Students of the humanities who are nearing the end of their Evergreen education may wish to pursue a major research project, senior thesis or capstone project in their particular field of interest. Often, the goal is to contruct an original argument around a particular body of literature, set of ideas or historical events. These kinds of projects develop advanced research skills in the humanities, including the ability to read deeply and critically in a particular field, and to discover and engage with important theoretical writings in that field. Students will also gain valuable skills in reading, analyzing, synthesizing, writing and editing long pieces of complex prose. The best kinds of this work will be invaluable for graduate school applications, and will be an asset to those entering the job market directly following graduation.

Stacey Davis (European history) specializes in French history from the 18th century to the present, as well as the history of French colonies in North and West Africa. Students who wish to study European social, cultural, political, intellectual or religious history from the Middle Ages to the present, including topics in the history of gender and sociocultural aspects of the history of art, are welcome to propose research projects. Students are welcome to work with Dr. Davis on her ongoing research projects on 19th-century political prisoners, notions of citizenship and democracy in modern Europe, memory and the history of aging. 

Nancy Koppelman (American studies) specializes in American social, literary and intellectual history until 1920. Students who wish to study in these fields are welcome to propose research projects and senior theses. Particular interests include the social and intellectual history of the Puritans; the founding generation, immigrants, the working class and the middle class; industrialization and reform movements; pragmatic philosophy; the history of childhood; and the history of technology and consumer culture. Students are also welcome to work with Nancy to participate in her ongoing research projects on alcohol reform movements, the histories of social/economic mobility and of individual physical movement, and ethical themes in American cultural history.

Greg Mullins (American literature, queer theory) specializes in 20th-century and contemporary literature and comparative American Studies (U.S./Brazil). His broad interests include the crossroads of aesthetics and politics, national versus transnational formations of literary studies, queer gender and sexuality, memory studies and poststructuralist theory. Most of the capstone projects he has supervised in the past have been centrally concerned with literary and cultural theory, including visual culture and queer theory. Students are enthusiastically welcome to work with Greg on his research on cultures of human rights and representations of human rights in literature and film.

Trevor Speller (British/anglophone literature) specializes in the long 18th century (1650-1830), including the Restoration, the Enlightenment and Romanticism. Students who wish to study the literature and political philosophy of these periods are welcome to propose research projects, including capstone projects and senior theses. Particular interests include the rise of the novel, the conception of reason and rationality and representations of space and place. Previous projects have included studies of Romantic women writers and travel writing. Students are also welcome to work with the faculty member to develop his ongoing research projects on such authors as Daniel Defoe, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Bishop Berkeley, Jonathan Swift and John Milton.