Humanities Ph.D. student, Elizabeth Battaglia, will defend her dissertation titled "The Legacy of the Feminine Ghostly Tales Tradition in the Novels of Wendy Webb".  The defense will show how, in her novels, Wendy Webb incorporates the elements of the feminine ghostly tales tradition from the 1890s-1930s, demonstrating the relevancy of this tradition in the twenty-first century. Webb explores how the past constantly infringes upon the past, influencing characters' behaviors on conscious and unconscious levels. Webb also shows how her characters can heal from their traumas and work toward achieving their full potential.