Dr. Michael Docherty, who recently joined the Department of English as a tenure-track professor, has been busy since moving to Boone. As a musician, the rich and vibrant music scene of Boone was one of his main attractions of teaching at App State, and he has already spent quite a bit of time exploring the music community here. Dr. Docherty’s interest in folk, Americana, and bluegrass music has been a big part of his time in Boone so far. A small-town community atmosphere with many activities to choose from is another appeal for him. Dr. Docherty tells me that the spirit of the music community is something to love, and as soon as he has the time, he wants to begin finding musicians to form a band and booking shows.
“In the classroom, you hope and expect that the instructor has more knowledge than students and there’s nothing wrong with that. But what I try to get across to my students is that the only difference between me and them is the time that I’ve had to build up a library of experience and a set of skills. We’ve all got the same raw ability.”
Dr. Docherty obtained his PhD at the University of Kent, which has one of the few American Literature programs in the United Kingdom. His dissertation was on the multiethnic dynamic of Los Angeles, CA in 20th century literature, particularly the contrast between Hollywood images of a lone, white, male detective and the reality of diversity in the L.A. area. Dr. Docherty’s dissertation was the basis for his recent book, The Recursive Frontier: Race, Space and the Literary Imagination of Los Angeles (2024). His interest in American literature began after he graduated with his undergraduate degree, when he began reading beyond the literature he had been exposed to during his time in college. Since American and multiethnic literature had not been a focus in his degree program, Dr. Docherty was drawn to these genres. His interest in African American authors in Californian literature began when he was introduced to crime fiction, since many detective stories he read were set in Los Angeles.
During the Fall 2024 semester, Dr. Docherty has been teaching two sections of African American Literature which focus on poetry. Dr. Docherty believes that close readings of poems allow students in a 50-minute class period to still be immersed in African American literature so they can understand how it has changed over time. Dr. Docherty also has been teaching a graduate level course in Ethnic American Literature, with a focus in African American genre fiction, such as crime, science fiction, horror, and westerns. These genres are not considered as prestigious as other literary genres, but Dr. Docherty is interested in teaching them, since they are what people read more often.
Dr. Docherty describes his teaching style as one that encourages dialogue. He hopes to empower his students to share their knowledge and experiences. Dr. Docherty says, “In the classroom, you hope and expect that the instructor has more knowledge than students and there’s nothing wrong with that. But what I try to get across to my students is that the only difference between me and them is the time that I’ve had to build up a library of experience and a set of skills. We’ve all got the same raw ability.” Social and historical context in literature is another focus for Dr. Docherty, who hopes to encourage his students to think of literature almost as a form of history.
Written by Grace Bucker
Photo of Michael Docherty
