Jewish Studies 276 - Mapping Jewish American Gens.

This course sets canonical Jewish American literature in creative dialogue with contemporary Jewish American writers, filmmakers, and performance artists to explore how early twentieth-century figures (Abraham Cahan, Anzia Yezierska, and Henry Roth) continue to influence --inspire--a rising generation of authors. The key mediating figure in this generational dialogue is Philip Roth, whose work we will examine as well. Topics to be explored include "immigrant" writing then and now; the uses of nostalgia; genealogies of standup comedy and popular culture in general; the emergence of "hipster" Judaism and its various modes of expression (above all via social media).

Prereq: 4 credits in English, religion, Jewish studies, history, sociology, or film studies.