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Louisa Foroughi
I study: “Social and cultural history of England from 1300-1550. My current research project focuses on a group of wealthy peasants in late medieval England known as the ‘yeomen.’”
Why? “I’m interested in the relationship between culture and power. Through my work, I seek to highlight the creativity and agency of the yeomen as they crafted their identity, and to clarify how power dynamics within the English countryside allowed a select few to profit while the majority of people were disenfranchised.”
Ready for fall: “Preparing to teach remotely has encouraged me to think creatively about my pedagogy and the many digital tools that we have at our disposal. I’m going to use a variety of applications and new types of assignments to build classroom communities and bring us closer together. For example, in addition to synchronous Zoom sessions, students in both my courses will annotate and discuss their readings asynchronously using a tool called Perusall, and students in my early modern course will build a collaborative 3D virtual gallery of early modern images and artifacts using Artsteps.”
In my (virtual) classroom: “I will be highlighting issues of race and racism and adopting anti-racism approaches in both of my classes. The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, and the subsequent protests, show how urgently we as a nation need to work in pursuit of racial justice. I am committed, for instance, to assigning books and articles by many different Black scholars and scholars of color, so that students of all backgrounds understand that their voices are central to the future of pre-modern European studies.”
My moment of zen: “Being physically active has been key for me over the months of confinement and social distancing. For a long time, I was limited to walking or running, but a friend recently lent me their bike and that has totally changed the game! I love taking long rides to visit new places—a forest park, the nearby river, unfamiliar neighborhoods. It’s been a great way for me to feel centered and get active while exploring the local area.”
What I love about Lafayette: “From the moment I set foot on campus, I was struck by how strong and close-knit the community of faculty, staff, and students is at the College. During just one walk across the Quad with a colleague last fall, we stopped half-a-dozen times to greet different students, librarians, administrators, and professors from several different departments. That feeling of closeness has held true even as I join the College remotely. Every professor, administrator, and student I’ve communicated with has been really welcoming, and they’ve all gone out of their way to make sure that I have the resources I need to provide an engaging experience for students this coming fall. I can’t wait until I’m able to meet new people on the Quad again, but for now I can feel the strength of the Leopard community from afar.”
What I like about Easton: “Easton is a really vibrant city! I’m a food fanatic, so it’s a big treat for me to have a great Indian restaurant, a French bistro, and a handmade Japanese ramen place all on Northampton Street. For iced coffee and snacks, ThreeBirds Coffee House is a particular favorite, and the farmer’s market is a major draw. I’m looking forward to trying out many more restaurants in the months to come!”