2022-2023 Academic Catalog

Apr 29, 2024

2022-2023 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

ENG 256 - Ecologies in Crisis

This course asks participants to explore the idea of `ecology’ in a broad philosophical perspective, with particular consideration to literary responses to climate change in different cultural and political contexts. We will think comparatively about the representation of ecological crises, and about likenesses and differences in literary portrayals of environmental thought-including relationships between human and non-human species and objects. The course will explore the cultural and philosophical frameworks that govern dominant modes of extraction and commodification, regimes of energy and power, understandings of waste and disposability, and the existential crisis posed by mass extinctions. As we question the larger social, cultural, and psychological origins of the climate crisis, we will consider the philosophical foundations of `anthropocentrism’ (a world order that prioritizes human experience), questions of ontology and modern ways-of-being, cross-cultural models for understanding the idea of nature, and tensions within enlightenment and premodern modes of knowledge regarding the environment. Readings will be divided between literary fiction and non-fiction and social theory. Students should enjoy reading social theory and working with abstract ideas (more than 50% of the readings will be theoretical).

For English majors, this course may satisfy the Period D-3 or the E requirement, but cannot double count. For English minors, this course can count either as a seminar in Theory or as a 200-level English seminar, but it cannot double count for the two requirements.

Prerequisites: Open to Juniors and Seniors. First-years and sophomores should email Prof. Levin for permission to enroll.

Anticipated Terms Offered: Periodically