The Department of English is pleased to announce the launch of seven
research groups. Three of these groups are based on the department’s main disciplines (
Linguistics,
Literary Studies and
Translation Studies) and their aim is to continue research in the department’s existing areas of interest, while also broadening the scope of its research by introducing new ideas within these disciplines.
The group Computer Corpus Research on Language aims to establish the field as a new area of interest in the department. A fast-growing field which is useful to the department’s different disciplines as it aims to engage with the application of corpus techniques in any type of research.
The three remaining research groups aim to focus on research areas of local priority:
- In response to the Saudi Vision 2030 that aspires to welcome more pilgrims, Umm Al-Qura University has identified Hajj and Umrah studies as an area of responsibility given its unique geographical location at the heart of the holy city of Makkah. The university has proposed ‘enriching the pilgrims’ experience’ as one of its research priorities and has included art, language and literature among the contributing disciplines. To that end, the department recognizes the importance of conducting Hajj and Umrah research through its different disciplines, and has thus established the Hajj and Umrah research group.
- Considering the university’s unique geographical location in the land of the two holy mosques and at the heart of the Arab and Muslim world, the department also recognises its role in conducting research on Islam and the Middle East, and has for that purpose established the Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies group.
- The department has established the Theatre, Film and Culture research group to work towards the 2030 Vision of celebrating national identity and supporting the Saudi National Culture Strategy, and to invest in the locally emerging research priorities that involve Saudi cultural studies.
We believe that these research groups are strategically important for our department as they aim to bring together faculty members who share similar interests for the purpose of encouraging academic research, promoting collaboration, developing projects, sharing expertise and strengthening the quality of research on a departmental and institutional level.
