American Studies 341 - SYMPOSM IN AMS-DEVIANT BODIES

Topics course. Limited to senior majors: 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, are we look at how their texts function both artistically ad 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?

Instructor Permission. Limited to AMS majors Limited to seniors