To read literature written for, by, and about young adults as aesthetic, intellectual, political, historical, and creative endeavors, which is to say to read this literature as art and theory (as opposed to thinking about it as educational tools for secondary students, cultural propaganda, or merchandise).
- we will read five full novels and excerpts of two additional novels.
- we will supplement the literature with historical and contemporary news articles
- we will frame our discussion of these novel with scholarly writing on the history and concept of adolescence and the kind of cultural work the category “adolescence” does.
- complete regular quizzes on the reading
To write an original, cogent and well-argued paper, with a clear thesis that emerges from thoughtful synthesis between specific historical and close reading analysis of a particular text.
- define and discuss different methods for close reading
- discuss various types and audiences for academic writing
- contribute regularly to blog posts that focus on analyzing very small portions of text
- write a brief (3-4 page) presentation on some historically discrete object mentioned in one of the texts
- draft a paper proposal with an introduction, thesis, and outline in which they will pose an argument about how the historical research they have learned affects in some way the way we might read the novel they were looking at
- write a close reading paper that influenced by your historical research and your use of one of the close reading methods. This paper will be 5-7 pages.
To think about the categories “young adult,” “adolescence,” and “childhood” as both shaping and shaped by notions of race, gender, class, and normative citizenship, particularly in a U.S. context.
- conduct research on a concrete/ historically discrete item in a novel of their choosing. The purpose of this research
- present paper to the class and/or larger Baruch community
To creatively explore beyond the limits of these categories in order to consider the generative possibilities of being adolescent and monstrous.
- participate in our creative workshop
- turn in for credit one creative project that uses one (or some part of one) of our readings as a model
To Share a forum where we and others continue, share, and contribute to the conversations and ideas at work in these text particularly as they relate to our particular 21st century moment in New York City.
- be present and attentive to in class conversations
- organize a scholarly panel on the text they are writing on
- regularly contribute to online discussion beyond the required posts
- in small groups create a monster project geared to an audience outside our class.