Introduction to Criticism and Theory

This course will provide students with a basic foundation of the vast fields of literary and cultural criticism and theory, with an emphasis on the most prominent figures and ideas from the twentieth century to today. Using both literature and film as source materials, students will look closely at how our societies operate and the roles that art and text play in shaping our understandings of the world. Through teacher-led readings, viewings, and discussions, students will enhance their critical thinking skills as well as gain experience in developing their own points of view on a variety of abstract concepts and issues that surround our lives.

Students from any educational background will be able to benefit from this course but it is most likely to be of interest to those who have some experience in and knowledge of art, philosophy, politics, or literature.

Topics will include:

–        Different ways of interpreting art, film, and literature
–        Propaganda
–        Postcolonialism
–        Feminism
–        Capitalism/Marxism
–        Psychoanalysis
–        Phenomenology

By the end of the curriculum, the participant will have a basic/intermediate understanding of the development of thought in the fields of literary criticism and critical theory, as well as an understanding of the contemporary issues therein.