82-008-L-ANG41-V-S-SE-0916.20242.001

Literature and Media (Mastermodul): Threats to Democracy Beyond Trump: Social Collapse and Totalitarianism in U.S. Literature and Media

Seminar (präsent)

Englisch

23.10.2024 - 07.02.2025

Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaftliche Fakultät

Dietrich, René

Semesterbegleitende Prüfung

Hausarbeit

25 unbegrenzt

Various politicians, academics, and journalists (both in and outside of the US) have termed Donald Trump, and his possible return for a second term as president, a “unique threat to American democracy” (before Harris and her campaign have labeled him also as “weird”). With this in mind, and in light of the upcoming election, this course seeks to take a broader look at how threats to democracy in terms of social collapse and totalitarianism have been portrayed in U.S. literature and other media such as film, TV-series, and graphic novels. In which ways has the American experiment of democracy “by and for the people”, from its start imperfect and incomplete, been imagined as failing? How have various media examined fault lines in the US democratic project as leading the entire structure to crumble when coming under pressure? And how do various media formats that explore such scenarios resonate with social anxieties of their cultural-historical moment, both today and in the past? In order to address these questions, we will discuss Philip Roth’s novel -The Plot Against America- (and to a certain extent the HBO-Adaptation by David Simon), the Parable Series by Octavia Butler, Alex Garland’s recent film Civil War (shown this term in the KU Kino), and other examples. In addition, the English department is currently planning an election night event for Nov 5th, and attendance is highly recommended.

Please purchase in advance (preferably in physical copy):
Octavia Butler, Philip Jennings, - Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation-. Abrams & Chronicle Books, 2021.
Octavia Butler, -Parable of the Talents-. Headline, 2014.
Philip Roth, -The Plot Against America-. Vintage, 2005.
It is recommended to start reading the Octavia Butler texts early.

24.09.2024 -

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