ENGL 461

Spring 2025 All Classes

All Classes

Advanced Topics in Literature and Culture

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Credit: 3 OR 4 hours.

Advanced seminar on any of a variety of topics in literature and culture, including those that bridge traditional historical periods, focus on themes or movements, and cross disciplinary boundaries.

3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated with permission of English advising office to a maximum of 6 undergraduate hours if topics vary; Graduate students may repeat if topics vary. Prerequisite: One year of college literature or consent of instructor.

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ENGL 461 class schedule data for spring 2025
	CRN	Type	Section	Time	Day	Location	Instructor	Section Details
	58625	Lecture-Discussion	3G	3:30PM -4:45PM	TR	215 Davenport Hall	Mack, K	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/21/25-05/07/25 Credit: 4 hours Section Title: Advanced Topics in Lit Culture Section Info: SP25 - ENGL 461 - Advanced Topics in Literature - Contemporary Black Autobiographical Narratives - Kimberly Mack - In this seminar, we will explore contemporary memoir, personal essay, and unconventional modes of autobiographical storytelling, including through music and video, by Black artists. We will discuss the ways in which these creators use first-person (and sometimes second-person) storytelling to explore race and racism, socio-economic class and class mobility, gender, and more. And in light of literary scholar Kenneth Warren’s assertion that “African-American Literature was [emphasis mine] a Jim Crow phenomenon,” we will reflect on the continuing existence and relevance in the 21st century of African American autobiographical narrative. Primary texts will include Negroland: A Memoir by Margo Jefferson, Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon, Men We Reaped: A Memoir by Jesmyn Ward, Lemonade by Beyoncé, and Songs of Our Native Daughters by Our Native Daughters. Through weekly reading assignments, music listening, and lively in-class discussion, this seminar will culminate in final research projects focused on one of our class texts. Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate - Urbana-Champaign.
	58624	Lecture-Discussion	3U	3:30PM -4:45PM	TR	215 Davenport Hall	Mack, K	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/21/25-05/07/25 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: Advanced Topics in Lit Culture Section Info: SP25 - ENGL 461 - Advanced Topics in Literature - Contemporary Black Autobiographical Narratives - Kimberly Mack - In this seminar, we will explore contemporary memoir, personal essay, and unconventional modes of autobiographical storytelling, including through music and video, by Black artists. We will discuss the ways in which these creators use first-person (and sometimes second-person) storytelling to explore race and racism, socio-economic class and class mobility, gender, and more. And in light of literary scholar Kenneth Warren’s assertion that “African-American Literature was [emphasis mine] a Jim Crow phenomenon,” we will reflect on the continuing existence and relevance in the 21st century of African American autobiographical narrative. Primary texts will include Negroland: A Memoir by Margo Jefferson, Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon, Men We Reaped: A Memoir by Jesmyn Ward, Lemonade by Beyoncé, and Songs of Our Native Daughters by Our Native Daughters. Through weekly reading assignments, music listening, and lively in-class discussion, this seminar will culminate in final research projects focused on one of our class texts. Restriction(s): Not intended for students with Freshman class standing. Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.