In a networked world, we encounter a variety of ideas, perspectives, and contexts from cultures around the globe. “World literature” has served as a meeting ground for those ideas; however, discovering what is deemed as canonical within world literature often has more to do with power than artistic integrity or quality.
This World Literature course will engage with the question of what world literature is (and what purposes it serves). We will take seriously Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s claim from “The Danger of a Single Story” that “The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.” The “single story” of World literature, then, will be the object of study throughout the course, especially regarding how this story is often “incomplete” in its canonicity.
This class will proceed chronologically by topic. Some topics will be genres (such as sacred texts or epics) while others will be thematic or historical (Enlightenment or postcolonialism). Class will consist of in-class writing, class discussion and evaluation of texts assigned, student presentations, and essay workshops.
Since this is a 2000-level English course, I will be evaluating your work based on depth and quality of ideas, as well as sophisticated rhetorical presentation of those ideas. Basic skills from 1101 & 1102 such as spelling, grammar, citation, thesis statements, and organization will be assumed; if you struggle with these, you should come see me during office hours or visit the Learning and Tutoring Center. In terms of literary analysis, we will focus on creating original interpretations of texts read for the course; outside sources should not be consulted.
As an introduction to the discipline of literary studies, this course will introduce you to some of the written genres of a literature course, including short response essays, in-class essays, and critical research essays.
This World Literature course will engage with the question of what world literature is (and what purposes it serves). We will take seriously Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s claim from “The Danger of a Single Story” that “The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.” The “single story” of World literature, then, will be the object of study throughout the course, especially regarding how this story is often “incomplete” in its canonicity.
This class will proceed chronologically by topic. Some topics will be genres (such as sacred texts or epics) while others will be thematic or historical (Enlightenment or postcolonialism). Class will consist of in-class writing, class discussion and evaluation of texts assigned, student presentations, and essay workshops.
Since this is a 2000-level English course, I will be evaluating your work based on depth and quality of ideas, as well as sophisticated rhetorical presentation of those ideas. Basic skills from 1101 & 1102 such as spelling, grammar, citation, thesis statements, and organization will be assumed; if you struggle with these, you should come see me during office hours or visit the Learning and Tutoring Center. In terms of literary analysis, we will focus on creating original interpretations of texts read for the course; outside sources should not be consulted.
As an introduction to the discipline of literary studies, this course will introduce you to some of the written genres of a literature course, including short response essays, in-class essays, and critical research essays.