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Course Description

Summary

That writers of color earn less than their white peers in advances and fees is anecdotally well known. But we lack exhaustive data. Gearing up for such data collection the next few years in a faculty-driven project at Bennington, this course provides an overview of the broader ethical and social landscape around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in publishing. Major inquiries will include:

• How white is publishing? I.e., who are the editors, agents, etc.?
• How white is writing? I.e., who is able to get published?
• Do writers of color have to accent or exaggerate their difference in order to fulfill white expectations, whether by publishers or audiences?
• How white is the US American reading population? What’s the difference between readers (who might use libraries, etc.) and buyers (market consumers)?
• What challenges exist in data collection? Surveying?
• What sorts of gender bias exist and how do they intersect with race bias?
• What about anti-queerness of various forms?
• What is intersectionality? What are other ways of thinking about difference?

Please note that this course is designed to follow a colloquium model. Readings will be relatively light, but students are expected to come to class prepared, having digested the materials and ready to dig in critically and creatively. The meat of our inquiry will happen in class and active participation is key. Students will create presentations in which they lead class time alongside the professor.