The Department of English Visiting Speaker Series, organized by the Division of Literature and Film, offers a regular series of invited lectures by leading scholars of literature, criticism and theory, and film studies. The events usually include a large public lecture and smaller group sessions with students.

Previous speakers hosted by the Department of English at the University of Kentucky include M.H. Abrams, Houston Baker, Greg Barnhisel, George Bornstein, Eric Bulson, Tess Chakkalakal, Cairns Craig, Thadious Davis, Ian Duncan, James English, Jennifer Fay, Harris Feinsod, Lucy Fischer, Roy Foster, Yogita Goyal, Mark Greif, Michael Hardt, Seamus Heaney, Eric Jager, Walter Kalaidjian, J. Gerald Kennedy, Barbara Ladd, Jeffrey Lawrence, David Lloyd, Colleen Lye, Anne McClintock, Jerome McGann, Timothy Melley, Walter Benn Michaels, Deborah A. Nelson, Susan Scott Parrish, Annabel Patterson, Jahan Ramazani, Nicholas Roe, Asha Rogers, Ronald Schuchard, Werner Sollors, Hortense Spillers and Helen Vendler.

For more information about the Visiting Speaker Series, contact Jonathan Allison or Michael Genovese.

In Spring 2026, we will host Susana Morris, associate professor of literature, media and communication of Georgia Institute of Technology. on March 9.

 All events are free and open to the public. The Speaker Series is sponsored by the Department of English and the UK College of Arts and Sciences.