ENGL 378 B1: Canadian Literature and Culture: Contemporary Cultural Texts

K. Smitka

Contemporary Cultural Texts

This course focuses on contemporary terrains of debate in the field of Canadian literature and cultural studies. Students can expect to encounter debates that have fractured the Canadian literary community over the last two decades, including 1) what are the best ways to address systemic inequality, 2) when might censorship be justified, and 3) why do some authors reject the idea of cultural appropriation? As a class, we will examine a range of theoretical texts that offer competing perspectives on these themes. We will also read literary texts that comment on these same debates. The goal of studying a range of voices will be to first consider a variety of positions, and then join these debates by offering our own perspectives.