This class will primarily look at contemporary novels that portray young protagonists who struggle with (familial, sexual, racial, personal) acceptance and belonging. With technological advances accelerating alongside social media, social justice movements, and climate change, culture changes at a rapid rate such that finding one’s place in the world is an arduous task. Our class will collectively think through the conditions of possibility and defining characteristics of what growing up today means. In addition to novels, we will supplement our readings with movies, poetry, and nonfiction that speak to topics relating to the novels at hand. We will also incorporate secondary readings on race, class, gender, and sexuality in order to build frameworks that will help historically situate and academically articulate your ideas.