The Department of English and Drama, Kaduna State University (KASU), on 29 January 2026, held its Doctoral Seminar (LIT 907) for PhD candidates in Literature in English, underscoring the University’s commitment to rigorous scholarship, research excellence, and interdisciplinary engagement.
The seminar, which took place at the KASU Book Club, forms a core component of the graduation requirements for doctoral candidates. Participants are required to present well-researched scholarly papers with strong potential for publication in reputable academic journals.
The doctoral candidates presented papers spanning a wide range of critical and contemporary concerns, including oral literature, eco-criticism, sexuality, trauma, gender, ideology, folklore, and women’s activism, reflecting the depth, diversity, and relevance of current research within the Department.
In a deliberate effort to enhance academic quality and broaden scholarly perspectives, members of the Departmental Postgraduate Board served as co-assessors, while senior academics from other Humanities disciplines were invited as discussants. This arrangement generated robust intellectual exchanges, marked by in-depth analyses and constructive critiques of the papers presented.
According to the organisers, the approach was designed to promote interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary dialogue across fields concerned with the study of human society and culture, thereby enriching the research experience of the doctoral candidates.
The session was chaired by Professor Methuselah Jeremiah, Course Coordinator for LIT 907.
Discussants from the Department of English and Drama included Professor Ahmed Kofa Babajo, Professor Audee T. Giwa, and Dr. Evelyn Kassang Bako. Other discussants were Professor Terhemba Wuam (History), Professor Busari Lasisi (French), and Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed Birnin Gwari (Nigerian Languages).
Overall, the seminar was adjudged intellectually engaging and technically sound, with most of the papers meeting the basic requirements for publication, subject to further refinement in line with observations and recommendations made during the session. The exercise is also expected to significantly prepare the candidates for thesis writing and their eventual Viva Voce examinations.
The successful hosting of the seminar further reinforces KASU’s growing reputation as a hub for advanced research, critical inquiry, and collaborative scholarship in the Humanities.