Practices of Disruption

For as long as a dominant or otherwise sanctioned culture has been assumed as the norm, a misfit, an outcast, a dissenter, or a disrupter has emerged in its wake: the unruly one who "raises hell" and imagines a world otherwise. In this course, we will cull from literature, art, film, and music to think collectively about the way artworks function as a playground for disruption, and how forms of disruption are practiced--rehearsed, improvised, speculated--by those at the margins of the so-called and historically-contingent "mainstream." By focusing on key examples across time, national borders, and genres, we will follow the varying shapes the disrupter takes, from the poéte maudit ("cursed poet") to the punk, as a way towards a critical stance of received notions regarding the order of things.
As an R and C course, this is a writing-intensive class that fulfills a University requirement. Expect to spend a considerable amount of time writing, rewriting, and writing some more! With consistent work and dedication, you will be surprised at how your writing evolves from the first day to the last. There is no final examination for this class, only a final paper (5 pages). Late submissions will not be accepted.