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Vorheriges Semester
No Place like Home: The Contemporary American Utopian Novel from Ayn Rand to Octavia Butler
DozentIn: Dr. phil. Elisabeth Reichel
Veranstaltungstyp: Seminar
Ort: nicht angegeben
Zeiten: Mo. 16:00 - 18:00 (wöchentlich)
Beschreibung: This course covers contemporary American utopian (including dystopian) novels, with a particular emphasis on the forms of political and economic organization that these texts imagine. Utopian novels, by definition, present places that differ from the contexts in which they were written. Thus they are bound to throw contemporary socioeconomic and political conditions—as well as hopes and fears—into new light.
We explore the recent history of the American utopian novel from the mid-twentieth century to the 1990s. Note that the course is heavy in reading. Three authors form the center of our discussion: Ayn Rand, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Octavia E. Butler. Over the course of the semester, students enhance their close reading skills and ability to conduct critical textual analyses. They apply appropriate critical frameworks to the analysis of texts and become well versed in communicating effectively within the academic community.
To avoid paying for Anthem by Ayn Rand, try obtaining a free copy through https://freeobjectivistbooks.org/home as soon as possible. (Click on “Show all” under “What book do you want to read?” to find Anthem.) All other required readings will be announced in class.
