Bronwen Welch
Department of English
Bronwen Welch has a lot on her plate in addition to instructing English literature, creative writing and English composition.
Welch’s main project right now (in collaboration with other colleagues) is being part of the new Creative Writing associate degree program at Camosun. Students study all genres in their first and second year, including creative non-fiction, short fiction, poetry and drama. Graduates will be able to enter directly into Vancouver Island University’s creative writing program in third year.
Welch recently published a paper on Thomas Hardy and currently writes poetry reviews for the Times Colonist. Her main research interest is on the female body and how it’s portrayed in literature. She has a chapter called "'Gydeth My Song': Penetration and Possession in Chaucer's Prioress's Tale" in the book Chaucer Revisited: Twenty-First Century Interpretations. Welch has also started writing reviews for Room magazine.
“There’s a lot of room to do what you’re interested in at Camosun,” says Welch. “So if you want to create a niche for yourself, you can.”
Welch examines what defines femininity for people from Chaucer’s time in the 13th century to now. She says not much has changed since that era in terms of our attitude towards femininity, “which can be depressing, but it’s also very fascinating.”
Welch figures a new course she is designing for English credit, Sex and Sexuality in Victorian literature, should pique students’ interests. The course will study a combination of essays and literature that people wrote at the time, looking at both men and women’s perspectives.
Welch also teaches courses in Continuing Studies at Camosun, and hopes to start up a summer creative writing program aimed at retirees, or people who love going to school, but don’t want to get another degree.
Contact
Bronwen Welch
Department of English
Lansdowne campus, Camosun College
250–370–3342
welchb@camosun.bc.ca
