Time Schedule:
Jill E. Gatlin
ENGL 302
Seattle Campus
Intensive study of, and exercise in, applying important or influential interpretive practices for studying language, literature, and culture, along with consideration of their powers/limits. Focuses on developing critical writing abilities. Topics vary and may include critical and interpretive practice from scripture and myth to more contemporary approaches, including newer interdisciplinary practices. Prerequisite: minimum grade of 2.0 in ENGL 197 or ENGL 297; a minimum grade of 2.0 in ENGL 202 or ENGL 301; may not be repeated if received a grade of 2.0 or higher.
Class description
Green Cultural Studies & Ecocritical Practice
Welcome to English 302. Structured as an interactive discussion seminar that introduces English majors to advanced literary analysis, this class will focus on the interdisciplinary interpretive practices of green cultural studies and ecocriticism. Exploring the relationship between theory, literature, culture, and nature as we examine several strands of ecocriticism--including bioregionalism, ecofeminism, landscape studies, toxic discourse, and environmental justice--we'll focus on distilling arguments from dense theoretical texts, articulating critical questions, and writing strong critical analyses. Some of the initial questions we’ll ask include: *What is cultural studies? Green cultural studies? Ecocriticism? *How have these critical practices developed? *How do these critical practices relate to other schools of literary criticism? *What sorts of analyses do different ecocritical practices enable and foreclose? *How does "theory" relate to literature?
Student learning goals
Become conversant in green cultural studies and ecocriticism, fields that are becoming increasingly important in the academy and that address topics germane to twenty-first-century life
Experience the collaborative nature of critical practice
Gain confidence integrating literary and cultural artifacts with theoretical contexts as you develop critical, interpretive responses to the materials, in writing as well as interactive discussions
General method of instruction
Discussion
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading
Daily participation, informal writing, short papers, discussion leading and summaries, and a final paper.
