Welcome to
The Inklings Project
The Inklings Project is an intercollegiate initiative that invites people to pursue meaning and joy by entering into the world of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and the other Inklings.
About the Inklings Project
Under the University of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute, the Inklings Project is an inter-collegiate initiative that invites people to pursue meaning and joy by entering into the world of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and the other Inklings.
The idea for the Inklings Project was planted at Brown University. Over a decade ago, Dr. Timothy Flanigan, a physician and professor at Brown’s medical school, created an undergraduate seminar titled “Beyond Narnia: The Literature of C. S. Lewis.” Students from all backgrounds and academic disciplines found themselves reading and discussing Lewis’ books, from philosophical works to fantastical fiction. Today, the course is widely popular, providing an atmosphere for meaningful dialogue and connection.
The Inklings Project was founded to encourage and support faculty who hope to provide an Inklings course on their own university campuses.
Our Goals
Help Faculty Start/Teach Courses
Small grants to support faculty fellows in teaching/creating a course
Resources for curriculum creation
Access to lesson plans & materials
Opportunities for academic recognition
Access to an academic community (cohorts, conferences, workshops, dinners, etc.)
Help Students Start/Run Student Groups
Support creation of club constitution/structure
Help facilitate club meetings & activities
Access to readings & resources
Ideas for campus-wide events
Invitations to Inklings-related events
Why the Inklings?
The Inklings were a group of individuals (including C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien) in the 1950s who gathered in and around Oxford University once a week to discuss ideas, literature, art, and whatever they were working on at the moment.
The Inklings were chosen as our focus and namesake both for their works and for their model of fellowship. We believe that entering into the world of the Inklings—especially through their stories and fairytales—can help us better know and understand our own world around us. We hope that this initiative will invite university professors and students of all disciplines and backgrounds to engage in genuine discussion about goodness and evil, joy and pain, heroism and meaning.
Get involved in the project.
We are currently connecting with individuals who would like to get involved in the Inklings Project. If you are interested in learning more or starting an Inklings course at your university or college, please reach out to us by emailing info@inklingsproject.org or sending us a message below.