ENGL 578

Fall 2025 Part of Term 1

Part of Term 1
Aug 25-Dec 10

Seminar Lit &Other Disciplines

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Credit: 4 hours.

May be repeated if topics vary. Prerequisite: One year of graduate study of literature or consent of instructor.

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ENGL 578 class schedule data for fall 2025
	CRN	Type	Section	Time	Day	Location	Instructor	Section Details
	61218	Online	M	9:00AM -11:50AM	R	n.a.	Littlefield, M	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 08/25/25-12/10/25 Section Info: FA25 ENGL 578 - Literature and Other Disciplines - Melissa Littlefield - Perspectives on Popular Science - In a 2024 “Expert Voices” piece for Science, a Princeton professor of Anthropology argued that “we need better and more PopSci by scientists.” His fear? That people were too often turning to nonscientists for their information. In this course, we’re going to examine the anxiety—and enthusiasm—that surrounds popular science writing, particularly in the 21st century. We’ll focus on the roles of narrator and narrative: Who communicates scientific theories, wicked problems, and “discoveries” to the public? What roles do popular texts play in narrating science? How have our knowledge production practices, sources, and narrators changed over time? Why might science need stories? In our search for answers, we’ll read popular science books alongside scientific papers, (historical) print news media, writerly/craft manuals, and scholarship from Science and Technology Studies. Our syllabus will be built around concrete examples wherever possible, such as phosphates, radium, fungi, climate science, and big pharma. Students will have the freedom to design their own independent research project for the seminar. This course is intended to serve students in a wide range of disciplines, from the humanities and the social sciences to the sciences—all are welcome! No previous experience with science journalism or Science and Technology Studies is expected or required. Possible texts include (but are not limited to): The Craft of Science Writing (2024), What if We Get it Right?: Visions of Climate Futures (2024), The Devil’s Element: Phosphorous and a World Out of Balance (2023), Blight: Fungi and the Coming Pandemic (2023), A Tactical Guide to Science Journalism (2022), and The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women (2018). Please note this course will meet synchronously online via Zoom. Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate - Urbana-Champaign.