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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.

Calling fiction the “soul of history,” Chimamamanda Ngozi Adichie argues that “Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower, and to humanize.” In this course, we will read the work of the contemporary Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, exploring themes of race, class, gender and identity in both Nigeria and the United States. In doing so, we will also examine the concept of globalization both from above—i.e. the spread of American and European consumer culture and corporate interests from Big Oil and McDonalds to Hollywood and corporate publishing powerhouses—and below—i.e. the growth of resistance via social movements, social media and contributions of writers from diverse cultures. In reading Adichie’s work, we will consider her use of fiction to speak truth to power and challenge stereotypes in her depictions of Nigerian society both in in the present and historically, particularly during the era of the Biafran War; while also intervening in current debates about racism, sexism, class inequality, and immigration in the United States.

Calling fiction the “soul of history,” Chimamamanda Ngozi Adichie argues that “Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower, and to humanize.” In this course, we will read the work of the contemporary Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, exploring themes of race, class, gender and identity in both Nigeria and the United States. In doing so, we will also examine the concept of globalization both from above—i.e. the spread of American and European consumer culture and corporate interests from Big Oil and McDonalds to Hollywood and corporate publishing powerhouses—and below—i.e. the growth of resistance via social movements, social media and contributions of writers from diverse cultures. In reading Adichie’s work, we will consider her use of fiction to speak truth to power and challenge stereotypes in her depictions of Nigerian society both in in the present and historically, particularly during the era of the Biafran War; while also intervening in current debates about racism, sexism, class inequality, and immigration in the United States.