PART ONE:
PART ONE:
SOURCES FOR MARY SHELLEY'S THE LAST MAN
SOURCES FOR MARY SHELLEY'S THE LAST MAN
TU=to be discussed Tuesday; TH=to be discussed Thursday. YouTube mini-lectures will be watched in class but useable beyond it.
WEEK 1. TU (August 11) Sophocles' Oedipus Rex (c. 429 BCE) & TH (August 13) Thucydides' "The Plague of Athens" in the History of the Peloponnesian War (c. 400 BCE)
WEEK 1. TU (August 11) Sophocles' Oedipus Rex (c. 429 BCE) & TH (August 13) Thucydides' "The Plague of Athens" in the History of the Peloponnesian War (c. 400 BCE)
Optional commentaries:
TU: Antonis Kousoulis et. al., "The Plague of Thebes, A Historical Epidemic in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex," EID Journal, The CDC (Jan. 2012). In-class YouTube mini-lecture.
TU: Antonis Kousoulis et. al., "The Plague of Thebes, A Historical Epidemic in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex," EID Journal, The CDC (Jan. 2012). In-class YouTube mini-lecture.
TH: Chris Mackie, "Thucydides and the Plague of Athens," The Conversation (March 2020). In-class YouTube mini-lecture.
TH: Chris Mackie, "Thucydides and the Plague of Athens," The Conversation (March 2020). In-class YouTube mini-lecture.
WEEK 2. Giovanni Boccaccio's The Decameron (1353), proem, introduction & story 1 of day one (pp. 11-29 in PDF) (TU August 18) and day one, stories 2-10 & author's conclusion (TH August 20)
WEEK 2. Giovanni Boccaccio's The Decameron (1353), proem, introduction & story 1 of day one (pp. 11-29 in PDF) (TU August 18) and day one, stories 2-10 & author's conclusion (TH August 20)
Optional commentaries:
TU: Paula Findlen, "What Would Boccaccio Say about Covid-19?" Boston Review (April 2020). In-class YouTube mini-lecture (Part I).
TU: Paula Findlen, "What Would Boccaccio Say about Covid-19?" Boston Review (April 2020). In-class YouTube mini-lecture (Part I).
TH: Gina Kolata, "How Pandemics End," The New York Times (May 2020) (alternative link through library). In-class YouTube mini-lecture (Part II).
TH: Gina Kolata, "How Pandemics End," The New York Times (May 2020) (alternative link through library). In-class YouTube mini-lecture (Part II).
WEEK 3. Daniel Defoe's A Journal of the Plague Year (1722). First half (TU August 25) and second half (TH August 27)
WEEK 3. Daniel Defoe's A Journal of the Plague Year (1722). First half (TU August 25) and second half (TH August 27)
Optional commentaries:
TU: Elliot Grover, "What Can Daniel Defoe's Plague Year Teach Us about Coronavirus?" Inside Hook (March 2020). In-class YouTube mini-lecture.
TU: Elliot Grover, "What Can Daniel Defoe's Plague Year Teach Us about Coronavirus?" Inside Hook (March 2020). In-class YouTube mini-lecture.
TH: Orhan Pamuk, "What the Great Pandemic Novels Teach Us," The New York Times (April 2020) (alternative link through library). In-class viewing of "The Periwig Maker," a 1999 short animated film based on Defoe's Plague Year and voiced by Kenneth Branagh.
TH: Orhan Pamuk, "What the Great Pandemic Novels Teach Us," The New York Times (April 2020) (alternative link through library). In-class viewing of "The Periwig Maker," a 1999 short animated film based on Defoe's Plague Year and voiced by Kenneth Branagh.
*AUGUST PANDEMOIR ENTRY DUE BY 5PM FRIDAY AUGUST 28TH (1000 WORDS). FINAL PEER-EDITED TEXT SHOULD BE SUBMITTED BY FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 4TH 5PM WITH A NOTE GIVING PERMISSION OR DECLINING TO PUBLISH ONLINE.
PART II:
PART II:
Week 4. Shelley, The Last Man, Volume I. First half (TU Sept. 1) and second half (TH Sept. 3)
Week 4. Shelley, The Last Man, Volume I. First half (TU Sept. 1) and second half (TH Sept. 3)
Optional commentaries:
TU: Eileen Hunt Botting, "Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein, and Then a Pandemic," The New York Times (March 2020). (alternative link through library). In-class YouTube mini-lecture (first 5 minutes).
TU: Eileen Hunt Botting, "Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein, and Then a Pandemic," The New York Times (March 2020). (alternative link through library). In-class YouTube mini-lecture (first 5 minutes).
TH: Michael Sandel, "Are We All in This Together?" The New York Times (April 2020). (alternative link through library). In-class podcast mini-lecture (first quarter).
TH: Michael Sandel, "Are We All in This Together?" The New York Times (April 2020). (alternative link through library). In-class podcast mini-lecture (first quarter).
Week 5. Shelley, The Last Man, Volume II. First half (TU Sept. 8) and second half (TH Sept. 10)
Week 5. Shelley, The Last Man, Volume II. First half (TU Sept. 8) and second half (TH Sept. 10)
Optional commentaries:
TU: Rebecca Barr, "Pandemic and the Horrors of Solitude," Pathologies of Solitude blog, Queen Mary University (April 2020). In-class podcast mini-lecture (second quarter).
TU: Rebecca Barr, "Pandemic and the Horrors of Solitude," Pathologies of Solitude blog, Queen Mary University (April 2020). In-class podcast mini-lecture (second quarter).
TH: Interview with Peter Singer et. al., "Restarting America Means People Will Die: So When Do We Do It?" The New York Times Magazine (April 2020). (alternative link through library). In-class podcast mini-lecture (third quarter).
TH: Interview with Peter Singer et. al., "Restarting America Means People Will Die: So When Do We Do It?" The New York Times Magazine (April 2020). (alternative link through library). In-class podcast mini-lecture (third quarter).
Week 6. Shelley, The Last Man, Volume III. First half (TU Sept. 15) and second half (TH Sept. 17)
Week 6. Shelley, The Last Man, Volume III. First half (TU Sept. 15) and second half (TH Sept. 17)
Optional commentaries:
TU: Eileen Hunt Botting, "Journals of Sorrow: Mary Shelley and Contagion," The TLS (May 2020). (alternative link through library). In-class podcast mini-lecture (final quarter).
TU: Eileen Hunt Botting, "Journals of Sorrow: Mary Shelley and Contagion," The TLS (May 2020). (alternative link through library). In-class podcast mini-lecture (final quarter).
TH: Alan Coffee, "Mary Shelley Foresaw the Pandemic, and How We've Divided into Bitter Factions," The Washington Post (May 2020). In-class podcast mini-lecture (start at 22:20).
TH: Alan Coffee, "Mary Shelley Foresaw the Pandemic, and How We've Divided into Bitter Factions," The Washington Post (May 2020). In-class podcast mini-lecture (start at 22:20).
*SEPTEMBER PANDEMOIR ENTRY DUE (1000 WORDS) BY 7PM FRIDAY SEPT. 18TH (1000 WORDS). FINAL PEER-EDITED TEXT SHOULD BE SUBMITTED BY FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 25TH 5PM WITH A NOTE GIVING PERMISSION OR DECLINING TO PUBLISH ONLINE.
PART III:
PART III:
POLITICAL SCIENCE FICTION AFTER THE LAST MAN
POLITICAL SCIENCE FICTION AFTER THE LAST MAN
Week 7. TU (Sept. 22) Edgar Allan Poe's "Masque of the Red Death" (1842) & TH (Sept. 24) M.P. Shiel's The Purple Cloud (1901)
Week 7. TU (Sept. 22) Edgar Allan Poe's "Masque of the Red Death" (1842) & TH (Sept. 24) M.P. Shiel's The Purple Cloud (1901)
Optional commentaries:
TU: Jill Lepore, "What Our Contagion Fables Are Really About," The New Yorker (March 2020) (alternative link through library). In-class video: Margaret Atwood's puppet show of Poe's 'Masque of the Red Death' for Mary Beard's BBC 2 "Lockdown Culture" show (9 May 2020).
TU: Jill Lepore, "What Our Contagion Fables Are Really About," The New Yorker (March 2020) (alternative link through library). In-class video: Margaret Atwood's puppet show of Poe's 'Masque of the Red Death' for Mary Beard's BBC 2 "Lockdown Culture" show (9 May 2020).
TH: Samuel R. Delany, "Racism and Science Fiction," in The New York Review of Science Fiction (1998). In-class YouTube mini-lecture
TH: Samuel R. Delany, "Racism and Science Fiction," in The New York Review of Science Fiction (1998). In-class YouTube mini-lecture
Optional commentaries:
TU: Simon Critchley, "To Philosophize Is To Learn How to Die," The New York Times (April 2020). (alternative link through library). In-class YouTube mini-lecture.
TU: Simon Critchley, "To Philosophize Is To Learn How to Die," The New York Times (April 2020). (alternative link through library). In-class YouTube mini-lecture.
TH: Anthony Lane, "Our Fever for Plague Movies," The New Yorker (May 2020). (alternative link through library). Guest speaker, Sam Munson, editor, Octavian Report.
TH: Anthony Lane, "Our Fever for Plague Movies," The New Yorker (May 2020). (alternative link through library). Guest speaker, Sam Munson, editor, Octavian Report.
Optional commentaries:
TU: Laura Diehl, "American Germ Culture: Richard Matheson, Octavia Butler, and the (Political) Science of Individuality," Cultural Critique (2013). Eileen Hunt Botting, "Welcome to the Neighborhood of Solitude," Berfrois (June 2020). In-class YouTube mini-lecture (first half).
TU: Laura Diehl, "American Germ Culture: Richard Matheson, Octavia Butler, and the (Political) Science of Individuality," Cultural Critique (2013). Eileen Hunt Botting, "Welcome to the Neighborhood of Solitude," Berfrois (June 2020). In-class YouTube mini-lecture (first half).
TH: Francis Fukuyama, "The Pandemic and Political Order: It Takes a State," Foreign Affairs (July 2020). (alternative link through library). In-class YouTube mini-lecture (second half).
TH: Francis Fukuyama, "The Pandemic and Political Order: It Takes a State," Foreign Affairs (July 2020). (alternative link through library). In-class YouTube mini-lecture (second half).
*OCTOBER PANDEMOIR ENTRY DUE (1000 WORDS) BY 5PM FRIDAY OCT. 9TH (1000 WORDS). FINAL PEER-EDITED TEXT SHOULD BE SUBMITTED BY FRIDAY OCT. 16TH 5PM WITH A NOTE GIVING PERMISSION OR DECLINING TO PUBLISH ONLINE.
Commentaries:
TU: Simon Cocking, "Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood" (we'll watch the embedded 10-minute YouTube video of Atwood reading the opening pages of the novel in class), Irish Tech News (May 2020).
TU: Simon Cocking, "Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood" (we'll watch the embedded 10-minute YouTube video of Atwood reading the opening pages of the novel in class), Irish Tech News (May 2020).
TH: Eileen Hunt Botting, "A Novel (Coronavirus) Reading of Hobbes's Leviathan," History of European Ideas (July 2020). In-class YouTube mini-lecture.
TH: Eileen Hunt Botting, "A Novel (Coronavirus) Reading of Hobbes's Leviathan," History of European Ideas (July 2020). In-class YouTube mini-lecture.
Week 11. TU (Oct. 20) [read first third of] and TH (Oct. 22) [read second third of] Atwood's MaddAddam Trilogy, volume 2, The Year of the Flood (2009).
Week 11. TU (Oct. 20) [read first third of] and TH (Oct. 22) [read second third of] Atwood's MaddAddam Trilogy, volume 2, The Year of the Flood (2009).
Commentaries:
TU: Margaret Atwood, "It's the Best of Times, It's the Worst of Times, Make the Most of It," Time (April 2020).
TU: Margaret Atwood, "It's the Best of Times, It's the Worst of Times, Make the Most of It," Time (April 2020).
TH: Alison Flood, "Margaret Atwood: Covid-19 Lockdown is Not a Dystopia (read article but save the 20-minute BBC Radio 5 podcast interview with Atwood for the mini-lecture portion of class)," The Guardian (April 2020).
TH: Alison Flood, "Margaret Atwood: Covid-19 Lockdown is Not a Dystopia (read article but save the 20-minute BBC Radio 5 podcast interview with Atwood for the mini-lecture portion of class)," The Guardian (April 2020).
Week 12. TU (Oct. 27) finish reading volume 2, The Year of the Flood (2009) and TH (Oct. 29) start volume 3, MaddAddam (2013).
Week 12. TU (Oct. 27) finish reading volume 2, The Year of the Flood (2009) and TH (Oct. 29) start volume 3, MaddAddam (2013).
Commentaries:
TU: Shauna Shames and Amy Atchison, "Are We Living in a Dystopia?" The Conversation (April 2020).
TU: Shauna Shames and Amy Atchison, "Are We Living in a Dystopia?" The Conversation (April 2020).
TU: Guest speaker, Amy Atchison (Valparaiso, Political Science) on "Are We Living in a Dystopia?"
TU: Guest speaker, Amy Atchison (Valparaiso, Political Science) on "Are We Living in a Dystopia?"
TH: In-class mini lecture: Margaret Atwood on The Year of the Flood (2010).
TH: In-class mini lecture: Margaret Atwood on The Year of the Flood (2010).
Commentaries:
TU: GET OUT AND VOTE! And follow the election in the news so we can discuss it in class.
TU: GET OUT AND VOTE! And follow the election in the news so we can discuss it in class.
TH: Eileen Hunt Botting, "A Post-Apocalyptic American Road Trip," (August 2020).
TH: Eileen Hunt Botting, "A Post-Apocalyptic American Road Trip," (August 2020).
TU: Paul McEuen, "Science Fiction: A Post-Pandemic Wilderness," Nature (2013).
TU: Paul McEuen, "Science Fiction: A Post-Pandemic Wilderness," Nature (2013).
FINAL PANDEMOIRS (2000 words). DUE ONE WEEK AFTER THE LAST CLASS SESSION, ON THURS. NOV. 19TH BY 5PM.
