Pamplin professor selected for prestigious Humanities summer residency

Blaire Zeiders, PhD, associate professor of English, has been selected for the prestigious National Humanities Center Summer Residency, an opportunity that supports some of the most promising scholars across the country.

At Augusta University, Zeiders teaches courses in early modern English literature, including “History of the Book,” “Shakespeare” and “Arthurian Literature.” Her teaching and research are closely aligned, centered on how literature evolves through print and how those shifts shape what readers understand and believe.

“Dr. Zeiders’ selection for the National Humanities Center residency speaks to the depth, originality and national impact of her scholarship,” said Kim Davies, PhD, dean of Katherine Reese Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. “Blaire is an exceptional scholar and teacher whose work exemplifies the kind of engaged and ambitious humanities research we value in Pamplin.”

The residency comes at an important point in her work. Zeiders is currently developing a book project titled, The Arthurian Catechism: Reading Literature as Liturgy in Early Modern England. The project explores how readers engaged with stories of King Arthur like they did with religious texts, ultimately shaping ideas of national identity. During her time at the National Humanities Center, she plans to focus on writing a key chapter examining how English Catholics viewed King Arthur after the Protestant Reformation.

“Being selected to participate in the National Humanities Center Summer Residency is a testament to Dr. Zeiders’ innovative, interdisciplinary approach to Arthurian literature,” said Candis Bond, PhD, interim chair of the Department of English and World Languages. “Her book project presents novel arguments about the role of Arthurian legend and is being received enthusiastically by scholars across disciplines. I am excited to see how her contributions will transform the scholarly conversation for years to come.”

Being selected for the program is a significant achievement. The residency brings together a competitive group of scholars from across the country, offering dedicated time, resources and collaboration to help advance their work. For Zeiders, it also reflects strong confidence in both her research and the direction of her book project.

“This residency will greatly aid my ability to make progress on my book project over the summer,” Zeiders said. “I am also a recipient of an Augusta University RSCA grant for this summer, and I feel great momentum knowing that AU values and supports my work as much as the National Humanities Center does.”

As Zeiders looks ahead, the experience is expected to shape both her current project and her future work.