The "I" of the Beholder
LIT4386.01
Course Description
Summary
From Maggie Nelson鈥檚 Argonauts, to Hanif Abdurraqib鈥檚 essays on pop music, to Saidiya Hartman鈥檚 writing on archives of the transatlantic slave trade, many writers have taken up the task of looking at history, art, and culture by first looking inward. This 4-credit class will explore autotheory, first-person cultural criticism, and other critical writing with a distinctly personal bent. What does it mean to perform criticism from a subjective standpoint? How do our personal histories inform our critical practice, and how are we (as writers and as people) shaped by the process of critique? As part of our inquiry, we will explore how queer and trans writers like Nelson and Paul Preciado have taken up autotheory and delve into the history of first-person theorizing as a Black feminist practice, from Sojourner Truth to bell hooks. Students will read, analyze, and discuss several essays per week and write 3-4 critical-creative response papers. For the final project, students will write, workshop, and revise a 2,000-3,000-word piece of first-person criticism or autotheory.Prerequisites
Please submit a writing sample (max 7 pages) of critical writing, creative nonfiction, or both via this form, by May 9, 2024. Students will be notified of their acceptance into the course by May 14, 2024.
Please contact the faculty member : frannychoi@bennington.edu
Corequisites
Students are required to attend all Literature Evenings and Poetry at Bennington events this term, commonly held at 7pm on most Wednesday evenings.