Mini-Syllabus

We live in a genre-obsessed literary culture, but there have always been border-crossers among us. Some of the most powerful prose of the 19th and 20th centuries was written by…

Anthropological representations of black women, sexuality and families in the African Diaspora (early-mid 20th century)   This course will emphasize the history of women anthropologists, especially women from ethnic or…

Most syllabi I know start from a confident assumption of objectivity. These compilations of sources usually assure us of their realness, their solidity, their rationality. I appreciate them, I really…

“We are living in the apocalypse. The first moment of life was the first moment of the apocalypse and death. Please, don’t fear the apocalypse.” –László Krasznahorkai “We’re all the…

Course Description Our society’s relationship with animals is rapidly changing: courts are considering giving chimpanzees personhood, more than 200 U.S. cities and counties have banned the sale of dogs from…

Course Introduction: I’ve read comics for as long as I have been able to read. Likewise, I’ve been gay for as long as I’ve been alive. Now I sell comics…

This course is an exercise routine for your brain and thighs. While writing my book Jazzercise is a Language, I read anything I could to understand those famous videos of skinny blondes…

Paternal trauma, often coined “daddy issues,” is a topic that makes people uncomfortable; as it should. Relating to incest, abuse, sexual assault, ignorance, obsession and in some cases, relapses in…

In the spirit of my new collection The Passion of Woo & Isolde (Rose Metal Press, 2017), I’m sharing material from my “Writing the Forbidden” class, of which I teach…

If you’re 16 or over, the only thing stopping you from changing your middle name to “Danger” is the court filing fee ($435 in California). But wait, not so fast!…

Level: Beginner to Intermediate (which translates to having watched 1-3 Kdramas)   Perhaps you recently fell in love with Kdrams through “Secret Garden” or you watched “A Jewel in the…

Solarpunk, the genre of ecocritics and Tumblr bloggers alike, hovers awkwardly at the edge of book parties, occasionally clearing its throat when someone mentions “climate change” or the increasing chance…

Instead of life being a skywards trajectory of never-ending joy, romantic disappointment and emotional upheaval often overrule. Undeniable passion, fluttering heartstrings and a piercing connection are not always equated with…

This course fulfills post-colonial literature, Asian American Literature, Cultural Studies, and Literary Studies credits. Course Description When scholars and anthologists of the South Asian diaspora consider South Asian diasporic cultural…