Special Topics in Environmental Policy and Culture (390-0-26)

Topic

Climate Change Literature

Instructors

Sarah Dimick

Meeting Info

Annenberg Hall G30: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

Climate Change Literature

This course focuses on climate change literature, the most active and popular arena of contemporary environmental writing. Examining a variety of 20th and 21st century works—including science fiction, spoken word poetry, narrative fiction, and film—we will analyze how literature shapes and responds to planetary crisis. Which imaginative currents—apocalyptic, technocratic, communalist, militaristic—are molding readers' visions of the climatic future? Is it possible to narrate climate change as a multi-century catastrophe rooted in colonialism and the acquisition of capital? What can we learn about climate change from literature that we can't grasp through other fields of study? Since the works in this class cover a broad geographic range and include award-winning texts as well as relatively unknown books, we will also theorize how—and why—particular writers' voices become central or peripheral within climate discourse.

Teaching Method

Seminar-based discussions.

Class Materials (Required)

Texts may include:
Octavia Butler. Parable of the Sower. 1993.
Franny Choi. The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On. 2022.
Cherie Dimaline. The Marrow Thieves. 2017.
John Lanchester. The Wall. 2019.
Lydia Millet. The Children's Bible. 2021.
Jenny Offill. Weather. 2020.

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

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-registration: Students must be a Environmental Policy, Environmental Science or Science in Human Culture major or minor to register.