Representations of Disability in Literary and Cultural Texts

3 credits · Undergraduate

(3 hrs Lecture) This course examines social, cultural, historical, political, and aesthetic ideas about disability as they are expressed in literary and cultural texts. Students use the skills of textual and theoretical analysis to examine a range of texts that may include novels, performance texts, poetry, short stories, children's and young people's texts, feature films, documentary films, visual art, graphic narratives, blogs, YouTube videos, and other texts generated by social media. Students consider representations of disability in relation to a wide range of topics including aging, creative identity, colonialism, culture, ethics, ethnicity, family, gender, human rights, imperialism, memory, mythology, nation, and sexuality. Requisite Courses: 6 credit hours of First-Year English, including ENGL-1001(6) or ENGL-1000(3) [prerequisite(s)]. ENGL-3922 (3 or 6) Trauma in Literatures and Cultures (3 hrs Lecture) This course examines literary and cultural representations of traumatic experiences. Students study trauma theories as they pertain to literature and other cultural expressions. The traumatic encounters the course examine may include genocides, mass atrocities, and various forms of violence, such as sexual violence and torture. Through the analysis of a diverse array of texts from different genres, traditions, periods, and contexts, the course investigates the relationships between trauma, artistic and cultural representation, history, and memory. Topics may address one or more specific traumatic events. Requisite Courses: 6 credit of First-Year English, including either ENGL-1001(6) or ENGL-1000(3) [prerequisite(s)].