Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0273 - Graphic Realities

Why has the graphic novel (or, more accurately, the graphic narrative) become such a prominent international medium for witnessing narratives, war memoirs, journalism, and travelogues? Is there something about the medium of comics that befits such subject matter, and such international reach? This course will address these questions by looking closely at graphic narratives from several sites around the world, including the work of Joe Sacco, Marjane Satrapi, Art Spiegelman, Keiji Nakazawa, Kyle Baker, and others. Students will learn to pay attention to formal techniques, narrative structures, and the production and reception contexts for these graphic texts, writing a series of short essays. Students will also give a presentation on a graphic narrative not on the syllabus and complete a final analytical or creative project.Prerequisite: At least one course in literature, human rights, or cultural studies.

Independent Work Writing and Research Independent Work