ENG.1021 Literature Now: Reading and Writing the Present
This course introduces students to 21st century literary writing from around the world that speaks to today's most pressing problems: global migration, border disputes, economic disruption, climate change, biological innovations, social media, racism, gender politics, war. We will survey competing definitions of "the present" and "the contemporary" in order to flesh out the core components of our immediate temporal situation ("life right now"). We will read works of poetry, fiction, drama, and film alongside contemporary art, media, and recent events. Students will undertake a collaborative research project on a topic of their own choice and grapple with how reading and writing help us to understand and confront the challenges of our current moment.