Hellen Lee
English Department

 

Methods and Materials of Literary Research

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.