Interdisciplinary Arts 0263 - Strange, Marvelous and Uneasy

The course is designed for creative writers interested in the 'literary magical,' in women's visions, and in discovering the richness of their own imaginations - in a powerful literary vein that will adhere to conventions of no particular genre. Students will be asked to: reimagine the real; write the future, the past, or the now, as they flourish in their own imaginarium; and discover what strange and unique visions might invigorate their writing. We will focus on works by women who, while often obscured in discussions of surrealism, have long been engaged in 'writing the world askew.' Students' writing will be guided by the readings. Authors we will read include writers from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. Possible readings by: Lesley Nneka Arimah, Ramona Ausubel, Leonora Carrington, Shelly Jackson, Shirley Jackson, Kelly Link, Nobuka Takagi, Clarice Lispector, Helen Oyeyemi, Silvina Ocampo, Nnedi Okorafor, and Ali Smith. Prerequisite: A writing class, preferably in creative writing, with intensive peer review and revision

Writing and Research In this course, students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.