How does literature function in civil society? Students will learn to apply theoretical tools to films. Taking an intersectional approach, we will examine modern theoretical perspectives, a body of knowledge that continues to evolve in new directions.

This course introduces students to theories of race, gender and sexuality that are most relevant to our contemporary political and cultural life. We will ask new questions through a carefully curated selection of key writing—from influential classics to more current works. Students will gain fluency in the conceptual frameworks associated with structuralism, ecocriticism, psychoanalysis, Marxism, post-colonialism, and feminism, with an emphasis on critical race, gender, sexuality, queer, and disability studies.