American Studies 310 - PERFORMING DEVIANT BODIES

This course examines how individuals whose bodies deviate from privileged norms in U.S. culture-whether because of race, gender, sexuality or disability-put their bodies on display. We define non-normative embodiment broadly; though, since embodied differences are very often linked to disability in some way, this course heavily discusses embodiment through different conceptions of disablement, health, illness or fitness. We investigate how and why disabled or chronically ill authors so frequently engage theatrical genres, and we look at how their texts function both artistically and politically. The overarching questions that guide our discussions of the course are: How does one move through the world in a body marked as non-normal? How does one perform non-normative embodiment in daily life, or in more traditional performance genres like drama or film? Enrollment limit 15. (E)

Instructor permission. Not open to first-years, sophomores