Department of English

This course offers an introduction to the history and philosophy of friendship. We will consider friendship in relation to eros and same-sex desire; as a recurrent trope in literary history; as a mode of political thought; and in relation to questions of representation and truth. We will reflect at length on recent queer rethinkings of friendship “as a way of life,” and consider the intersection of class, race, and gender in the making of queer communities.  In addition, this course will explore the classroom as a space for the rethinking of social relations. Students will be asked to participate actively in designing and leading class discussions, and to reflect on this experience in writing.