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In the eighteenth century, the Gothic genre emerged to enable a new type of reading and thinking about what it means to be human: it created a new imaginative space in which to consider not only dreams and nightmares, but also fantasies of alternate identities. It was possible, through the Gothic, to imagine vampires, zombies, werewolves, and other types of monsters that reflect and mutate human desires. The purpose of this course is to gain a better understanding of the popular genre of the Gothic as it was developed and practiced in the late-eighteenth century and through to today in a variety of cultural contexts. An important foundation to this class is the idea that the Gothic is more than simply mysterious or strange; it is a transgressive and provocative sort of strange. The course will focus on key concepts such as horror, haunting, madness, monsters, and the undead, concepts that serve as entry points to theories such as the uncanny, queerness, and the sublime. Students will critically read, analyze, and write about the ways that the Gothic questions what it means to be normal or accepted. The class will learn about and practice using tools for reading, interpreting, and critically responding to fiction, film, poetry, and other cultural manifestations of the Gothic. In addition, students will participate in conversations about contemporary American identities and also engage in experiential learning through field trips to Gothic architectural spaces.

In the eighteenth century, the Gothic genre emerged to enable a new type of reading and thinking about what it means to be human: it created a new imaginative space in which to consider not only dreams and nightmares, but also fantasies of alternate identities. It was possible, through the Gothic, to imagine vampires, zombies, werewolves, and other types of monsters that reflect and mutate human desires. The purpose of this course is to gain a better understanding of the popular genre of the Gothic as it was developed and practiced in the late-eighteenth century and through to today in a variety of cultural contexts. An important foundation to this class is the idea that the Gothic is more than simply mysterious or strange; it is a transgressive and provocative sort of strange. The course will focus on key concepts such as horror, haunting, madness, monsters, and the undead, concepts that serve as entry points to theories such as the uncanny, queerness, and the sublime. Students will critically read, analyze, and write about the ways that the Gothic questions what it means to be normal or accepted. The class will learn about and practice using tools for reading, interpreting, and critically responding to fiction, film, poetry, and other cultural manifestations of the Gothic. In addition, students will participate in conversations about contemporary American identities and also engage in experiential learning through field trips to Gothic architectural spaces.

“A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know..” — Diane Arbus This course surveys the history of photography from its beginnings in the early nineteenth century to the present. We will examine the use of photography for aesthetic, documentary, and “scientific” purposes, stylistic shifts in photography related to aesthetic concerns, and varying interpretations of subject matter based on social and cultural concerns at specific moments in history. We will also consider the relationship between photography and the visual arts in general, which culminates with the primacy of photography as a medium by the late twentieth century. Image credit: Tod Papageorges, Portrait of Diane Arbus, 1967, from http://www.thestranger.com

“A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know..” — Diane Arbus This course surveys the history of photography from its beginnings in the early nineteenth century to the present. We will examine the use of photography for aesthetic, documentary, and “scientific” purposes, stylistic shifts in photography related to aesthetic concerns, and varying interpretations of subject matter based on social and cultural concerns at specific moments in history. We will also consider the relationship between photography and the visual arts in general, which culminates with the primacy of photography as a medium by the late twentieth century. Image credit: Tod Papageorges, Portrait of Diane Arbus, 1967, from http://www.thestranger.com

This course will introduce you to reading and writing across genres. The course will focus on readings that explore concepts of identity in America and the ways in which race, class, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity intersect to shape one’s experience, sense of self and understanding of the world. Through an analysis of contemporary American literary texts, and situating them in their historical, political and social contexts, we will examine the relationship between literary narratives and larger political and social movements. To do so, we will supplement our analysis of the literary texts with theoretical inquiry and historical research to develop a fuller understanding of the social and cultural significance of each work.

This course will introduce you to reading and writing across genres. The course will focus on readings that explore concepts of identity in America and the ways in which race, class, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity intersect to shape one’s experience, sense of self and understanding of the world. Through an analysis of contemporary American literary texts, and situating them in their historical, political and social contexts, we will examine the relationship between literary narratives and larger political and social movements. To do so, we will supplement our analysis of the literary texts with theoretical inquiry and historical research to develop a fuller understanding of the social and cultural significance of each work.