ENGL 200A Methods and Materials

This course is a point of departure for future studies in graduate-level criticism and analysis in literature and cultural studies. We will review several approaches to reading, interpreting, and analyzing literature and culture.

The objectives of this course are:

1. To improve literary interpretative skills by examining an array of theoretical approaches,
2. To refine research methods by acquainting students with the techniques of literary research and scholarly documentation, and,
3. To practice making scholarly interventions by writing an annotated bibliography and a conference-length paper.

We will cover a number of critical perspectives including, but not limited to, transnational feminisms, postcolonialism, Marxian literary studies, cultural studies, critical race studies, queer studies, post-nationalist American studies, and whiteness studies. Students will be required to research primary texts on their own.

Click here for a sample ARA.