Dr. Susan Hopkirk
Assistant Professor

Member, Graduate Faculty

Office: PH 371; Phone/Voice Mail: 904-8122

Dr. Hopkirk received her Ph.D from the University of Alberta (Canada). She teaches courses in Comparative Literature, including European Literature and World Literature. Research interests include medieval romance, women's fiction, modern genre fiction (fantasy, romance, and detective fiction) and Canadian fantastic literature. Prior to joining MTSU, Dr. Hopkirk taught English in Canada, France, and Germany. Dr. Hopkirk will be developing courses in the Classical-Early European area.

See Publications

Conference Papers

• “The Unclassical Heroine: Montgomery and the Gentle Satire of the Romance.” L.M.; Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables and the Idea of “Classic.” 8th Biennial International Conference on L.M. Montgomery. L.M. Montgomery Institute, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. 06/08
• “Nancy Drew and Hermione, Too: The Girl Sleuth and the Status Quo.” “Sleuthing A Mystery” Panel, Modern Critical Approaches to Children's Literature, Middle Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A. 03/07
• “Freedom From Double-Talk: Gendered Language Performance in Medieval Romance.” Women's Studies Conference: Performing Gender, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S.A. 02/07
• “The Monster and the Cynics in Flamenca.” French I: Linguistics and Literature to 1600 Panel, South Central Modern Language Association Convention, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A. 10/06
• “Too Smart to Die: Hermione as Anti-Gothic Heroine.” Modern Mythology II: Fantasy Literature Panel, Popular Culture Association of the South Convention, Savannah, Georgia, U.S.A. 10/06
• “My Mother, the Book: Mother-substitutes, Community and Knowledge in the Medieval Romance.” Mothers and Motherhood in Medieval Culture Panel, 41st International Congress on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.A. 05/06
• “It's In His Kiss: Sexuality as Signifier of Happily Ever After in Harlequin Romances.” Eros & Pornography I: “Will You Love Me Forever?”: Sex and Romance Panel, Popular Culture Association Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. 04/06
• “Hold Your Tongue: The Rash Boon in Medieval Romance.” International Courtly Literature Society Panel, South Central Modern Language Association Convention, Houston, Texas, U.S.A. 10/05
• “Harlequin Readers Know It When They See It: Is Erotica Simply Pornography for Women?” Inscriptions in the Sand '05: Eighth International Literature and Humanities Conference, Eastern Mediterranean University, Gazimagusa, Northern Cyprus. 05/05
• “The Hair of the Dog: Hair in Flamenca.” South Central Modern Language Association (SCMLA) Convention, New Orleans, LA, October 2004.
• “The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same: Sexual and Society Restrictions in the Harlequin Romance.” Popular Culture Association Convention, San Antonio, TX, April 2004.
• “Divine Fantasy: Gods in Tolkien and Kay.” Academic Conference on Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, August 2003.
• “The Pleasures of Reading.” 38 th International Conference on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo , MI , May 2003
• “The Marketing of Romance.” Canadian Comparative Literature Association Conference, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, May 2003.
• “The Monstrous Knight: The Feudal Guardian in Flamenca .” Canadian Society of Medievalists Conference, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, May 2003.
• “The Love Triangles of Guy Gavriel Kay.” Popular Culture Association Conference, Toronto, Ontari, Canada, March 2002.
• “The Defense of Romance.” Romance in the New Millenium Conference, Bowling Green , OH , August 2000.
• “ Reading (in) the Medieval Romance: The Construction of a Didactic Mythology. LEGENDA: Reading and Writing Myth. British Comparative Literature Association Eighth International Conference, Lancaster, England, July 1998.
• “The Return of the King: King Arthur Comes to Canada.” Pioneering North America: Mediators of European Literature and Culture Conference, Saarbrücken, Germany, April 1998.