By: Kathryn Hampshire Many modern television shows engage in critical conversations without viewers realizing it. One such program is Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU). This crime drama centered on sexually-motivated offences follows “the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies,” as the opening mantra states (“Merchandise”). “Special victims” include those who have experienced rape, […]

By Kendra Roberts The world is constantly in flux with goods and services, which isn’t news to anybody, but what happens when those goods are tainted with the blood of humans? What happens when the sugar in your coffee or in your candy bar is produced by hands that bled, bodies that were whipped, and […]

By: Bryce Longenberger Many scholars have discussed Suzanne Collins’ book, The Hunger Games (2008), by using contexts that concern the overthrowing of authoritarian governments, social and economic inequalities, and the ultimate form of love. In addition, I believe this novel also parallels the degradation and depravity of slavery in our own world. Orlando Patterson has […]

Morgan Aprill Being part of a class on modern day slavery, I have found myself reevaluating a lot of things in my life. I have come to realize just how prevalent slavery is today and how it creeps into the crevices of so much of the world’s economy. In particular, I do not think I […]

By: Jeff Owens According to Free the Slaves, a non-governmental organization committed to supporting sustainable solutions to slavery worldwide, there are 21-30 million people in slavery today. Though slavery is illegal in every country, it is more prominent today than ever before. When informing others about modern slavery, it is important to understand the mechanics […]

After a successful year of researching ghosts and haunting, it’s time to introduce our theme for the new edition of the Digital Literature Review. Our research topic has transitioned into studying the cultural significance and complications of contemporary discourses about slave systems, both past and present. Some of the research we have conducted has included studying […]

This critical edition presents Christina Rossetti’s ghostly poetry, analyzing its overall cultural impact and influence. In addition to her poetry, we have included contextual documents pertaining to mourning, widowhood, and poetic expression. As a whole, this edition gives insight into how and why poetry can be an appropriate method for women to express grief in […]

Works of art are inherently spectral in that they are fictional representations of life and reality, particularly theatre, which brings into a nonexistent world to life by creating layers of performance between audience and actors, and even the characters of the play. Through a close reading of both the text and performance of Henrik Ibsen’s […]

This edition critically analyzes “The Romance of Certain Old Clothes” by Henry James. It is put into context with three other Victorian ghost stories that use the similar trope of ghostly hands. The theme of these ghostly hands is used to explore Victorian era issues concerning class, property exchange, and the roles of women. Read […]

Complicated by the issues of identity, the immigrant experience is fraught . As such, authors engage with this theme by manipulating time and setting. These themes reimagine ghosts in hyperreal forms distorted by memories and perceptions. This article investigates hyperreality in the context of immigrant literature, this paper will introduce its audience to the ghosts […]