Studies in Literature and the Environment (384-0-20)

Topic

Toxic Rhetoric

Instructors

Sarah Dimick

Meeting Info

Parkes Hall 223: Mon, Wed 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

Rachel Carson, the author of Silent Spring, and Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farmworkers Union, both campaigned against toxic exposures in the mid-20th-century United States and yet are rarely considered in tandem. This course puts the writings and activism of these two women in conversation, ranging through feminist, queer, and Latinx environmental writing to build connections between environmentalism and labor rights. Our study focuses on the craft of environmental nonfiction writing, examining contemporary practitioners working in the vein of Carson and Huerta. Students will also compose environmental nonfiction, employing the literary techniques analyzed in this course to craft a narrative addressing exposure, toxins, or the state of public health.

Teaching Method

Seminar-based discussions.

Class Materials (Required)

Texts may include:

Rachel Carson. Silent Spring. 1962.
Sandra Steingraber. Living Downstream. 1997.
Helena María Viramontes. Under the Feet of Jesus. 1995.
Cherríe Moraga. Heroes and Saints and Other Plays. 1994.
Karen Zacarías. Native Gardens. 2019.

Texts will be available at: Primary texts will be available at the Norris Bookstore and on reserve in the library. Other texts will be available on Canvas.

Class Attributes

Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area