Humanities 411

Fall 2023 Syllabus

Each section of the course will comprise no more than 15 students and 2-3 faculty members from various disciplines. Sections meet for two hours one evening per week. In the first week of the semester, we will have a brief organizational meeting with all the sections to give everyone a chance to get acquainted.

Books are available in the bookstore, and a few copies of each text will be on reserve in the library. Texts should be read (paper or ebook) unless specified as "audiobook OK."

Requirements

The requirements of the course are attendance and active participation. You are expected to be present at, prepared for, and to contribute to every session, although illness or family emergencies will be taken into consideration. If you have to miss a session, you are expected to attend another section after having first coordinated with all section leaders. At the end of the semester, you will be given a questionnaire about the readings. Completion of this form is a requirement for course credit.

Schedule

Mandatory Meeting: Monday, August 28 at 7 p.m., Eliot Chapel

Week of September 4

Julie Schumacher, Dear Committee Members
possible topics

Week of September 11

Paul Kalanithi, When Breath Becomes Air (audiobook OK)
possible topics

Week of September 18

Kerry Howley, Bottoms Up and the Devil Laughs: A Journey Through the Deep State (audiobook OK)
possible topics

Week of September 25

Svetlana Alexievich, Voices from Chernobyl
possible topics

Week of October 2

Mei-Mei Berssenbrugge, A Treatise on Stars
possible topics

Week of October 9

Eloísa Solaas, Las Facultades (documentary)
possible topics

Week of October 16

Fall Break

Week of October 23

James Forman Jr., Locking Up Our Own (audiobook OK)
possible topics

Week of October 30

Tommy Orange, There There
possible topics

Week of November 6

Katie Watson, Scarlet A: The Ethics, Law, and Politics of Ordinary Abortion (audiobook OK)
possible topics

Week of November 13

Nell Zink, Avalon
possible topics

Week of November 20

Thanksgiving vacation: Monday section only, Avalon

Week of November 27

Thi Bui, The Best We Could Do
possible topics