Waste/Lands - Einzelansicht

In his work on the so-called Wasteocene, Marco Armiero writes that “waste can be considered the planetary mark of our new epoch” (2). Across local and global scales, waste and wastelands abound in our embodied experiences of the world as well as in representations thereof across different forms of literature and media. In this class we will discuss the role of theory and literature in shaping our understanding of waste and wastelands in terms of social and ecological dimensions, ranging from such diverse contexts as climate change, pollution, war and diseases.

No prior theoretical knowledge is needed, but students should enjoy working through complex theoretical questions and reading materials. Students will have the opportunity to deepen their critical reading and writing skills through a guided process of how to approach and read theory. We will also engage with chosen excerpts of primary literature and art and bring our theoretical discussions to bear on our readings of shorter texts and visual art. Throughout this class, students will have the opportunity to develop their analytical close reading skills as well as their ability to contextualize their readings.

Mandatory literature: tba

short paper