Department of English

As our technological means of communication increase at incredible speed—ostensibly creating a “global community” through social media and the World Wide Web—much of Post45/Contemporary fiction bears witness to growing alienation and the failure to “connect” with fellow human beings. This course will take a long view of the contemporary by taking us back to the end of the Second World War and into our current social media moment, tracing the recent history of challenges to civic and social kinship in the United States, from racial segregation to “Network Connectivity Failure.” With a focus on texts that dramatize a desire for community, connection, recognition, and meaningful encounters, we will explore the relationship between Post45 American fiction and the world we (try to) live in. Mirroring the current proliferation of media platforms, this course will incorporate novels, films, comics, poetry, songs, and short stories to survey the breadth of contemporary American fiction in its global contexts. Assignments will consist of a short paper, a book/film review, a social-media style “story,” and a final exam.