In short, Novel Ideas stands on the conviction that long-nineteenth-century studies, and, by extension, literary studies and the humanities in general, offer insightful and timely perspectives on current events and debates through the concept of “historical reciprocity”: the idea that the past informs the present just as much as the present informs the past via contemporary biases often channeled into modern interpretations of history. We seek to participate in and bolster interdisciplinary conversations both within and without scholarly and educational communities. Novel Ideas invites all readers – from established professors to homegrown bibliophiles – to share thoughts and questions on this blog that welcomes contributions from anyone who harbors an interest in the written word and the human experience.
I serve as editor-in-chief of the “Virtually Victorian” section of the blog, while my fellow OSU graduate student, Trey Conatser, oversees the content for “Reason & Romanticism.” A more detailed description of Novel Ideas is available on the blog’s About page, and further information about the project’s facilitators appears on the Editors page. Novel Ideas also maintains an active Facebook fan page to announce recent posts, blog news, etc.