tragedy by Margaret Cavendish" (review). Early Modern Women: An Interdisciplinary Journal vol. 16, no. 2. Spring 2022. Co-authored with James Fitzmaurice and Harald Friedl. Early Modern Women/Review Link
- "Contemplating Cavendish: An Analysis of Reader Marks in Playes (1662)." New College Notes 16. December 2021. pp. 1-7. New College Notes/PDF Link
- "A Duchess 'given to contemplation': The Education of Margaret Cavendish." History of Education Quarterly, vol. 61, Special Issue 2. May 2021. pp. 213 - 239. Direct Object Link
Other Projects
- Co-founder, The Online Olios. Hosted by Digital Cavendish Project
- Editor, The Worlds Olio for The Complete Works of Margaret Cavendish, with general editors Liza Blake, Shawn Moore, and Jacob Tootalian. Punctum Books, ongoing. Project Link
- Guest Editor, “Concise Collections: Teaching Margaret Cavendish,” ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640-1830, forthcoming (Spring 2024, Fall 2024).
- “Education + Access: Margaret Cavendish in the Classroom.” The Online Olios. YouTube. 28 June 2021. Video Link /YouTube Channel
- Schneider, Jack, host. “A Duchess ‘given to contemplation’: The Education of Margaret Cavendish.” HEQ&A, E Mariah Spencer contributor. History of Education Quarterly, 15 June 2021. Podcast Link
