LIT 2000

Introduction to Literature

2016-17 Theme:

Literary Environments

Most often I teach this course under the theme of Literary Environments. Our readings and discussions in this class will deconstruct conspicuous sites of conflict between humans and their physical environment (such as historical frontiers and climate change) but will also explore many different ways that physical environments shape—and are shaped by—biological and social forces including gender, class, race, ethnicity, hybridity, monstrosity, war, urban vs. rural, land vs. sea, nature vs. culture, and wildness vs. domesticity.  You can download this syllabus by clicking here.

​

2018 Theme: 

Frankenstein's Bicentennial

In 2018, however, I'm teaching a special version of this class for the bicentennial of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818), which will begin with Shelley's novel then explore other historical and contemporary texts which engage the same issues.  As an intentional act of empowerment and decolonization, all required course texts are by women authors, more than half of whom are women of color.  You can download the syllabus for Fall 2018 by clicking here.

​