English

Sigmund Freud argues that the sexual instinct and civilization are irreconcilable and society must repress the sexual, even at the cost of producing neurotics.  By exploring literary and film texts, this course aims to examine the application of psychoanalytic theory in the representation of sexuality in culture.  Intensive reading is mandatory and expected of students who will be guided through the discussion of the writings of Sigmund Freud, Jacques Lacan, and other theorists who have contributed to the legacy of psychoanalysis as a tool for the reading of culture.
 

From classical Greek drama to contemporary theatre, the stage has always been an integral part of the human experience. The course looks at selective moments in the history of drama in which certain playwrights benefited fully from the history of the genre and yet departed so radically from that history. Exploring the content as well as the form of their dramatic works provides key insights into some of the most important societal and cultural issues of both past and present.

The short 15-hour course aims to provide all who are interested in literature, particularly, teachers who are interested in using literature in their language classrooms, with the chance to read, appreciate and critique the works of the selected American playwrights. 

This course explores the idea of storytelling through reading the works of some of the short story’s most prominent writers. It deals with fundamental questions like: Why do people need to tell, read, write and listen to fictional stories? By examining the aesthetics as well as the politics of storytelling, the course aims at shedding some light on the different themes generated by narration and revealing the void that lies beneath man’s sense of identity.

The course aims at examining the politicized nature of ethnic representations and how they affect social relations and the ethno-symbolic network. Investigating the links between media, society and culture, it falls into the following main themes: Silencing the Asiatic, the White/Black division, the Caribbean subaltern, the Arab and Muslim others, and the symbolic American other. Exploring forms, practices, and politics of representation, we will discuss the importance, as well as the futility, of representational ethnic struggles.

The short 9-hour course aims to provide all who are interested in literature, particularly, teachers who are interested in using literature in their language classrooms, with the chance to read, appreciate and critique the works of 3 important American novelists.