Meet our faculty members in Asian Studies and learn more about their background and passions! In this Faculty Spotlight, we introduce you to Dr. Alexandra Hoffmann, our new Assistant Professor in Classical Persian Literature and Culture! Today, she shares with us her passion for classical Persian literature and the exciting courses she will be teaching this year.
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Can you tell us what you will be teaching in the UBC Department of Asian Studies?
What do you want students to gain out of your courses?
What are some other interests you enjoy pursuing outside of your work?
Could you tell us a little about your academic background prior to joining UBC Department of Asian Studies?
I completed a degree in Islamic Studies at the University of Zürich (Switzerland). I was interested in languages from an early age, so I jumped at the chance of learning Arabic in high school. Once I started learning Persian at university, however, I became fascinated with Persian literature, especially modern Persian novels and short stories.
It took me some time to find my way into a PhD program – in the meantime, I was teaching German as a foreign language – but I am glad I ended up at the University of Chicago, where I found an intellectual home in the Department of Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations. I studied pre-modern Persian literature under the mentorship of my late advisor, Franklin Lewis, and was lucky to be surrounded by friends and colleagues whose work inspired my own. I am happy to join the Asian Studies department and look forward to more cross-pollination with faculty and students.
What inspires you to teach?
I was a very shy student who was at times intimidated by the confident contributions of my peers, and with time I came to realize that I had some extra hurdles to overcome as a female first-generation student. Attending university can be hard for a variety of reasons, and I think inclusive pedagogy can alleviate some of these inequities. I want my students to feel welcome and to recognize their strengths.
Can you tell us what you will be teaching in the UBC Department of Asian Studies?
This year I will be teaching courses on Classical Persian Literature in English Translation (ASIA 392), the Shahnameh for Advanced Speakers of Persian (PERS 451), the History of Iran from the Sasanians to the Safavids (ASIA 393) and finally Gender and Sexuality in Classical Persian Literature (ASIA 366B).
I am particularly excited about Gender and Sexuality in Classical Persian Literature (ASIA 366B) because its subject matter is so close to my own research. In this class, we will think about how to approach past constructions of gender and practice the close reading of source texts (in translation) through a series of creative writing assignments.
As Classical Persian Literature and Culture is a new field in our department, I am looking forward to developing new courses for both undergraduate and graduate students.
What do you want students to gain out of your courses?
I want my students to hone their ability to think critically about the past. I want them to be excited about the richness and beauty of Classical Persian Literature and for them to understand the importance of reading closely and listening to our source texts. And I hope that while reading Persian literature, they also learn something about themselves.
What are some other interests you enjoy pursuing outside of your work?
I like rabbits, tea, acapella singing, baking, and I’m an amateur ceramicist.
