The Politics of Modernism

An exploration of the controversies that have surrounded the political implications of modernist form. Topics will include the Brecht-Lukacs debate, surrealism and the politics of the avant-garde, the so-called "great divide" between innovative and popular art, and the relation of modernism to postmodernism. In addition to examining important theoretical statements, we will test their arguments against selected literary examples. Enrollment limited to 15.