The “art ho” and the “theory bro”: two archetypes you’re bound to encounter at some point during your required humanities classes. One says they create crucial knowledge through doing performance art poetry at open mics, the other spends all of class “flexing” by quoting weird philosophers even their GSIs haven’t read. Neither of them thinks what the other does is intellectually stimulating, but at the end of the day, are the “art ho” and “theory bro” actually just two sides of the same coin?

In this section of Comparative Literature 122 we will examine what it means to “produce knowledge” in the 21st century. Do artists (see: “art heaux”) create knowledge? Do academics and experts (see: “theory bros”) create knowledge? With so much access to information and platforms to publish on, who even is a “legitimate” knowledge producer and what is public knowledge?

With thinkers ranging from Roland Barthes and Oscar Wilde to @ripannanicolesmith and ContraPoints and genres ranging from short stories and criticism to podcasts and memes, we will search for answers to these questions, as well as trying to figure out where you, as a college student, fit into knowledge production (are you screaming into the void or will anyone besides me, your instructor, read your work?).

This course is discussion and writing workshop based. Your writing assignments will build to a final project (writing or multi-media) in which you become a “public intellectual” on a topic of your choice. All writing assignments will be geared towards balancing expertise and voice as well as bridging the gap between “boring” academic writing and “fun” creative writing.

Course Requirements:

The grading for this course will consist of three major assignments (two essays and a third "creative" project) to be submitted via Canvas during the semester; short writing assignments, submitted in preparation for classroom discussion on Canvas; and an evaluation of the student’s participation in class discussions and peer-review workshops. Students will be provided with specific guidelines for the writing assignments and for course participation. Students will be able to choose topics for writing assignments and develop their interests, in consultation with the instructor.

Intended Audience:

Instruction will be undertaken in hybrid form, combining in-person classroom encounters (on Tuesdays) with online synchronous meetings and asynchronous assignments and small group projects (on Thursdays).

Class Format:

This course will use Canvas for all asynchronous online components. Links to other platforms utilized will be provided on canvas. Online meetings will be conducted through Zoom. Students should have internet access, a camera, and a microphone.