In this capstone course we’ll read American novels published since 1900 that are concerned with politics; we’ll examine the stories writers have told about politics and the stories Americans have told themselves about their country. Primary works will include Charles Chesnutt, The Marrow of Tradition (1901); Jack Conroy, The Disinherited (1933); Joan Didion, Democracy (1984); Paul Beatty, The Sellout (2016); Lydia Millet, Sweet Lamb of Heaven (2016).

Assignments will include triweekly discussion board posts (and responses) and a final paper with abstract, annotated bibliography, peer-reviewed rough draft, and final draft. We will also have a career unit dedicated to thinking about entering the working world as English majors.

This course will be online and asynchronous.