Spring 2018 - ENGL 364 D100
Literary Criticism: History, Theory, and Practice (4)
Class Number: 1373
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Jan 3 – Apr 10, 2018: Tue, 8:30–10:20 a.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Paul St Pierre
stpierr@sfu.ca
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Prerequisites:
Two 100 division English courses, and two 200 division English courses. Recommended: ENGL 216.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
The study and application of select literary theories.
COURSE DETAILS:
Digital Perspectives on Literary Criticism as Handmade Information Transmission
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This media-based course traces the history, theory, and practice of literary criticism from Plato to Bordo, within the milieu extérieur of the digital age and the milieu intérieur of digital identity. It examines the transmission of ideas, theories, philosophical, aesthetic, and literary movements, and intellectual, print, digital, and sensual information cultures, primarily in the West. It addresses the self-aware human organism that has evolved to perceive, process, and interpret experiential reality critically and whose neurological modeling systems process information critically. The human organism is a living system related to other information-processing living and nonliving systems, such as proteins, bacteria, plants, animals, digital media, smart devices, and robots. Throughout evolution human beings have made critical responses to their environments and practices and formulated them as handwork, ranging from handheld pebble tools and handwritten manuscripts and printed texts to digital transmissions today. The critical faculty in human organisms pertains to survival, transmitting genetic information to perpetuate the species, and to the handwork of tool making, handwriting, typesetting, and texting. How does literary criticism—history, practice, and theory—function in human evolution? This course proposes literary criticism is information exchange: critical history is input (artifact), critical practice is throughput (work), and critical theory is output (product).
Grading
- • Expository Essay on a critical theory or practice (2500-3000 words) 30%
- • Research Essay on digital perspectives on critical theory (3500-4000 words) 50%
- • Participation 20%
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
Leitsch, Vincent B., et al., eds., The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism, 2nd ed. (Norton)
ISBN: 9780393932928
Department Undergraduate Notes:
IMPORTANT NOTE Re 300 and 400 level courses: 75% of spaces in 300 level English courses, and 100% of spaces in 400 level English courses, are reserved for declared English Major, Minor, Extended Minor, Joint Major, and Honours students only, until open enrollment begins.
For all On-Campus Courses, please note the following:
- To receive credit for the course, students must complete all requirements.
- Tutorials/Seminars WILL be held the first week of classes.
- When choosing your schedule, remember to check "Show lab/tutorial sections" to see all Lecture/Seminar/Tutorial times required.
Registrar Notes:
SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://students.sfu.ca/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS