New Trends in English PhD Literature Research Explained
New Trends in English PhD Literature Research (A Complete Updated Guide) Introduction PhD research in English Literature is undergoing a significant shift globally. Earlier, a PhD used to be mostly about close reading of canonical texts (Shakespeare, Dickens, Eliot, etc.). But today, English departments expect interdisciplinary work, field-based insights, digital tools, and contemporary political engagement. The boundaries of “literature” have expanded. A text is not limited to the printed novel or poem — it can be oral testimony, social media narrative, archival documents, field interview, or digital storytelling. This article discusses the latest trends shaping English PhD research in the 2020s–2030s. 1) Trauma Studies and Memory Studies post-war violence, genocide, partition trauma, sexual assault narratives, caste-based trauma, refugee trauma — these topics are now widely researched in English departments. Trauma Theory helps scholars explore how violence shapes inner consc...