Toril Moi
Preparing the Professoriate
Toril Moi, James B. Duke professor of literature and romance studies and professor of theater studies and English, made her way to Duke in 1989, following faculty appointments at the University of Bergen in Norway , where she also completed her Doctor of Arts and Magister Artium degrees in Comparative Literature. Having just finished her critically acclaimed text, Henrik Ibsen and the Birth of Modernism , Toril is immersed in two major projects: The Emergence of European Modernism 1870-1914 and Feminist Theory and Women Writers . In March 2008, Oxford University Press released the second edition of Dr. Moi's pioneering literary work Simone de Beauvior: The Making of an Intellectual Woman .
Toril takes an early, active interest in getting her students to seriously think about their career plans. She extends this support throughout and beyond her students' years at Duke, offering them a comprehensive set of resources she has developed, including writing, dissertation, and job search guides.
“ She is always aware of how my thought is developing and is able to steer me in the right direction by offering new ideas, new texts to read, or by questioning certain weaknesses in my arguments. Both in the classroom and at the mentoring stage, Dr. Moi has shown that she is interested in my development as a future professor.”
“She was tireless in her assistance and support: proofreading letters of applications and CVs, assisting in mock interviews, consulting on how to negotiate for salaries and research moneys. It was thus also thanks to her efforts and help, that I was able to secure a tenure-track position during my very first year on the job market. Two years later, my current colleagues confirmed that what had apparently distinguished me from other candidates was ‘how professional' I appeared. This professionalism I certainly owe to my wonderful teacher and mentor, Toril Moi.”
“Even five years after my graduation from Duke, my former dissertation advisor, Toril Moi, continues to consult and mentor me with regard to my professional plans—whether by writing letters of recommendation, sharing information on publishing venues, or simply by exchanging ideas on our scholarship. No matter what my predicament or aspirations, Toril continues to be there for me, to support me in a myriad of ways.”
Beyond her practical support, students value the intangible aspects of her mentoring, her intellectual humility and the “sincerity and care with which she takes on the role of mentor.” Whether it's inviting students to join her for dinner with a prominent visiting scholar, taking a quiet moment over coffee to discuss a theoretical problem, or providing concrete advice on applying for jobs in a tough academic job market, Professor Moi manages to exhibit these qualities consistently.
“She gives generously, seemingly endlessly, of herself in sharp, rigorous readings of student work that drive students to meet her high expectations. At the same time, Toril couples this rigor with a warm, humane approach to the intellectual life. She herself is a model of scholarly productivity and intellectual reflection and she does not hesitate to help her students master the practical skills—from time management to bibliographic organization—that will bolster their scholarly endeavors.”
“Sometimes individual meetings with a faculty member, particularly with scholars of Toril's stature, can be daunting: the preconceived need to ‘come across well' can often lead students to recite pre-packaged thoughts that sound erudite. But truly critical thought requires humility and a willingness to acknowledge what one does not know. I have always felt comfortable enough with Toril to assume this humility because it is a quality I've observed in her. The innocent question, the curious observation, the lingering feeling that something is not quite right—these are the subtle sparks that produce any intellectual flame, and they are often smothered in an increasingly competitive environment in which graduate students feel the need to know it all. Toril fosters these sparks; she encourages students to be attentive to them, and gives them space and air to breathe on their own.”