I took this course with Professor Clara Lewis in 21F.
Overview
Have you ever wondered how selfies and social media impact your sense of self or connection with others? How do you judge an image, product, or person’s authenticity? Social scientists argue that authenticity is now more highly valued than ever. Realness is idealized. Yet the same social forces that make the performance of authenticity a valued marketing ploy also make us crave connection and self-knowledge. These tensions serve as the starting point for our writing-intensive seminar.
We will explore these tensions, at first, with social theory and literary essays that interrogate the nature of the self and the meaning of authenticity. Once we establish a shared foundation in authenticity studies, you will pursue a self-selected research topic. In previous terms, students have studied subjects including luxury brand marketing, online dating, subculture, and popular culture. At this stage, your intellectual interests will steer our conversation.
In class, we will balance critiquing the concept of authenticity with enjoying an open, self-expressive classroom culture. Our shared ambition will be to challenge and support each other in becoming better writers and researchers for college and beyond. To achieve this ambition, we will focus on the advanced literacy skills required to comprehend and contribute to scholarship; the foundations of analysis; and the full writing process, which requires revising in response to critical feedback. Please bring a growth mindset, collaborative spirit, and amped up intellectual curiosity!