Storytelling and Social Change

3 credits · Undergraduate

(1.5 hrs Lecture | 1.5 hrs Seminar/Discussion) Why do stories matter? This interdisciplinary course introduces students to the power of stories. We think about storytelling as a form of knowledge and cultural production that informs understandings of gender, race, sexuality, and their interrelationships. Narrative, in its various forms, can challenge and elicit social movements, subvert, or reinforce asymmetrical structures of power, and shape histories. Together we examine stories and the narratives they advance as they emerge from diverse epistemological sites such as oral traditions, intergenerational knowledge sharing, various media, archival documents, and art and creative practices. Experimental Course - This course is offered on a trial basis to gauge interest in the topic. Students who successfully complete this course receive credit as indicated. Requisite Courses: WGS-1232 [prerequisite(s)].