Spring 2026 Honors College Retro Readings to Find New Meaning in Familiar Texts
Two courses about words and their meanings will be offered next spring in the Honors College Retro Readings series. Presidential Speeches will explore the significance of presidential rhetoric, and Bible will take students on a journey to learn something new about a text that many of us think we already know well. All honors students, no matter their personal ideology or beliefs, are welcome.
Lynda Coon, dean of the Honors College, encourages students to "get retro" in 2026.
"You're invited to engage historically with storied biblical texts in the company of scholars committed to close reads of ancient texts or analyze the progression of presidential speeches from the 18th century to the present day with other political junkies," she said.
In Presidential Speeches, honors students of all political ideologies are invited to meet around a table to study a different presidential speech regarded as historically important. The class, taught by Noah Pittman, associate dean of enrollment for the Honors College, will analyze not only the language but also the historical context surrounding each address.
Throughout the semester, students will consider questions such as: Why are some presidential speeches remembered while most are forgotten? Can a president's words influence public policy or national mood? How have presidential speeches evolved, especially during the rise of the rhetorical presidency in the 20th century?
In many ways, the Bible is the ultimate "retro reading." It is a text of great antiquity and authority, lending its historical weight to contemporary world religions. Equally, the Bible is a book of great controversy, prompting endless academic debate over its origins and historical meaning.
The Bible seminar centers on this magisterial—yet frequently misunderstood—corpus of sacred scripture. In this course, taught by Lynda Coon, dean of the Honors College, students will grapple with various Biblical readings, selections from Genesis to Revelation. The goals of the course are twofold: to enhance critical reading skills and to augment the understanding of scripture through a deep dive into its complex historical layers.
Contacts
Laurie Marshall, editor
Honors College
479-575-7678, lauries@uark.edu
Shelby Gill, director of communications
Honors College
479-575-2024, segill@uark.edu