Studies in 20Th Century Literature (460-0-20)

Topic

The Global Avant-Garde

Instructors

Christopher Paul Bush
847/491-5493
1860 S. Campus Drive, Crowe Hall #2-135

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 4-410: Wed 3:00PM - 5:50PM

Overview of class

This seminar offers an introduction to a range of avant-gardes movements from the early twentieth century, including futurism (in Italy and Russia), expressionism (Germany), MAVO (Japan), stridentism (Mexico), anthropophagy (Brazil), and négritude.

Our emphasis will be on manifestos, literary works, and criticism, but we will also consider the visual arts and film. Major topics linking the diverse material include: the movements' geopolitical contexts and imaginaries; the international resonance of the Bolshevik revolution; the politics of race and gender; and the relationship between literature and the other arts.

There will be assigned readings for the first meeting, so students who plan to take the course but are not yet enrolled by then should contact the instructor.

Class Materials (Required)

All readings will be made available in English, but original-language texts will be provided as well.