Course overview
Why do we write? What authors have inspired us? Many of the books and stories we admire have been conceived during times of crisis and transformation. To what extent, and in what ways, is the literary imagination conditioned by its social contexts? What is political today? And how might we navigate the tensions between the aesthetic and the political in our own work? These and other questions form the basis of this course by challenging students to draw on their reading and life experiences to write creatively. Students will examine the work of Australian and international writers who might be considered 'political' in different ways. In so doing, students are encouraged to frame their work 'politically'. Readings will include speeches, poetry, short fiction, comics, essays, and novels, to demonstrate the wide range of 'political' writing in circulation.
Course learning outcomes
- Confidently read, understand and appreciate a range of literary texts.
- Have developed a capacity to investigate contemporary writing contexts (social, historical and political).
- Think rigorously about selected contemporary texts and the contexts of their production.
- Prepare and deliver polished and carefully edited examples of creative writing (through a series of exercises and drafts).
- Critically evaluate their own and others' written materials.
- Engage productively and respectfully with their peers.