David S. Hogsette, Ph.D.
Professor of English
Head, School of Education and English Studies
University of Nottingham
Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China
Vita: Click to view vita
I was born in Miami, Florida, but my father’s job allowed my family to live in a variety of places in the U.S. and abroad, including Tennessee, Virginia, Ohio, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. Because of living overseas, I was fortunate enough to visit much of Europe, cruise to some Greek Islands, and see fascinating animals on safari in Africa.
I received my BA (1990), MA (1992), and PhD (1996) in English language and literature from The Ohio State University. My areas of specialization are nineteenth-century English literature (the Romantic poets), pre-Civil War American literature, critical theory, and teaching with technology.
Currently, I am Full Professor of English and Head of Education and English Studies (EDEN) in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China. In addition to heading (chairing) EDEN, I teach courses in introduction to studying literature, fantasy literature, and science fiction.
From 2021-2024, I was the Executive Director of the School of English Studies and full professor of English language and literature at Wenzhou-Kean University (WKU), Wenzhou, China. I directed the first-year ESL and composition for English Language Learners program that prepared incoming students to succeed in a Sino-foreign English mode of instruction (EMI) academic setting. I also directed the English Department which offers a BA degree in English in Global Settings. While at WKU, I developed and taught courses in science fiction, fantasy literature, Romanticism, and Gothic literature. I worked with several professors to develop new English major elective courses and to revise the English in Global Settings BA degree, updating the curriculum and making the program more relevant to the students’ graduate school goals and professional aspirations.
From 2014-2020, I was a full professor of English at Grove City College, where I directed the Writing Program and the Writing Center. I also taught several writing courses (college composition, writing about literature, and technical writing) and a bunch of literature courses (both face-to-face and online), including civilization and literature (world literature), Romantic period literature, Gothic literature, science fiction, and fantasy literature. From 1996-2014, I was assistant, associate, and then full professor of English at the New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury campus, where I also coordinated the Writing Program and the Writing Center.
Moreover, I am keenly interested in global education. I currently work at the University of Nottingham in Ningbo, China, and I have taught at three other universities in China and a seminary in South Korea. I believe in the necessity of global education, and I am thrilled to be afforded the opportunity to teach students from China and other parts of the world, encouraging them to contemplate what it means to be a human being in a global setting, striving for universal human flourishing.
I’m fascinated by how technology can enhance learning. I have experience teaching in video-conferencing settings, where remote classrooms are linked by synchronous video. I also use online learning environments to enhance my traditional classes, incorporating asynchronous discussion boards and synchronous chat sessions to extend the course beyond the physical walls of the traditional classroom. Online education is an exciting opportunity to help people across the country and around the world achieve their personal and professional educational goals. Padlet is one of my favorite pieces of educational technology, as it is versatile and facilitates active participation, which can be a real teaching challenge in English Medium of Instruction (EMI) contexts in China.
In addition to teaching, I am also an active researcher and scholar. I have published three books: The Transcendent Vision of Mythopoeic Fantasy, Writing That Makes Sense: Critical Thinking in College Composition, and E-mails to a Young Seeker: Exchanges in Mere Christianity. I lecture and present academic papers on various literary subjects, including Romantic poetry, Gothic novels, fantasy literature, and science fiction literature and film (like The Three-Body Problem, Alien, The Matrix, and Bladerunner). I have published book chapters, articles, and reviews on 18th-19th century Romantic poetry, Gothic literature, and fantasy literature.
My current research focuses on contemporary Chinese literature in translation. In particular, I’m working on analyzing ways in which Xue Mo (spiritual realism) and Liu Cixin (science fiction) participate in an emerging Chinese postsecularism. I recruit and supervise PhD students who are conducting research projects in these areas of contemporary Chinese literature.
I enjoy traveling, biking, kayaking, and playing guitar. I keep fit through martial arts training and self-defense instruction. During the covid lockdowns, I wrote and published Training Ronin Style: Principles, Tips, and Strategies for Practical Martial Arts Solo Practice. Visit my Shorin Ryu Karate Academy website for more information.