Humanities and Fine Arts 191HFA14 - FYS- Blogosphere:Writ/PublAud

In the present moment when so much of our news circulates online, reading blogs can seriously enhance our knowledge of current events, and can help us to gain a more nuanced understanding of the different voices and perspectives involved in these conversations. Additionally, exposure to news and media blogs provides a window into an exciting genre of writing that does not necessarily adhere to the standard, and sometimes alienating, conventions of traditional academic writing. The purpose of this first year seminar is therefore to prompt students as they enter their freshmen year of college to begin to actively engage with online news media and to offer them an informal yet structured setting in which to practice their writing. Each week, we will read posts from established news and popular culture blog sites that take up current socio-political issues and questions in ways that highlight their relevance to contemporary life. We will spend time discussing the content of the posts, engaging critical questions about the intersections between race, class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and nationality; and we will look closely at the strategies and techniques for writing for a blog-reading public. We will also maintain a course blog where students will work individually and collaboratively on blog posts inspired by their own interests and current events.

Open to first-year Humanities and Fine Arts Exploratory Track students and first-year HFA Majors.