Department of English

This first-year seminar is an introduction to contemporary literature and cinema that focuses on the economic dimensions of these fields. In part this means the business side of publishing and film production: the role of agents, the rising power of Amazon and Netflix, the concentration of global sales and profits around a few blockbusters, and the prevalence of adaptation between print and screen media. But we will also consider economics in a broader sense that includes the so-called "economy of prestige," which revolves less around money than around “reputational capital” and alternative currencies such as prizes, awards, and festival invitations. Our approach will be to study a handful of contemporary novels and films in some detail, learning about how they managed to succeed in a challenging environment and how they reflect in their stories or styles certain features of today’s cultural economy. Written work for the class can take a variety of forms, from short traditional essays to slideshows, spreadsheets, and lab reports. The class is designed for students in any major; there is no expectation that you have previous training in contemporary literature or cinema, or in economics.