ENG 274 Taboos: Literary Sexualities

Few contemporary issues generate as much controversy as same-gender attraction and relationships; fewer still are so deeply rooted in oppression, violence and discrimination. Literature, a vital tool of social investigation, plays a key role in exploding sexual taboos and the related politics of silence. The course will employ several angles of inquiry, including banned books, popular culture, activism, gender, religion, and global cultures. Students will examine key historical moments in the modern history of gay and lesbian liberation; read across a variety of genres (short story, documentary, novel, drama, film); and engage the relevant critical terminology and theory. [GM1, H]