GREENVILLE, Pa.—Thiel College Professor of English and Department Chair Jared Johnson, Ph.D. delivered a talk at the 46th Annual Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference.
Themed “Shakespeare, Social Justice, & Human Rights,” the Conference featured national and international speakers on a wide spectrum of topics in Shakespeare studies including how Shakespeare’s works engage with human rights discourses, Shakespearean adaptations and human rights, and Shakespeare and cultures of oppression.
Johnson’s paper, entitled “Satanic Panic in the Renaissance: Using Shakespeare to Identify the Roots of Right-Wing Extremism,” is an exploration of the interplay between popular media and public perception in early modern England. In the paper, Johnson draws parallels between the role of media in creating and supporting structures of oppression in early modern England and how misinformation campaigns perform that same ideological work today. This year’s Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference was hosted by the University of Dayton on October 26-28.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.