DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH Oakland University …...3/27/17 1 DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH Oakland University Semester Course Descriptions (Advising Memo), Fall 2017 (Subject to change)AMS 3000

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Oakland University

Semester Course Descriptions (Advising Memo), Fall 2017 (Subject to change)

AMS 3000 (300): Topics in American Culture ............................................................................................. J. Insko

CRN 44393

SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN U.S. DIVERSITY. SATISFIES THE

UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE KNOWLEDGE APPLICATION INTEGRATION

AREA.

In 2010, a tar sands oil pipeline ruptured in Marshall, Michigan, spilling over one million gallons of oil into

Talmadge Creek, a tributary of the Kalamazoo River. It was the worst inland oil spill in U.S. history and

cost more than a billion dollars to clean up. That same pipeline runs through Oakland County, just to the

north of Oakland University. Of course, Michigan and Oakland’s relationship with oil—and oil culture—

runs even deeper. The university owes its very existence to the automobile industry (thanks to the Dodge

family) and has close ties to that industry even today (think: Chrysler). This course will explore the history,

politics, literature, and culture of oil in the United States, from the whaling industry to Standing Rock. In

ways visible and invisible, good and bad, oil saturates U.S. culture and history, fueling modernity and

driving (pun intended) everything from settler colonialism to climate change. Exploring both the local (the

Marshall disaster, the local auto industry, the vulnerability of the Great Lakes) and the national (American

myths of mobility and freedom), and examining a variety of cultural artifacts (news reports, blogs, visual

art, social protests, literature, film, and more) we will try to grapple with our vexed relationship to oil in an

era of global environmental crisis. Prerequisite(s): Western civilization knowledge application

integration area: Completion of the general education requirement in the Western civilization

knowledge exploration area.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: W 6-9:20 p.m.

AMS 4998 (401): Senior Project .................................................................................................................... J. Insko

CRN 40474

Either an independent research project or an internship in American studies. Plans for this project must be

developed with the concentration coordinator the semester before the student registers for this course.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: TBA

CINEMA 1150 (150): Introduction to Film ................................................................................................ N. Koob

CRN 43068 SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE ARTS KNOWLEDGE

EXPLORATION AREA. SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN U.S.

DIVERSITY.

Introduction to the art of film by examination of the filmmaking process, study of narrative and non-

narrative film, and exploration of film’s relation to society. Wednesday class meeting time extended to

accommodate film viewing.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: M 10:40 a.m. - 12:27 p.m.; W 10:40 a.m. - 1:07 p.m.

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CINEMA 1150 (150): Introduction to Film ................................................................................................ N. Koob

CRN 44040

SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE ARTS KNOWLEDGE


DIVERSITY.


narrative film, and exploration of film’s relation to society. Wednesday class meeting time extended to


TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: M 1:20 - 3:07 p.m.; W 1:20 - 3:47 p.m.

CINEMA 1150 (150): Introduction to Film .......................................................................................... K. Edwards

CRN 44459



DIVERSITY.


narrative film, and exploration of film’s relation to society. Tuesday class meeting time extended to


TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: T 10 a.m. - 12:27 p.m.; R 10-11:47 a.m.,

CINEMA 1150 (150): Introduction to Film .............................................................................................. D. Shaerf

CRN 43069



DIVERSITY.




TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: T 12-2:27 p.m.; R 12-1:47 p.m.

CINEMA 1150 (150): Introduction to Film ........................................................................................... K. Edwards

CRN 44921



DIVERSITY.




TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: T 1-3:27 p.m.; R 1-2:47 p.m.

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CINEMA 1150 (150): Introduction to Film .............................................................................................. D. Shaerf

CRN 43613



DIVERSITY.




TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: T 3-5:27 p.m.; R 3-4:47 p.m.

CINEMA 1150 (150): Introduction to Film ............................................................................................. C. Meyers

CRN 44922



DIVERSITY.


narrative film, and exploration of film’s relation to society. Class meeting time extended to accommodate

film viewing.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: T 5:30-9:50 p.m.

CINEMA 1600 (165): Introduction to Filmmaking ........................................................................................ A. Eis

CRN 43349

Introduction to digital film production through group projects. Prerequisite(s): CIN 150 or ENG 250;

cinema studies major or minor standing.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: T 8-30-11:47 a.m.

CINEMA 1600 (165): Introduction to Filmmaking ................................................................................... A. Gould

CRN 43350

Introduction to digital film production through group projects. Prerequisite(s): CIN 150 or ENG 250;

cinema studies major or minor standing.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: TR 12-1:47 p.m.

CINEMA 2150 (252): Methods of Cinema Studies .................................................................................. B. Kredell

CRN 41663

SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR A WRITING INTENSIVE COURSE

IN THE MAJOR. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE UNIVERSITY WRITING

FOUNDATION REQUIREMENT.

Introduction to the academic study of film, with special emphasis on scholarly research and formal writing.

Film screening lab may be required. Prerequisite(s): CIN 150 or ENG 250; WRT 160 with a grade of

2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: TBA

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MEETS: MW 1:20-4:07 p.m.

CINEMA 2600 (265): Form and Meaning in Filmmaking ....................................................................... A. Gould

CRN 42087

Through group projects and individual editing, students explore formal methods of creating meaning in

shots, sequences and short films. Prerequisite(s): CIN 165; permission of instructor.

TEXTS: TBA


CINEMA 3150 (315): Film Theory and Criticism ................................................................................ K. Edwards CRN 42053

Survey of major critical approaches to the academic study of film, such as those theoretical models

proposed by Eisenstein, Kracauer, Arnheim, Bazin, Sarris and Metz. Film screening lab may be required.

Prerequisite: CIN 252 with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MW 1:20-4:07 p.m.

CINEMA 3200 (300): History of Film: The Silent Era............................................................................ B. Kredell

CRN 44467

Survey of directors and films important in shaping film history: Griffith, Eisenstein, Chaplin, Mumau,

Pabst, Lang and others. Film screening lab may be required. Prerequisite(s): CIN 150 or ENG 250.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MW 10 a.m.-12:47 p.m.

CINEMA 3330 (325) Understanding Media Industries ...................................................................... C. Donoghue

CRN 44924

The course is designed to provide a critical, contextual, and practical understanding of the media industries.

Students will consider the way political economic conditions, institutions, technologies, business practices,

and creative cultures impact how a variety of industries operate and the ways in which we understand the

contemporary period. We will examine broader national and global structures shaping media industries as

well as situate industry practices in a more local context. While we are concerned with specific economic

logic and business strategies, the course will raise questions of how power and agency circulate among

practitioners and audiences. The class provides an opportunity to engage with local professionals,

institutions, and practices inside and outside of the classroom through on-site visits, master class speakers,

and collaborative group projects. While this course will be helpful for students with professional goals of

entering the media industries, our key objective is to foster a critical understanding of the multi-faceted and

convergent media business today. Prerequisite: CIN 150 or ENG 250. Identical with COM 386.

TEXTS: TBA


CINEMA 4930 (485): ST: Film Internship ............................................................................................... B. Kredell

CRN 42705

Field internship for cinema studies majors under faculty supervision. May not be repeated for credit. (Formerly

CIN 485.) COURSE DESCRIPTION: The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) program is designed to

provide Oakland University students with hands-on experience at a major international film festival and market,

including screenings, industry panels, and master class workshops with media professionals. Students will be

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introduced to contemporary trends in global cinema; foster an understanding of the business operations and cultural

activities of TIFF; obtain professionalization opportunities and forge pathways towards successful creative careers in

the media industries. (Formerly CIN 485.) Prerequisites/Comments: CIN 150 or ENG 250; junior/senior

standing; 16 credits in cinema studies courses, with 8 at the 300-400 level (or 3000-4000 level); and instructor

permission

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: TBA

CINEMA 3905 (350): ST: New Hollywood Censorship ............................................................................. N. Koob

CRN 44469

This course examines censorship in American film history primarily from the 1960s on. Concerns over

censorship and strategies to control or mediate content are key at any moment of film history. Hollywood

has a long history of self-regulation, but this has not ever completely quelled the interests of social groups,

government or ideals that wish to further control content. The dynamic between industrial, civic, cultural,

legal, political, social, artistic, religious groups and more when it comes to censorship is the fascinating

battleground which we will study.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MW 5:30-8:17 p.m.

CINEMA 3906 (365): Design, Motion, Effects ................................................................................................ A. Eis

CRN 44474

Design, Motion, Effects is a production course focused on the evolving practice of digital motion graphics

and visual effects, as well as study of the principles of design that make them most effective. Creating

intriguing and meaningful motion graphics and effects comes from a balance of technical skill and design

knowledge. An understanding of how viewers respond to compositions of rhythms, colors, shapes,

movement, images and text is as critical as knowing how to create these compositions. The course will

cover historical background and contemporary conceptual, aesthetic and design approaches. Students will

create typographic explorations, creative visual texts and animated illustrations both as standalone micro

films and as film title sequences, and progress to increased complexity in motion graphics and special

effects sequences. Prerequisite: CIN2600 (265).

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: T 5-8:20 p.m. - T 5-8:20 p.m.

CINEMA 4900 (450): ST: Detroit Media............................................................................................. C. Donoghue

CRN 44476

SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE.

SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR A WRITING INTENSIVE IN THE

MAJOR. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE UNIVERSITY WRITING


The CIN capstone is a special topics course on Detroit media, arts, and culture. Specifically, we will

examine the city’s cultural productions, mediated representations and narratives, and local and global

impacts. The course is organized into three units: Past (Historical), Present (Representational & Industrial),

and Future (Creative City). By pairing scholarly and popular press readings with narrative film,

documentary film, broadcast media, news, art and photography, and social media, students will engage with

Detroit’s rich and complex politics, economy, culture, and geography. Film and media texts will be utilized

to trace Detroit’s media industries as well as larger conversations around the city’s (post)industrialization,

bankruptcy, racial politics, gentrification, transforming creative industries, and urban (re)branding. The

course employs a variety of theoretical frameworks and methodologies through in-class activities and

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independent assignments and projects. The course satisfies the university general education requirement

for the capstone experience and a writing intensive course in the major. Prerequisite: CIN 315 or

instructor permission.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: TR 9-11:47 a.m.

CINEMA 4930 (485): Field Internship in Cinema ...................................................................................... A. Gould

CRN 43056

Field internship for cinema studies majors under faculty supervision. Academic project that incorporates

student performance in an occupational setting. May not be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: CIN 150 or

ENG 250; junior/senior standing; 16 credits in cinema studies courses, with 8 at the 300-400 level;

and instructor permission.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: TBA

ENGLISH 2100 (216): Intro Workshop in Creative Writing, Fiction/Poetry ..................................... V. Stauffer

CRN 44618

An introduction to the basic skills and techniques associated with the study of creative writing within the

academy. Through the study of selected modern and contemporary authors, students will learn the basic

generic conventions of poetry and fiction and practice these conventions in producing their own work. In

addition to creative assignments, students will work to refine their analytical and expressive skills—both

written and verbal—through short critical assignments and small- and large-group workshops. This course

also examines the role of art and the artist in contemporary society and will encourage the exploration of

other crafts. Requirements: excellent attendance, active participation (verbal and written), exercises,

workshop drafts, short analytical essays, two exams, and two portfolios. Pre-requisite: WRT 160 with a

grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: The Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction, Williford & Martone, Eds. The Autumn

House Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry, 2nd edition. Simms, Ed.

MEETS: TR 10-11:47 a.m.

ENGLISH 2100 (216): Intro Workshop in Creative Writing, Fiction/Poetry ...................................... P. Markus

CRN 42619

Why read poetry? Why write poetry? What’s the point and purpose of story, of the imagination, of the

made up? These are just a few questions to get us started as we begin the journey that will become this

class. We’ll be reading all types and styles of poetry and fiction that exist in the world as a way of

expanding our experience in the literary arts and exposing us to new ways of seeing and saying and being

in the larger world. The world is a mysterious place, a world shaped by the things in it, though the world

doesn’t always make sense to us until we make the time to sit down and pick up a pencil and begin to

wonder and wander our way through it in order to see it in a new way.

We will read the poems and stories of other writers to help inspire the poems and stories that are ours to

write. We’ll look at other writers to help us discover the kinds of writing that excite us, engage us, and

make us feel the sensation of being not only awake in the world but fully alive. All I ask of you is to be

open to what you might not at first understand. Don’t be afraid of what might seem or feel new and strange

(both what you read and also what you write). Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0

or higher.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: T 6:30-9:50 p.m.

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ENGLISH 2100 (216): Intro Workshop in Creative Writing, Fiction/ Poetry ..................................... P. Markus

CRN 44620

Why read poetry? Why write poetry? What’s the point and purpose of story, of the imagination, of the

made up? These are just a few questions to get us started as we begin the journey that will become this

class. We’ll be reading all types and styles of poetry and fiction that exist in the world as a way of

expanding our experience in the literary arts and exposing us to new ways of seeing and saying and being

in the larger world. The world is a mysterious place, a world shaped by the things in it, though the world

doesn’t always make sense to us until we make the time to sit down and pick up a pencil and begin to

wonder and wander our way through it in order to see it in a new way. We will read the poems and stories

of other writers to help inspire the poems and stories that are ours to write. We’ll look at other writers to

help us discover the kinds of writing that excite us, engage us, and make us feel the sensation of being not

only awake in the world but fully alive. All I ask of you is to be open to what you might not at first

understand. Don’t be afraid of what might seem or feel new and strange (both what you read and also what

you write). Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS TBA

MEETS: R 6:30-9:50 p.m.

ENGLISH 2400 (217): Introduction to Screen/TV Writing .................................................................. J. Chappell

CRN 44621

Entry level creative writing workshop in screen and television writing. Prerequisites: WRT 160 or

equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: T 6-9:20 p.m.

ENGLISH 2400 (217): Introduction to Screen/TV Writing ..................................................................... D. Shaerf

CRN 44623

Entry level creative writing workshop in screen and television writing. Prerequisite(s): WRT 160 with a


TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: R 6-9:50 p.m.

ENGLISH 2500 (218): Introduction to Literary Nonfiction ........................................................................N. Cole

CRN 44622

SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE

EXPLORATION AREA.

What is literary nonfiction? What is an essay? Writer Dinty Moore describes literary nonfiction’s focus “on

the human desire to tell—and be told—compelling stories,” by describing “real people, actual events,

genuine places, and the author’s authentic thoughts and observations.”

This course is an introduction to the history and structures of literary nonfiction in all its fascinating and

flexible forms, including memoir, personal essay, epistolary, and special topics essays about themes as

diverse as childhood, war, travel, medicine, and food. This course considers craft practices of creative

writing—including point of view, imagery, metaphor, character, scene, and style—and the ethical

ramifications of writing about the world around us. Students will write and workshop (share for class

critique) their own essay exploring experiences and questions important to them, and do in-class writing

exercises to hone their creative expression. Prerequisite(s): WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0

or higher.

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TEXTS: Assigned readings from Moodle: Philip Lopate, The Art of the Personal Essay. Dinty Moore The

Truth of the Matter: Art and Craft in Creative Nonfiction

MEETS: M 6-9:20 p.m.

ENGLISH 3200 (383): Workshop in Fiction ......................................................................................... J. Chapman

CRN 44626

This class will help students become stronger writers and also help them enjoy writing. It will introduce

students to a variety of different prose styles and forms. Everyone will be trying on many different hats in

this class. The class will focus more on the practice of writing than on the mechanics of fiction. While we

will address the latter, we will be more interested with what it means to treat writing as a practice and a

lifestyle. We will write daily, do many exercises, and generate new material; we will not spend much (if

any) time focusing on things students have already written before the semester. We will be producing and

discussing all-new stories. Prerequisite(s): ENG 216.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 3200 (383): Workshop in Fiction .............................................................................................. A. Gilson

CRN 44625

Creative writing workshop, with emphasis on narrative. Prerequisite: ENG 216.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: T 6:30-9:50 p.m.

ENGLISH 3300 (384) Workshop in Poetry ............................................................................................ K. Hartsock

CRN 44624

Creative writing workshop. With emphasis on both traditional and experimental poetic forms.

Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite(s): ENG 216.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 3400 (387): Screenwriting .................................................................................... J. Chappell

CRN 44627

Creative writing for motion pictures, emphasizing fundamentals of scene construction, characterization,

and dialogue creation. Prerequisite: ENG 217 with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: R 6-9:20 p.m.

ENGLISH 4200 (410): Advanced Workshop in Fiction ........................................................................... A. Gilson

CRN 44628





This advanced fiction writing class is focused largely on writing a number of short stories and on revising

at least one of these stories. Stories will be critiqued class in the workshop setting. This means you will be

giving and receiving criticism—intended to help you develop and improve your work—to and from all the

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members of the class. We will also do in-class exercises designed to help you develop the different

elements of fiction writing. In addition, you will be assigned readings of published short stories and essays

on craft. Students have the option of submitting chapters of novels instead of short stories. If you want to

do this, please include a short one-paragraph synopsis of the action of the novel prior to the chapter you're

submitting. Fiction track majors will also do final reviews, literary journal overviews, and aesthetic

statements designed to provide a capstone to the work they've done in the track. Creative writing workshop

in fiction. Prerequisite: ENG 383 or instructor permission.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: R 6:30-9:50 p.m.

ENGLISH 1300 (105) Intro to Shakespeare ............................................................................................... N. Herold

CRN 43072 SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE

EXPLORATION AREA.

A general introduction to representative dramatic works of Shakespeare.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: R 12-1:07 p.m.

ENGLISH 1300 (105) Intro to Shakespeare ............................................................................................... N. Herold


EXPLORATION AREA.


TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MWF 1:20-2:27 p.m.

ENGLISH 1300 (105) Intro to Shakespeare ...................................................................................... J. Gower-Toms


EXPLORATION AREA.

This class is intended to teach you the fundamentals of reading the Shakespearean text. The goal is that you

leave this course confident in your ability to read Shakespeare’s body of work. As we will discuss

extensively in class, Shakespeare is often considered among the most difficult authors in the English

language to read and understand. I hope to dispel you of this notion, to give you the skills to read

Shakespeare in a confident and meaningful way. Because we are studying works from such a historically

unfamiliar period, our discussions will often include the historical, cultural and social phenomenon and

beliefs that were central to this time period. The Shakespearean text cannot be separated from the culture

that produced it; therefore, we will consider the relationship between early modern (Shakespearean) culture

and his writing.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: M 6:30-9:50 p.m.

ENGLISH 1300 (105) Intro to Shakespeare ...................................................................................... J. Gower-Toms


EXPLORATION AREA.

This class is intended to teach you the fundamentals of reading the Shakespearean text. The goal is that you

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leave this course confident in your ability to read Shakespeare’s body of work. As we will discuss

extensively in class, Shakespeare is often considered among the most difficult authors in the English

language to read and understand. I hope to dispel you of this notion, to give you the skills to read

Shakespeare in a confident and meaningful way. Because we are studying works from such a historically

unfamiliar period, our discussions will often include the historical, cultural and social phenomenon and

beliefs that were central to this time period. The Shakespearean text cannot be separated from the culture

that produced it; therefore, we will consider the relationship between early modern (Shakespearean) culture

and his writing.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: W 6:30-9:50 p.m.

ENGLISH 1500 (112) Literature of Ethnic America .............................................................................. S. Beckwith


EXPLORATION AREA.

Star-Spangled Selfies: Ethnic American Self-Portraits—Pictures of Home and Self in Their Own

Words

How do we see ourselves? How do others see us? Social Media now allows us to share ‘selfies’ on any

number of platforms. We have filters to alter our image before other people see it. We have sticks to

determine the ‘distance’ at which we stand. And we have #hashtags to define and position ourselves.

But what happens when society and your ethnicity influence how you are seen? When you don’t choose

your ‘platform,’ or place, but instead society and ethnicity determine it for you? What happens when

society and ethnicity are the ‘filters’ that alter your image—changing both how others see you and how you

see yourself? When society and ethnicity become the ‘stick’ that distances you from others—sometimes

making you seem ‘other’ even to yourself? What happens when society defines you by a ‘hashtag’ chosen

by others—a hashtag that consists of one single identifying word: your ethnicity? In this course we will

consider how Americans of various ethnic heritages see themselves and their awareness of how society sees

them by reading literature in which they compose the picture of what ‘home’ and ‘self’ mean to them in

their own words. Along with reading selections from memoirs, novels, short stories, and poetry, we will

also look at literal visual depictions of ethnicity and diversity (or the lack of visual depictions of ethnicity

and diversity) in socially mediated forums. We will consider how ethnicity and self is not necessarily

perceived as being fixed by these authors—either in terms of literal geographical/national boundaries or by

crossing borders delineated by the linguistic fence of code-switching; how one’s voice takes on different

accents and levels of agency through writing stories; how the body becomes subject to both self and society

when it is a visual cue for others, a cue which can also then become a ‘red-flag’ for persecution or physical

injury; and how this body is also a common ground for all Americans—a common ground where maladies

(in the form of physical illness and emotional distress) must be treated, where sustenance (in the form of

food and the comfort provided by the proximity of others) must be attained, and where shelter (in the form

of clothing and housing) must be given ; and we will consider how literature and technology today can

allow for ethnicity and race to no longer be a cultural construct that can become a box to be checked on an

application or census form, but instead to present true pictures of how we see ourselves as Americans.

Assignments will take various formats, including written essays and visual projects (though no artistic

talent is required!). Class Discussion and Participation will be heavily emphasized in our meetings.

Readings will most probably include selections from authors such as: James Baldwin (African American,

1960s) and Ta-Nehisi Coates (African American, 2010s); Sandra Cisneros (Mexican American, 2000s);

Junot Diaz (Dominican American, 1990s); and Jhumpa Lahiri (Indian Bengali American, 2000s).

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MWF 9:20-10:27 a.m.

ENGLISH 1500 (112) Literature of Ethnic America .............................................................................. S. Beckwith


EXPLORATION AREA.

Star-Spangled Selfies: Ethnic American Self-Portraits—Pictures of Home and Self in Their Own

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Words

How do we see ourselves? How do others see us? Social Media now allows us to share ‘selfies’ on any

number of platforms. We have filters to alter our image before other people see it. We have sticks to

determine the ‘distance’ at which we stand. And we have #hashtags to define and position ourselves. But

what happens when society and your ethnicity influence how you are seen? When you don’t choose your

‘platform,’ or place, but instead society and ethnicity determine it for you? What happens when society and

ethnicity are the ‘filters’ that alter your image—changing both how others see you and how you see

yourself? When society and ethnicity become the ‘stick’ that distances you from others—sometimes

making you seem ‘other’ even to yourself? What happens when society defines you by a ‘hashtag’ chosen

by others—a hashtag that consists of one single identifying word: your ethnicity? In this course we will

consider how Americans of various ethnic heritages see themselves and their awareness of how society sees

them by reading literature in which they compose the picture of what ‘home’ and ‘self’ mean to them in

their own words. Along with reading selections from memoirs, novels, short stories, and poetry, we will

also look at literal visual depictions of ethnicity and diversity (or the lack of visual depictions of ethnicity

and diversity) in socially mediated forums. We will consider how ethnicity and self is not necessarily

perceived as being fixed by these authors—either in terms of literal geographical/national boundaries or by

crossing borders delineated by the linguistic fence of code-switching; how one’s voice takes on different

accents and levels of agency through writing stories; how the body becomes subject to both self and society

when it is a visual cue for others, a cue which can also then become a ‘red-flag’ for persecution or physical

injury; and how this body is also a common ground for all Americans—a common ground where maladies

(in the form of physical illness and emotional distress) must be treated, where sustenance (in the form of

food and the comfort provided by the proximity of others) must be attained, and where shelter (in the form

of clothing and housing) must be given ; and we will consider how literature and technology today can

allow for ethnicity and race to no longer be a cultural construct that can become a box to be checked on an

application or census form, but instead to present true pictures of how we see ourselves as Americans.

Assignments will take various formats, including written essays and visual projects (though no artistic

talent is required!). Class Discussion and Participation will be heavily emphasized in our meetings.

Readings will most probably include selections from authors such as: James Baldwin (African American,

1960s) and Ta-Nehisi Coates (African American, 2010s); Sandra Cisneros (Mexican American, 2000s);

Junot Diaz (Dominican American, 1990s); and Jhumpa Lahiri (Indian Bengali American, 2000s).

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MWF 10:40-11:47 a.m.

ENGLISH 1500 (112) Literature of Ethnic America .................................................................................... J. Insko



DIVERSITY.

Studies in literature about the American ethnic heritage including examples from such sources as African-

American, Native American and American immigrant literatures.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MWF 12-1:07 p.m.

ENGLISH 1500 (112) Literature of Ethnic America .................................................................................... J. Insko



DIVERSITY.

Studies in literature about the American ethnic heritage including examples from such sources as African-

American, Native American and American immigrant literatures.

TEXTS: TBA

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ENGLISH 1700 (111): Modern Literature ............................................................................................. S. McCarty

CRN 44187


EXPLORATION AREA.

We will focus on the short story form and its rise in the U.S., starting in the late 19th century and reading

through today, paying special attention to the ways in which the short story grapples with questions of war,

modernity, race, gender, and identity. We will examine how authors use various forms and styles--such as

graphic fiction, fairy tale, and flash fiction—to tell new stories using old tricks, and we will read some of

the classics of the genre, including work by James Baldwin, Ernest Hemingway, Alice Munro, and others.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MWF 10:40-11:47 a.m.

ENGLISH 1700 (111): Modern Literature ................................................................................................... C. Apap

CRN 44188


EXPLORATION AREA.

In this class, we will spend the semester in the close study of three modern American novels . We will

attend to the novels as works of literature, but will also study them within the framework of the early

twentieth century and the specific national context of the United States between the World Wars. In

particular, we will ask how literature is a way of reflecting on an author’s contemporary moment, on

particular ethical and political issues, as well as broader philosophical ideas as well. Our readings for the

semester will include F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were

Watching God, and John Dos Passos’s The Big Money. Students may expect to be active participants in a

variety of discussions, write three take-home exams, and complete a course research project.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 1700 (111): Modern Literature ............................................................................................. S. McCarty

CRN 44186


EXPLORATION AREA.

We will focus on the short story form and its rise in the U.S., starting in the late 19th century and reading

through today, paying special attention to the ways in which the short story grapples with questions of war,

modernity, race, gender, and identity. We will examine how authors use various forms and styles--such as

graphic fiction, fairy tale, and flash fiction—to tell new stories using old tricks, and we will read some of

the classics of the genre, including work by James Baldwin, Ernest Hemingway, Alice Munro, and others.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 1700 (111): Modern Literature .............................................................................................. V. Stauffer

CRN 43351


EXPLORATION AREA.

General introduction to modern literature, which can include works written from early twentieth century to

the present, with some attention to literary form and to the way in which literature reflects culture. The

word “modern” derives from the Latin word modos, meaning 'just now'. In common usage, something is

modern if it is current, new, up to date. In literary terms, “modern” refers to the literature of the turn of the

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20th century through World War II, roughly 1890-1950. This time period witnessed both great

innovation—the rise of technology, science, psychology—and great turmoil: wars, the Holocaust, the

American struggle for civil rights and women's suffrage. Literature underwent rapid change as well, as

writers sought to make sense of the shifting social, political, and spiritual landscapes through new themes

and styles that more accurately represented their 'just now'. As during most times of cultural upheaval,

modern literature tells two stories: one of loss and one of gain. For the era's icons, aesthetic innovation

generally represents a loss of faith in previously unquestioned truths. For other writers, however, this was a

time of tremendous opportunity. Some previously-held “truths” excluded on the basis of gender, race, class,

and sexuality, and when cracks began to appear in the dominant narrative, new voices emerged to subvert

and correct it. This is the era, for instance, of the Harlem Renaissance, the artistic movement that gave

voice to African-American culture. This semester we'll explore both sides of the story of modernism,

considering how modern American writers experienced both disillusionment and awakening; where they

lost and found faith, both spiritual and secular; and the ways in which they transformed—sometimes

transcended—literary form to give expression to their experiences.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 1700 (111): Modern Literature .............................................................................................. V. Stauffer

CRN 43578


EXPLORATION AREA.

General introduction to modern literature, which can include works written from early twentieth century to

the present, with some attention to literary form and to the way in which literature reflects culture. The

word “modern” derives from the Latin word modos, meaning 'just now'. In common usage, something is

modern if it is current, new, up to date. In literary terms, “modern” refers to the literature of the turn of the

20th century through World War II, roughly 1890-1950. This time period witnessed both great

innovation—the rise of technology, science, psychology—and great turmoil: wars, the Holocaust, the

American struggle for civil rights and women's suffrage. Literature underwent rapid change as well, as

writers sought to make sense of the shifting social, political, and spiritual landscapes through new themes

and styles that more accurately represented their 'just now'. As during most times of cultural upheaval,

modern literature tells two stories: one of loss and one of gain. For the era's icons, aesthetic innovation

generally represents a loss of faith in previously unquestioned truths. For other writers, however, this was a

time of tremendous opportunity. Some previously-held “truths” excluded on the basis of gender, race, class,

and sexuality, and when cracks began to appear in the dominant narrative, new voices emerged to subvert

and correct it. This is the era, for instance, of the Harlem Renaissance, the artistic movement that gave

voice to African-American culture. This semester we'll explore both sides of the story of modernism,

considering how modern American writers experienced both disillusionment and awakening; where they

lost and found faith, both spiritual and secular; and the ways in which they transformed—sometimes

transcended—literary form to give expression to their experiences.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 1800 (100): Masterpieces of the World Lit ................................................................................. C. Apap

CRN 40535


EXPLORATION AREA.

Our class will focus on Aristotle’s idea of Recognition—or Anagnorisis—in literature. We will begin with

the classical definitions of the term and the model of the concept, Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. From there, we

will consider a variety of different literary approaches to anagnorisis, from the Bible to early modern

romance to the detective story to modern coming-of-age tales like the graphic novel Fun Home. We will

consider how Aristotle’s ideas are adapted for different genres and different eras, and will ask how the idea

might be reimbued with meaning for the contemporary study of literature. Texts studied may include:

Aristotle’s Poetics, Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, The Bible, The Koran, Shakespeare’s King Lear, selected

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stories from Edgar Allen Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle, Himes’ A Rage in Harlem, and Bechdel’s Fun

Home. Course requirements include: class attendance and participation, a weekly reading log, midterm

exam, and final exam.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MWF 9:20-10:27 a.m.

ENGLISH 1800 (100): Masterpieces of the World Lit ................................................................................. C. Apap

CRN 40895


EXPLORATION AREA.

Our class will focus on Aristotle’s idea of Recognition—or Anagnorisis—in literature. We will begin with

the classical definitions of the term and the model of the concept, Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. From there, we

will consider a variety of different literary approaches to anagnorisis, from the Bible to early modern

romance to the detective story to modern coming-of-age tales like the graphic novel Fun Home. We will

consider how Aristotle’s ideas are adapted for different genres and different eras, and will ask how the idea

might be reimbued with meaning for the contemporary study of literature. Texts studied may include:

Aristotle’s Poetics, Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, The Bible, The Koran, Shakespeare’s King Lear, selected

stories from Edgar Allen Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle, Himes’ A Rage in Harlem, and Bechdel’s Fun

Home. Course requirements include: class attendance and participation, a weekly reading log, midterm

exam, and final exam.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MWF 10:40-11:47 a.m.

ENGLISH 1800 (100): Masterpieces of the World Lit .................................................................................. N. Cole

CRN 40736


EXPLORATION AREA.

A survey acquainting the student with some of the great literature of the world, including genres of novel,

short story, poetry, drama, essay and film, including subgenres of crime fiction, science fiction, and

documentary film.. This semester we will consider work set in South Africa, China, India, France, the US

and the UK among other places, and we will focus particularly on themes of identity, family, love,

violence, and cultural change. Moodle texts: must be printed and hard copies brought to class.

TEXTS: Charters, Ann - The Story and Its Writer, 8th edition. Coetzee, John - The Life and Times of

Michael K. Ishiguro, Kazuo - Never Let Me Go. Jin, Ha - Waiting. Plath, Sylvia - The Bell Jar.

Simenon, Georges - The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien.


ENGLISH 1800 (100): Masterpieces of the World Lit .................................................................................. N. Cole

CRN 41469


EXPLORATION AREA.

A survey acquainting the student with some of the great literature of the world.

TEXTS: TBA


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ENGLISH 1800 (100): Masterpieces of the World Lit .........................................................................A. Spearman

CRN 44383


EXPLORATION AREA.

Course Description: This course covers a sampling of the greatest world literature. Although the course is

by no means comprehensive of great world masterpieces, we will attempt to explore a series of universal

themes, such as religion and love, as expressed by authors from different ages, cultural backgrounds, and

geographic locations. In addition to exploring different cultural writings and historical periods, we will

also explore a variety of literary forms from poetry and prose to drama and the epistle. Through careful

reading and analysis, along with an open mind, we will seek to familiarize ourselves with traditions and

cultures different from our own, as well as identify links to our own traditions and cultures.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: W 6:30-9:50 p.m.

ENGLISH 1800 (100): Masterpieces of the World Lit .........................................................................A. Spearman

CRN 44384


EXPLORATION AREA.

Course Description: This course covers a sampling of the greatest world literature. Although the course is

by no means comprehensive of great world masterpieces, we will attempt to explore a series of universal

themes, such as religion and love, as expressed by authors from different ages, cultural backgrounds, and

geographic locations. In addition to exploring different cultural writings and historical periods, we will

also explore a variety of literary forms from poetry and prose to drama and the epistle. Through careful

reading and analysis, along with an open mind, we will seek to familiarize ourselves with traditions and

cultures different from our own, as well as identify links to our own traditions and cultures.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: R 6:30-9:50 p.m.

ENGLISH 2100 (211): Introduction to Literary Studies ................................................................................... Staff

CRN 43484

Introduction to literary research, the writing conventions of literary criticism, and the critical analysis of

drama, prose fiction, and poetry. Required for the English major and minor. Prerequisite for the 300-level

literary history and capstone courses. Prerequisite(s): WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or

higher and English major or minor standing.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MWF 9:20-10:27 a.m.

ENGLISH 2100 (211): Introduction to Literary Studies ................................................................................... Staff

CRN 42485

Introduction to literary research, the writing conventions of literary criticism, and the critical analysis of

drama, prose fiction, and poetry. Required for the English major and minor. Prerequisite for the 300-level

literary history and capstone courses. Prerequisite(s): WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or

higher and English major or minor standing.

TEXTS: TBA


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ENGLISH 2100 (211): Introduction to Literary Studies ..................................................................... R. Anderson

CRN 42639

This class is an introduction to literary studies—academic literary studies. In it, you will learn how to use

the professional discourse of literary studies in academia to enhance your ability to read, analyze, interpret,

research, discuss, write about and enjoy literature: poetry, fiction, drama (and perhaps film). We will

sharpen close reading skills, develop strategies for writing coherent arguments and clear sentences, and

learn the basics of library and archival research. Texts will include Shakespeare’s The Tempest,

Wordsworth and Coleridge’s Lyrical Ballads, Calvino’s Cosmicomics, Martel’s Life of Pi, and Preminger’s

Anatomy of a Murder. In addition, we may use a book or designed to assist in writing papers. There will

be several short papers leading up to a final research paper.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: TR 10-11:47 p.m.

ENGLISH 2100 (211): Introduction to Literary Studies ............................................................................ K. Laam

CRN 43473

English 2100 is the prerequisite for 3000- and 4000-level courses in English, and the official gateway

course for the English major and minor. The chief objective of the course is to familiarize students with the

basic methods of literary study and research at the undergraduate level, thus equipping them to succeed in

more advanced literature courses. Skills to be emphasized include: recognizing major literary genres,

subgenres, and kinds; interpreting literary works according to their formal features; writing about literature,

including close readings and research papers; locating, evaluating, and citing scholarly sources; and using

the MLA documentation system. Along the way, we’ll read a diverse array of terrific literary works:

poems, plays, short stories, and more.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 2110 (215) Fundamentals of Grammar ..................................................................................R. Smydra

CRN 40055

Throughout the semester, we will discuss several components of English grammar including the following:

modifiers, sentence construction, diagramming, coordination, pronouns, rhetorical grammar, nominals,

verbs, and basic patterns. To understand and sharpen our language skills for teaching, writing, or everyday

use, we will consider many different aspects of these grammar fundamentals. REQUIREMENTS:

Excellent attendance; participation in daily discussions, in-class exercises; quizzes; tests, and a final exam.

Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: TR 10-11:47 a.m.

ENGLISH 2110 (215) Fundamentals of Grammar .................................................................... A. Stearns-Pfeiffer

CRN 43468

A thorough introduction to basic grammatical forms and structures, drawing upon a variety of approaches

and models. Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: Internet: Online course

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ENGLISH 2300 (241) British Literature .......................................................................................... J. Gower-Toms


EXPLORATION AREA.

The overarching purpose of this course is to introduce you to the practice of “literary analysis” or close-

reading, and to provide you with a broad overview of British literary history. We will talk a great deal

about what is meant by “literary analysis” and its importance not just to those devoted to the study of

literature, but to all students invested in thinking critically about the world around them. Because critical

thinking is a tool required across the disciplines, this course will train you in a skill necessary to all fields of

study. The overall themes of this course include the construction of British and English identity as

illustrated by our assigned texts; the evolutions of British literature and the historical circumstances that

produced these alterations in form and content; the self-conscious development of literary movements

across time and the deep connections between literature,

culture and history.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MW 3:30-5:17 p.m.

ENGLISH 2300 (241) British Literature .................................................................................................... A. Powell


EXPLORATION AREA.

This survey of British Literature offers an introduction to literary analysis and appreciation through the best

of the British literary tradition. We will consider representations of nature and politics in selections from

the Canterbury Tales, enjoy Shakespeare's nail-biter Macbeth, and explore the work of Romantic poets

Keats, Wordsworth, and Coleridge. This course concludes with a reading of Thomas De Quincey's

controversial Confessions of an English Opium Eater and work by beloved author Charles Dickens.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: TR 10-11:47 a.m.

ENGLISH 2500 (224): American Literature ............................................................................................ D. Plantus


EXPLORATION AREA.

Introduction to literary analysis and appreciation through readings in the American literary tradition.

Covers notable writers such as Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, and James, along with poetry and essay

representative of the American style. The course emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches that enhance the

study the literature.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MWF 8-9:07 a.m.

ENGLISH 2500 (224): American Literature ............................................................................................ D. Plantus


EXPLORATION AREA.

Introduction to literary analysis and appreciation through readings in the American literary tradition.

Covers notable writers such as Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, and James, along with poetry and essay

representative of the American style. The course emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches that enhance the

study the literature.

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TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MWF 9:20-10:27 a.m.

ENGLISH 2500 (224): American Literature ........................................................................................... A. Knutson


EXPLORATION AREA.

This course is an introduction to literary analysis and appreciation through readings in the American

literary tradition, with emphasis on such authors as Hawthorne, Thoreau, Dickinson, James, and Hurston.

Our readings and discussion this semester will focus on exploring and defining the American experience as

it is expressed at various stages of U.S. history from the Revolution into the twentieth century, specifically

looking at the ways that issues such as race, gender, and class contribute to an American identity. We will

read works chronologically to get a sense of literary history, and we will examine each work in light of its

author’s life, its cultural and social context, and its literary genre. Requirements: attendance, regular

reading quizzes, exams. Course Prerequisites/Corequisites – none.

TEXTS: Texts include -- but are not limited to -- selected stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne; Frederick

Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass; Henry David Thoreau, Walden; Henry

James, Daisy Miller; Stephen Crane, Maggie; Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching

God


ENGLISH 2500 (224): American Literature .......................................................................................... A. Knutson


EXPLORATION AREA.

This course is an introduction to literary analysis and appreciation through readings in the American

literary tradition, with emphasis on such authors as Hawthorne, Thoreau, Dickinson, James, and Hurston.

Our readings and discussion this semester will focus on exploring and defining the American experience as

it is expressed at various stages of U.S. history from the Revolution into the twentieth century, specifically

looking at the ways that issues such as race, gender, and class contribute to an American identity. We will

read works chronologically to get a sense of literary history, and we will examine each work in light of its

author’s life, its cultural and social context, and its literary genre. Requirements: attendance, regular

reading quizzes, exams. Course Prerequisites/Corequisites – none

TEXTS: Texts include -- but are not limited to -- selected stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne; Frederick

Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass; Henry David Thoreau, Walden; Henry

James, Daisy Miller; Stephen Crane, Maggie; Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching

God


ENGLISH 2800 (260): Masterpieces of World ......................................................................................... C. Meyers

CRN 41786 SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

KNOWLEDGE EXPLORATION AREA.

Examination of a range of cinematic traditions, historical trends, and national film movements from around

the globe. Class 209 Anton Frankel Center – Macomb (AFC)

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MW 2:40-5:07 p.m.

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ENGLISH 2800 (260): Masterpieces of World ......................................................................................... C. Meyers

CRN 44394 SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

KNOWLEDGE EXPLORATION AREA.\

Examination of a range of cinematic traditions, historical trends, and national film movements from around

the globe. Class 209 Anton Frankel Center – Macomb (AFC)

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 3110 (380): Advanced Critical Writing ..................................................................................R. Smydra

CRN 40776


IN GENERAL EDUCATION. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE

UNIVERSITY WRITING FOUNDATION REQUIREMENT.

Focus on the process of critical thinking to develop analytical skills. Required for English STEP majors

and minors. Prerequisite: WRT 160 with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 3110 (380): Advanced Critical Writing ...................................................................................R. Smydra

CRN 43466


IN GENERAL EDUCATION. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE

UNIVERSITY WRITING FOUNDATION REQUIREMENT.

Focus on the process of critical thinking to develop analytical skills. Required for English STEP majors

and minors. Prerequisite: WRT 160 with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 3230 (371): British Literature of the Romantic Period ..................................................... R. Anderson

CRN 43945

In this course we will examine the writings of the one of the richest periods in literary history. Although

we will read prose (essays and a novel), we will spend most of our time reading poetry (by Anna Letitia

Barbauld, Charlotte Smith, William Blake, Ann Batten Cristal, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor

Coleridge, Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, and John Keats). To help sharpen our skills in reading and writing

about poetry, we will also read Terry Eagleton’s How to Read Poem. Throughout our conversations and

writing assignments (papers and in class exams) we will concentrate our efforts on defining Romanticism.

There will be two short papers, a midterm, and a take home final/project. Prerequisite: ENG 211with a


TEXTS: The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Romantic Age. 8th Edition.

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein. Norton Critical Edition. 2nd Ed

Terry Eagleton, How to Read a Poem.

The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms


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ENGLISH 3300 (311): Chaucer ................................................................................................................. K. Grimm

CRN 44390

Chaucer lived from about 1342 to 1400 and he wrote in Middle English. He is also one of the greatest and

the most versatile narrative poets in all of English literature (way better than Shakespeare), known for his

original use of conventional genres and poetic forms; his remarkable fascination with the subjectivity of

human experience within an objectively ordered universe; and his repeated approaches to the problem of

literature itself--how does fiction create meaning which is relevant to reality? I hope you will discover that

Chaucer is a surprisingly modern author. Prerequisite(s): WRT 160 with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

Though he wrote a variety of poems throughout his career, we will focus on his unfinished masterpiece,

The Canterbury Tales (itself both one work and a collection of a wide variety of poems). Upon

successfully completing the course, you will be able to

read aloud and comprehend Middle English

explain the poetic forms used in The Canterbury Tales

explain the narrative genres used in The Canterbury Tales

explain the major recurrent issues and themes in Chaucer's work

analyze specific passages of Chaucer's poetry in relation to the forms, genres, themes and issues

previously identified.

No prior knowledge of medieval literature or Middle English is expected or required in beginning this

course.

TEXTS: Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, Fifteen Tales and the General Prologue, ed. by V. A. Kolve and

Glending Olson (Norton, 2004); ISBN 978-039392587-6.

Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms, Ross Murfin and Supryia M. Ray, (Bedford/St.

Martin’s, 2008); ISBN 978-03124618-8.

Assignments (tentative): quizzes and translation exercises; an article summary

and abstract; an annotated bibliography; a final interpretive essay with sources; a

midterm and a final exam.

MEETS: W 6:30-9:20 p.m.

ENGLISH 3410 (318): American Literature 1820-1865 ....................................................................... T. Donahue

CRN 43965

From the globe-spanning pursuit of Moby-Dick to the meter-shattering lines of Walt Whitman, from the

sentimental scenes of Uncle Tom’s Cabin’s to Emerson’s philosophical ruminations on selfhood, from the

abolitionist fiction of William Wells Brown to the sensational borderlands banditry of Joaquín Murieta,

works of mid-nineteenth-century American literature remain arresting and powerful today for how they

take up complex questions about the interrelations of self, nation, and world. American writers explored

these questions amidst a set of historical upheavals and transformations, like the dispossession of

indigenous peoples, intense debates about slavery, the territorial incorporation of what was formerly

northern Mexico, expanding numbers of print publication venues, and changing conceptions of women’s

place in public life, to name just a few examples. In this course, we’ll consider how such American

literature engages and disengages the histories out of which it emerges. We’ll do so via class meetings that

combine discussion, lecture, group work, and writing exercises. Assignments will include reading

responses, quizzes, several papers, a final exam, and consistent class participation.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MW 3:30-5:17 p.m.

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ENGLISH 3430 (320): American Literature 1920-1950 .............................................................................. J. Freed

CRN 44389

This course will examine American literature written during the period 1920-1950, and will work to situate

that literature in its broader historical and cultural context. We will consider a range of different forms,

including poetry, novels, and short stories, and authors will likely include Hemingway, Faulkner, and

Hurston, among others. In addition to regular reading assignments and consistent class participation,

students will be required to complete papers, in-class exams, and a group project requiring outside research.

Prerequisite(s): ENG 211.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 3500 (324): Issues in American Literature ........................................................................... A. Knutson

CRN 43486

When the Puritan woman Anne Hutchinson was brought before the Massachusetts General Court in 1637,

she had become a popular spiritual adviser in Boston, so popular in fact that the meetings she held in her

home to discuss local ministers’ sermons had to be organized into another series for men. Her intelligence,

knowledge of scripture, and interpretive skill made the discussions she led inspiring, and she became a

powerful leader with the strength of conscience to raise criticisms against the ministers for what she argued

was their straying from the foundations of Puritanism. In response, she was brought to trial,

excommunicated, and banished. Her trial record demonstrates a brilliant defense of her position in the face

of the Court’s derisive claim: “Your conscience you must keep or it must be kept for you.” This course will

begin with Hutchinson’s transgression and then move chronologically to introduce students to a variety of

women writers from the colonial era to the early national period in order to understand the ways they

negotiated dominant cultural constructions of their roles and identities. And, in particular, we will

concentrate on the role that women played in a literary definition of the American self. We will read works

by Anne Bradstreet, Sarah Kemble Knight, Phillis Wheatley, Elizabeth Ashbridge, Mary Rowlandson,

Abigail Adams, Hannah Webster Foster, Lydia Maria Child, and Catherine Maria Sedgwick, as well as the

Salem witchcraft trial records. We will be guided by the following questions: What are the forms of

rebellion and submission offered in the texts? What are the definitions of “womanhood” or the descriptions

of gender roles being presented? What are the possible tensions between female agency and the concept of

God’s providence? What problems associated with female authorship do these women see? What are the

connections between civil or religious liberty and gender liberty? This class is a good precursor (though not

a prerequisite) to ENG 4900 – Nineteenth-Century American Women Writers, which will be offered in

Winter 2018. Students are encouraged to take both of these courses in succession. Students will write

weekly responses to the course readings, short (5-7 pgs) analytic papers, and a midterm and final exam.

Class is discussion-based. Texts: Prerequisite(s): WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 3600 (303):Fiction .................................................................................................................A. Spearman

CRN 41382


EXPLORATION AREA.

Course Description: In this course we will explore the evolution of narrative fiction from the late 19th

century to the late 20th century. The short story and novella forms will constitute much of the course,

including works by authors such as Ernest Hemingway, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Ursula LeGuin, and Ray

Bradbury. In addition, we will read several novels in their entirety such as Lolita, The Color Purple and

The Unbearable Lightness of Being and/or The House on Mango Street. Through these works we will be

exposed to the many ways in which fiction can be used to tell stories ranging from the painfully realistic to

the sublimely fantastic. To fully understand our stories, we will break down the relationship between

narrative voice (our storyteller’s persona) and framework (our story’s structure). This course will consist

of a great deal of reading, as well as regular reading quizzes, weekly short writing assignments, essays, and

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exams. Prerequisite(s): WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 3600 (303): Fiction ............................................................................................................... S. Beckwith

CRN 41254


EXPLORATION AREA.

Rule #1. The First Rule of Fiction [303] is, you do not talk about Fiction. Rule #2. The Second Rule of

Fiction [303] is, you DO NOT talk about Fiction. But, just like the book, Fight Club, which is all about

fight club, discussing fiction is exactly what we will be doing in this class! This semester, we’re going to

pit Chick-Lit against Lad-Lit. Yes, there is another term for Lad-Lit, which is much more ‘macho,’ but we

won’t go there. It can also be referred to as Fratire. You can see already how even the nomenclature or

names of the genre are problematic—which will be one of the issues we tackle in this course. But, since

we’re on the subject of tackling… In this class we will examine a selection of ‘books for men.’ Manly-

man books. The Chunky-Soup of literature. We’ll read and analyze books that deal with fighting wars,

fighting the system, and fighting one another. Books such as Fight Club, American Psycho, You are Here,

Slaughterhouse-Five and Catch-22. Novels that deal with the issue of what it ‘means’ to be a ‘man’ in

society. We will also be reading a selection of texts which serve as the predecessors to today’s Sex in the

City and Bridget Jones’s Diary. Even before Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Dorothy Parker, Jane Collier

wrote An Essay on the Art of Ingeniously Tormenting: a ‘how-to’ book for women…dating back to

1753! It is a [Lipstick] Jungle out there, and we’ll be entering the jungle that makes up ‘gender-lit,’

considering the socio-economic and historical import of each of the texts we will read in this

class. Reading these books, we will examine how characters and plot are constructed—and how they

inform or reflect our social constructs of gender. We will discuss literary concerns such as setting and

narrative voice and tone—but we will also move outside these texts to consider how they are marketed and

how they subvert that marketing (did anyone else notice that Adam Brody is wearing a Fight Club T-shirt

when Brad Pitt interrogates him at the end of Mr. and Mrs. Smith?). Thus, despite the labels of the genres,

this class is marketed to both men and women and we’ll take a non-gendered approach to the study of the

literature we read. The books we’ll read in this course are bestselling novels which both men and women

can enjoy, relate to, and—most importantly—learn from. Rule # 7 is: “If this is your first night at Fight

Club, you have to fight.” In this class, you will also have to complete weekly essays and other online

assignments; prepare discussion & reading questions and review online lectures and materials; and write a

final paper of 8-10 pages…but not all on the first night! Prerequisites: WRT 160 or equivalent with a

grade of 2.0 or higher and junior/senior standing.

TEXTS: TBD, but may include titles such as: Chuck Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, Joseph Heller, Jane

Collier, Anita Loos, Dorothy Parker, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman.


ENGLISH 3620 (306): Drama .............................................................................................................. L. McDaniel

CRN 43156


EXPLORATION AREA.

This course provides an overview of Western drama from Greek Classical Theatre to the contemporary

stage, including various aesthetic movements and dramatic forms. Playwrights covered begin with

Sophocles and end with Kushner. Our emphasis will be on the continued development of (1) critical, (2)

historical, and (3) theoretical skills necessary to the study of drama, performance, and literature in general.

For this reason, in addition to our main text that provides an overview of Western drama, we'll also consult

outside readings that address theory and performance. While we examine plays, performance histories, and

the scholarly discourses surrounding them, we'll consistently investigate how constructs of race, class,

sexuality, nation, and gender locate themselves within drama and performance. Class format combines

discussion, group work, and lecture. REQUIREMENTS: Weekly (easy) reading quizzes (10%); brief essay

(10%); longer paper (20%); a set of discussion questions (5%); mid-term exam (20%); final exam (25%).

Students' physical, mental, and verbal presence in class is also a component (10%) of the final course

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grade. Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a 2.0 or higher and junior/senior standing.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 3650 (305): The Bible as Literature ...................................................................................... D. Plantus

CRN 41282


EXPLORATION AREA.

Robust study of the Bible as a constructed composite literary document that emphasizes the artistic, linguistic,

philosophical and historical aspects of this formidable anthology. While mindful of the religious foundations

of both the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and New Testament, focus is on literary forms and elements,

including character and plot, theme and symbolism toward a deeper appreciation of one of the most influential

texts in World Literature. Prerequisites: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher and Junior

standing. Identical with REL 353.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MWF 10:40-11:47 a.m.

ENGLISH 3710 (333): Modern Poetry ...................................................................................................... A. Powell

CRN 43160

The word “modern” derives from the Latin word modos, meaning “just now.” In common usage,

something is “modern” if it is current, new, up-to-date. In literary terms, “modern” refers to the literature of

the 20th century through World War II, roughly 1890 - 1950. This historical time period witnessed great

innovation - the rise of technology, advances in science, psychology - and great tragedy: two world wars,

the Holocaust. The literature reflected its great turmoil, and the poetry, in particular, reflects a radical and

self-conscious break with old themes and styles as poets sought to make sense of their changing world.

Beginning with Whitman, Dickinson, and Hardy, this course concentrates on the poetry of the most

influential American and British Modernists as a way to understand the social, political, and cultural

landscape of the first half of the 20th century. We will become familiar with the central literary

philosophies, aesthetic tenets, and major works of the era’s most influential figures, and consider the ways

in which these poets influence and are influenced by one another and by other artists of their time.

Prerequisite(s): WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 3900 (300): ST: Editing and Publishing ............................................................................ J. Chapman

CRN 44076

In this class we will publish a literary magazine, and in process learn all about editing and publishing. This

class will be responsible, from beginning to end, for the production of the Oakland Arts Review (OAR).

We will be soliciting submissions, choosing material, editing the work, and putting together the journal. In

addition to this, we are going to study literary magazines and research the literary marketplace to help you

develop your own personal relationship to publishing. We will begin by discussing the history and the

current state of the publishing industry (including mainstream book publishing, independent presses, and

literary magazines). We will attempt to answer questions like: What does “good writing” look like? Who

gets to decide what is (and isn’t) good writing? How does an editor help a writer improve their work

without taking away the ownership of it? Prerequisite(s): WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or

higher.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: TR 10-11:47 a.m.

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ENGLISH 3901 (325): ST: Encountering Animals ............................................................................... S. McCarty

CRN 44643

Whether we live in cities, suburbs, or rural areas, we all come in contact (sometimes by choice, sometimes

not) with animals. We live with, love, raise, kill, eat, curse and celebrate them. In this course, we will

explore nonfiction written about those moments of contact and the consequences for us as beings

both animal and not. We will investigate the ways animals have been written about through history and

across different modes of thought, including philosophy, the sciences, and cultural studies. We will

consider the ways literary nonfiction writers use these modes to write about their own animal encounters at

zoos, in restaurants, and in their homes. Students will learn how to structure and develop narratives about

their own animal experiences through personal exploration and research, and by close-reading texts in order

to learn about the craft practices of their authors, such as structure, imagery, and characterization.

Prerequisite(s): WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: W 6-9:20 p.m.

ENGLISH 4900 (400): ST: Advanced Topics in Literature ............................................................................ Staff

CRN 42968


SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR WRITING INTENSIVE IN THE

MAJOR AREA. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE UNIVERSITY WRITING


Advanced topics and problems selected by the instructor. Prerequisite(s): ENG 211 and the three

required 300-level British and American literary history courses; or permission of the instructor.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MW 3:30-5:17 p.m.

ENGLISH 4900 (400): ST: History of the Book ....................................................................................... M. Peiser

CRN 42968





What is the history of the world’s most innovative and long lasting technology: the book? How does the

book object influence our reading of the literature it contains? In this course, we will examine the history of

the book, following its conception as the cuneiform tablets that first record the Epic of Gilgamesh, to the

digital ebook. We’ll uncover how the book evolved over time, how it represents its content and interacts

with readers, and ask how we have been influenced by the materiality of the books we have read. To

explore these topics, we’ll spend time in Special Collections studying rare books, we will read works of

book history theory, visit presses, and build books ourselves. Possible texts/authors/examples we will

consider include: Biblical scrolls, Ireland’s Book of Kells, Gutenberg’s Bible, Geoffrey Chaucer’s The

Canterbury Tales, Shakespeare’s early printed works, Laurence Sterne’s Tristram Shandy, Walt Whitman’s

Leaves of Grass, Charles Dickens’ serialized fiction, comic books, and digital books. Assignments include:

a digital commonplace book, short textual experience papers, a project proposal, and book object research

project.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: MW 3:30 - 5:17 p.m.

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ENGLISH 4900 (400): ST: Empathy ........................................................................................................... J. Freed

CRN 40777





When, how, and why do we connect with literary characters? In this course, we'll examine how works of

fiction inspire empathy, and consider the consequences of our emotional attachments with fictional

people. We'll ask ourselves: How does empathy shape our reading practice? What are the limits of our

ability to empathize? And does empathizing with fictional characters predispose us to treat others more

ethically in the non-fictional world? To answer these questions, we'll read both literary texts and works of

narrative theory; possible texts/authors include Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin; Nabokov, Lolita; and Haddon,

The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time. Assignments will include reading responses, a

presentation, and a final paper. Prerequisite(s): ENG 211 and the three required 300-level British and

American literary history courses; or permission of the instructor.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: W 6:30-9:50 p.m.

ENGLISH 4950 (491): Internship ............................................................................................................. R.Smydra

CRN 44190

Practical experience in appropriate work position at an approved site, correlated with directed study

assignments. In the semester prior to enrollment, the student will plan the internship in conjunction with the

instructor and with the approval of the department chair. A final analytical paper will be required. May be

repeated once in a different setting for elective credit only. Prerequisite(s): 16 credits in English, of

which at least 8 must be at the 300-400 level, and permission of the instructor and the department

chair.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: TBA

ENGLISH 4950 (491): Internship .............................................................................................................. A. Gilson

CRN 40501

Practical experience in appropriate work position at an approved site, correlated with directed study

assignments. In the semester prior to enrollment, the student will plan the internship in conjunction with the

instructor and with the approval of the department chair. A final analytical paper will be required. May be

repeated once in a different setting for elective credit only. Prerequisite(s): 16 credits in English, of

which at least 8 must be at the 300-400 level, and permission of the instructor and the department

chair.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: TBA

ENGLISH 4970 (401): Shame and Political Bodies ............................................................................. L. McDaniel

CRN 44392





An exploration of contemporary drama, film, and fiction as they engage the concept of "shame" and the

political. We'll understand the latter term both specifically (e.g., as with elected officials) and also broadly

(e.g., relationships of power and influence among individuals and institutions). (Formerly ENG 401.)

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Prerequisite(s): ENG 211 and the three required 300-level British and American literary history

courses; or permission of the instructor.

TEXTS: TBA


ENGLISH 5200 (520): Intro to Graduate Studies .................................................................................. K. Grimm

CRN 40968

The primary objective of the course is to familiarize students with the basic methods of literary study and

research at the graduate level. The course serves also to familiarize students with the evolution of literary

studies as a discipline and as a profession. Skills to be emphasized include:

Interpreting a literary work according to its formal features

Locating, summarizing, evaluating, and citing scholarly sources

Identifying major critical approaches and methodologies for the study of literature

Entering the critical conversation on literary works, theories, and movements

Writing a preliminary abstract, annotated bibliography, and research paper.

TEXTS: (tentative): 1) a complete modern English translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (any

translation is acceptable; 2) one of the following two translations of Geoffrey Chaucer's

Canterbury Tales:

trans. Neville Coghill, Penguin, 1977; ISBN-13: 978-0140440225 (verse translation)

or

trans. David Wright, Oxford World Classics; 2011; ISBN-13: 978-0199599028 (prose translation)

3. MLA Handbook, The Modern Language Association of America, 8th ed., 2016.

ISBN-13: 978-1603292627.

Assignments (tentative): a close reading paper; an article abstract; an annotated bibliography; a

research presentation; a final paper (10-15 pages) with abstract.


ENGLISH 5811 (544): Lit Hist: Ren/Early Mod Brit ............................................................................. N. Herold

CRN 44617

The course will concentrate on some period of literary history from the eighteenth century to the present.

Emphasis on concepts, approaches, methodology appropriate to the literary historian. Literature in

historical perspective and in cultural and social contexts.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: W 5:30-8:50 p.m.

ENGLISH 5906 (565): Literary Kinds Poetry .................................................................................... K. Hartsock

CRN 44391

Studies of poetry including definitions of the form and attention to variations among different examples of

the form.

TEXTS: TBA


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ENGLISH 6941 (641): American Lit Post Civil War Kinds Poetry ................................................... T. Donahue

CRN 44455

How do novels construct worlds that resemble reality? What epistemological, ethical, and political

commitments drive authors to create such verisimilar fictional worlds? And how does the history of Gilded

Age America—a tumultuous time of increasing immigration and urbanization, of the New Woman’s entry

into public life, of changing race relations, of empire-building abroad, and of the frontier’s ostensible close

at home—motivate and complicate efforts at novelistic world-making? Such questions occupied a number

of U.S. novelists writing in closing decades of the nineteenth century, and these questions of literary

realism will be at the center of our course. To explore them, we’ll read a number of works of realist,

naturalist, and local color fiction—likely authors include Charles Chesnutt, William Dean Howells, Henry

James, Sarah Orne Jewett, Mark Twain, and Frank Norris. To consider how these writers borrow

representational strategies from adjacent cultural discourses, we’ll read their novels alongside the

philosophical pragmatism of William James, W.E.B. Du Bois’ analyses of race in America, the

documentary photojournalism of Jacob Riis, and the frontier historiography of Frederick Jackson Turner.

To develop an understanding of the political and theoretical issues raised by realist representation within

and beyond nineteenth-century America, we’ll read contemporary scholarship on this period by critics like

Amy Kaplan, Jennifer Fleissner, and Mark Seltzer. The course will conclude by reflecting on nineteenth-

century realism’s twenty-first century afterlife, with the HBO series The Wire serving as our reference

point. Assignments will likely include a close reading paper, an annotated bibliography, a researched essay,

and a class presentation.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: M 6:30-9:50 p.m.

ENGLISH 6996 (690): The Master’s Project ............................................................................................... N. Cole

CRN 44247

Completion of a modest project of a scholarly or pedagogical nature proposed by the degree candidate.

Prerequisite(s): Student must have permission of the Graduate Program Committee.

TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: TBA

Study Abroad (September 6 – December 16, 2017)

ENGLISH 1300 (105): Intro to Shakespeare


EXPLORATION AREA.


TEXTS: TBA

MEETS: University of London - Study Abroad (LDN)

Documents

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH Oakland University …...3/27/17 1 DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH Oakland University Semester Course Descriptions (Advising Memo), Fall 2017 (Subject to change)AMS 3000